Talking HealthTech: 304 – A digital first approach to healthcare. Dr Patrick Aouad, [cu]health

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Meet Dr Aouad

Dr Patrick Aouad is one of the co-founders of [cu]health and serves as the Chief Executive Officer. [cu]health is a virtual healthcare service that assists businesses in mitigating the effects of poor employee well-being. He is enthusiastic about enhancing organisational capacity and performance that may be achieved through providing technology-driven, evidence-based health and well-being services. 

As a co-founder of Loxley Health in 2017, Dr. Aouad is not only an accomplished corporate director, but also has a considerable understanding of general practice and business operations.

He is a neurologist, and he is the author of a large number of research papers on a wide range of topics, such as the cost of health problems on organisations and well-being economics.

Improving Healthcare

As a result of his work in the public health system and the private sector, Dr Aouad was able to identify some areas in which the accessibility of medical treatment and health literacy may be improved. There are bottlenecks in the system that keep reappearing. Issues may be resolved in a way that would empower patients by providing them with better access and understanding of their healthcare journey.

Dr Aouad is committed to introducing members of the medical community to innovative concepts and forms of technology to broaden their perspectives on how their specialised knowledge might be applied in more efficient ways. The development of solutions through improved medical procedures and increased awareness of how to care for communities, recognising healthcare professionals’ beneficial behaviours and providing high-quality primary healthcare through interdisciplinary health teams. Through various points of contact, it is possible to finally make people’s lives, individually and collectively, better. Putting this concept into practice by digitising the solutions, expanding the number of people who can be connected to it regardless of location, and ultimately helping those who require medical treatment would be a model that might implement this idea.

When it comes to health prevention, there are a lot of competing agendas in the healthcare industry and many diversions. A team-based collaboration in the digital transformation of healthcare as a business model is required to think of a better approach to look after communities that extend beyond their geographical territory.

What is CU Health

The company’s mission is to transform the dynamic aspects of clinical practice into a digital format. This is one of the company’s fundamental beliefs. Those values can be developed through cultivating trust and loyalty with a committed health team to care for those who require health services. It is possible to provide considerably more effective treatment to those individuals by first understanding the person with such involved values. At CU health, sustaining good practice ideas in the digital environment can link individuals or organisations with consistently devoted teams. This is done to ensure that good practices continue to be implemented.

At CU health, one of the essential core values is the availability of a platform that facilitates communication between various medical specialists. Forming partnerships with primary care physicians, clinical psychologists, dietitians, and registered nurses, as well as acknowledging the significance of maintaining good mental health and wellness. All medical specialists work together to provide the highest possible level of care for patients on the platform, which can either be accessed through a mobile app or online.

Digital first healthcare

At CU health, “digital first” refers to how digital technology might improve the medical care provided to an individual patient. Taking into account that Australia has a good healthcare system on an international scale. Still, with a lot of pressure on Medicare and issues going through the pandemic, things need to be worked through systematically to bring stakeholders to the table, working in a way for sustainable solutions. This is something that needs to be done as soon as possible.

The use of digital technology may help fill up some of the gaps in access to resources that can effectively comprehend the requirements of the patients. Aggregating data ethically and suitably to improve patient care. A patient can be assured of having direct access to the appropriate healthcare expert from the very beginning by using a digital first strategy. The digital world has the potential to produce an atmosphere in which individuals can discuss their areas of expertise and specialisation.

Providing a digital entry point via which services can be accessed while maintaining the traditional ideals of healthcare brought by dietitians, nurses, and other medical professionals. The application of supporting technology creates efficiencies and maximises access to medical care.

Leveraging Data

Facilitating patients in coming to terms with the fact that their data will be utilised in the digital transformation of healthcare, which is viewed by some as a potential danger. However, the way to minimise such risk is much closer, focusing on utilising the gathered data to improve the quality of service the health industry provides.

In addition to enhancing the general population’s health, individualised medical care is essential. At the next level of problem-solving, there is the utilisation of data through the personalization of care, the use of biometric technologies as home monitoring, the understanding of one’s heart rhythm difficulties, and the presence of sleep disorders. With the help of the collected data, medical experts may make a potential diagnosis. At this point, the patient may be transferred to a specialist, or it may be possible to assist in monitoring an ongoing treatment.

It is of the utmost importance to identify the risk factors for diseases early since this increases the likelihood of successfully preventing chronic diseases. Early identification of risk factors can lead to earlier intervention, in which digital-first ideas can be utilised. Utilising the gathered data can create access to education, which can lower the likelihood of having significant conditions in the future.

It is crucial to aggregate data on risk factors within the population’s variety at the community level as a whole, as this will allow for the construction of the appropriate healthcare team following society’s requirements.

Multidisciplinary approach

In the healthcare industry, one of the most common practices is to hold multidisciplinary meetings to discuss how treatment might improve a patient’s care outcome—discussion and cooperation to devise a strategy for moving forward in finding the appropriate treatment for an illness.

A multidisciplinary approach to patient treatment is practised in primary healthcare settings. General practitioners perform an outstanding job when it comes to managing patients and referring them to the proper allied healthcare providers. However, the current system, which incorporates interdisciplinary teams, is not adequate to meet the requirements of the population at present. Problems with patient compliance, limitations imposed by Medicare, and other similar obstacles make it difficult for healthcare teams to function effectively.

Within the digital realm, health providers can effortlessly collaborate thanks to the technology and platform offered. Collaborative settings that are exhibited in the virtual space indicate each expert’s strengths and limitations—achieving the very best result that can be had for both the patient and the community as a whole.

Harmonising with the current healthcare system

CU Health was established not to disrupt the existing healthcare system but rather to improve upon and contribute to the functioning of that system. That might collaborate well with medical practitioners and other health care professionals. The company offers different avenues through which individuals working in the industry can contribute their varied areas of knowledge and collaborate.

What’s on the horizon for CU Health

This year, the platform had its official launch, and during that time, it informed both large and small businesses about how the company may improve both the health of their employees and the success of their enterprises. Additionally, there is a goal to bring on board the first company, which will include ASX businesses. 

With a new relationship on the horizon with a football team that emphasises the players’ overall health, the company expects new partnerships to flourish in the next six to 12 months. Both on healthcare collaboration and building up the ecosystem that looks after organisations and people.

_{Source talkinghealthtech.com}