How insurers can bridge the digital divide in healthcare

With the growing use of telemedicine, remote patient monitoring devices, and other digital healthcare services, it’s become clear companies must address the digital divide in healthcare to increase access and promote patient engagement, especially among underserved and rural populations. Mobile technology can help bridge this gap, allowing insurers and healthcare providers to deliver patient education and a range of healthcare services that potentially improve care quality — regardless of what patients can afford, where they live, or the level of digital access in their communities. Beyond the pandemic, the digital divide in healthcare could have long-term implications for patients and providers. Without a mobile phone or internet service, patients may not have access to health tracking apps that issue medication reminders or remote monitoring devices that help their doctors better manage their care. They may have limited access to preventive services that improve chronic disease management. They may not see a doctor regularly or have access to educational resources that empower them to make more informed healthcare decisions. All of these things can widen existing healthcare disparities, especially among populations that already face healthcare access and cost challenges, such as Medicaid members, rural residents and low-income populations. Insurers can use mobile technology in several ways to address these challenges, advance health equity and better prepare for the future of insurance in a digital world.