Digital Disruption in Healthcare and its Impact on Laboratory Services

Abstract

Clinical laboratories provide critical information for the diagnosis and management of disease and receive and send data to multiple sites every day. Laboratories are knowledge managers. We shall discuss digitalisation and disruption. Digitalisation is the act of changing business processes through the use of digital technology. Disruption is a radical change to an existing industry; examples include Uber, Waze and Airbnb. In the case of digital disruption, the enablers include advancement in mobile consumer technology, sensor technology, increasing consumer familiarisation and acceptance of digital platform and mobile technology, electronic payment technology and internet availability and stability.  We reviewed these concepts in healthcare, where consumers can reach out to healthcare professionals as and when required, using the power of technology and the internet. This concept’s ‘triple aim’ is a medical system that delivers high quality, accessible, and low-cost healthcare. Barriers to healthcare digital disruption include privacy, personal data protection, cybersecurity, medico-legal liability, licensing, costs, regulations, limits of non-touch consultation (lack of physical examination), and the reluctance of clinical professionals to be involved. In laboratory medicine, there are many examples of digitalisation including some that meet the definition of disruption including mobile phlebotomists, mobile point-of-care laboratories and home testing. Digital disruption has been a disrupter in many areas. There are many areas in laboratory medicine where digital disruption will occur such as electronic medical records, mobile phones, and wearables. The impact may be significant.