Addressing the Digital Divide in Virtual Healthcare

As the world begins to progress technologically, people are anticipating new ways to connect with others in the digital age. While this has become commonplace for anybody who regularly watches a Twitch Stream or participates in Zoom meetings, one of the major challenges of the future will be to convince an older generation to trust in medical services coming from a digital provider. In fact, many of these individuals still live without broadband internet in their residences or communities. As such, it can also be expected that they lack the appropriate hardware – quality tablets, smartphones, or computers – to interact with digital medical services. And without experience with such technology, most people aren’t prepared to use it for communicating with their healthcare team. However, there is immense potential in bringing medical care to an older generation through a device in the palm of their hands. If their lives can be improved, then the short-term struggles are worth the reward.

The Potential To Provide Healthcare for Anybody, Anywhere

When providing medical care through a digital device, those who grew up before the technology boom and who have received care more traditionally will naturally have the most difficulty adjusting. They grew up in a generation where people solely met their doctors live in their clinics, spoke to them in person, and developed close relationships with them.

However, times change along with people’s lifestyles and preferences. As patients become older, accessibility to cars and travel can become more expensive and difficult. As such, people can’t necessarily reach their doctor with the ease they once could. The times when a doctor would regularly make a house call to their most elderly patients are long gone, due to the demand on their schedules.
But, there is a way house calls can return to medical visits, only now, in the form of visits through digital devices.

Technology, and How Aetonix Makes it Work for All Patients

Aetonix works to bring healthcare services into the palm of patients’ hands, so they’ll always have the support they need. Whether the hurdles are in accessibility, or in the patient not being used to a new way to see a doctor, Aetonix is prepared to work with them to make their medical needs easy to access.
As such, the aTouchAway platform is ready to get patients into a virtual mindset across the digital divide. By addressing the technological hurdles of virtual care, Aetonix hopes that the concerns about getting medical help the old-fashioned way become a thing of the past.

Lack of Broadband Internet Concerns

Sometimes, having the fastest internet speeds is not always an option. For instance, a patient may live in a region where high-speed internet is not built into the municipal infrastructure, or maybe they just don’t need internet that fast all the time. The aTouchAway platform can be set up for various speeds and levels of accessibility, so that all the pertinent access gets out quickly, while not bogging down the service provider with features the patient doesn’t need. In cases where a patient temporarily loses access to an internet connection, their files and information will still be available through the platform for their healthcare providers to review. In these cases, providers can call their patients over the phone and guide them through the steps they should take until they regain connection.

Lack of Technology or Equipment

There are so many ways to access the aTouchAway platform, so finding a compatible device can be done without hassle. If a patient already has a smartphone or a computer, the aTouchAway platform will be easy to download and begin using. If this is not the case, however, healthcare providers can proactively identify patients in need of hardware, and opt for packages that include tools such as watches, simple monitors, and other small portable devices for the patient to carry with them.

Technological Literacy Concerns

Navigating digital technology can be a daunting experience for anybody not used to it, no matter what their age or background. The aTouchAway platform comes with a user-friendly interface ready to walk a new user through its features. Even if a patient forgets how to navigate certain features, the most important areas are highlighted with a simple single-push interface, making accessibility easy for people with even the most difficulty in operating technology. Of course, if there is a serious concern, Aetonix’s helpful team of tech experts is always a phone call away and ready to help.

Aetonix’s aTouchAway is Here to Help

The aTouchAway platform is designed with all patients in mind. It is available to those living in various levels of broadband accessibility, from high-end users to those with minimal access. aTouchAway can also be used from nearly any type of device, whether patients have a smartphone or tablet of their own, or require an Aetonix-provided device. We make sure that our user-friendly technology can be reached at any time with easy-to-pick up tutorials and a simple interface.

Thank you for reading. To stay up to date on current healthcare topics and news about Aetonix, subscribe to our mailing list at the bottom of our blog page. Connect with us on social media using the links at the bottom of this page and share your thoughts!

Keep reading
Keep reading