How Data Can Improve Healthcare for a Growing Senior Population

The decline of their health, financial difficulty, personal safety risks and the loss of independence — when it comes to aging, our seniors have a lot on their minds. In a strange juxtaposition, the advancement of our medical knowledge and technology can actually exacerbate the situation for them. Consider this — the first electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded in 1924. The first MRI was in 1977. In 2008, we had the first 3D-printed prosthetic limb. Today, we’re talking about nanotherapies and AI to track and predict patients’ status.

Healthcare has become a lot more complicated and continues on that trend at an accelerating pace. Meanwhile, many seniors suffer from multiple chronic health conditions and need more support managing these illnesses to live a healthy life. On their own, they’re often forced to juggle multiple specialists, providers, treatments, medications and even different clinical recommendations. Luckily, data operationalization is making it increasingly easier for seniors and patients of all ages to manage their health. Although the challenges to managing data can be complex, the possibilities for using data to improve healthcare are just getting started.