CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A new report by Accenture (NYSE:ACN) has found that, as digital becomes increasingly more critical in all aspects of healthcare, organizations must master a new set of emerging digital technologies to deliver convenient and effective care.
According to the report, Accenture Digital Health Technology Vision, nearly all (94%) of the 221 health executives surveyed said they believe emerging technologies have accelerated the pace of innovation over the past three years.
However, while technology investments have progressed, healthcare organizations must do more to meet rising consumer and employee expectations for when, where and how they experience care. For example, three-fourths (77%) of health executives believe their employees are currently more digitally mature than their organization, resulting in a workforce “waiting” for the organization to catch up.
The report argues that a combination of emerging technologies known as “DARQ”—distributed ledger, artificial intelligence (AI), extended reality (XR) and quantum computing—will spark a step change in becoming healthcare’s future digital foundation. More than two-thirds (68%) of executives believe DARQ will have a transformational or extensive impact on their organizations over the next three years, and most (89%) are currently experimenting with at least one DARQ technology.
The Accenture Digital Health Technology Vision report is derived from Accenture’s most-recent annual technology report which predicts key trends likely to disrupt business over the next three years. Among the findings from healthcare executives:
- Of the four DARQ technologies, 41% believe AI will have the greatest impact on their organization over the short-term.
- 38% of health organizations have already adopted XR across one or more business units, the most of any DARQ technology, creating new, immersive ways for clinicians and consumers to experience and engage with the world around them.
- 87% of healthcare executives agree that the integration of customization and real-time delivery is the next big wave of competitive advantage.
- 82% agree 5G will revolutionize healthcare by offering new ways to provide products and services.
- 86% believe that consumers’ digital demographics are increasingly becoming a more powerful way to understand their customers.
- 68% agree that within the next three years, every employee in their organizations will be empowered with access to a team of bots to accomplish their work.
“Like other aspects of their daily lives, consumers increasingly expect technology to enable health organizations to meet them when, how and where they want care,” said Kaveh Safavi, M.D., J.D., senior managing director of Accenture’s health practice. "Despite considerable effort to-date, there remains a long journey ahead to deliver the rich, individualized, experience-based relationships that modern patients demand. But one thing is clear – it is no longer a matter of if these needs will be met, but when. Investing in DARQ technologies will be crucial to developing new pathways into the future.”
Methodology
The Accenture Technology Vision is developed annually by the Accenture Labs and Accenture Research. For the 2019 report, Accenture gathered input from the Technology Vision External Advisory Board, conducted interviews with technology luminaries and industry experts. In parallel, Accenture Research conducted a global online survey of 6,672 business and IT executives from 27 countries, including 221 U.S. and Canadian health executives. The survey was fielded from October 2018 through December 2018.
About Accenture
Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions — underpinned by the world’s largest delivery network — Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With 477,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com.