The growth of the telehealth services industry was inevitable as the technological revolution progressed from a distant science-fiction concept to factual reality. This growth was largely aided by the increased need for remote and distant telehealth options during the recent global COVID-19 pandemic, which may or may not be moving in for a second wave attack.
 
There does seem to be some debate about the future of the telehealth industry after the coronavirus outbreak, but it is difficult to imagine a world where technological progress is rejected, especially when it has proven so beneficial to so many people around the world.
 
Here are five facts about telemedicine and the future of telehealth services:
 
1. The Purpose of Telehealth and Telemedicine in Times of Crisis
There is no question that the use of telehealth services was greatly enhanced by the recent global coronavirus outbreak. One of the areas that saw a major increase was the use of remote video services, including live, certified medical interpreters.
 
Where once it was deemed okay to use family members, friends, or even untrained staff to handle medical interpretation, the global COVID outbreak clearly kickstarted the need for a more complete and accurate means of communication.
 
A misdiagnosis based on a simple misinterpretation of phlegm or mucus could lead to a great increase in the spread of the disease as someone unknowingly goes about their daily routine totally unaware.
 
2. Telehealth Device Manufacturing and Document Translation
While the COVID-19 pandemic proved the merit of the telehealth industry, it also exposed many weaknesses with the current system. One of the issues that was revealed regarding telehealth devices, PPE, and even medications, was an overly dependent relationship with China. Given the ongoing tensions between China and the U.S., it is likely that this will result in changes to telehealth device production across the world. This however does not mean that we should expect to see a rush to re-shoring any time soon.
 
A recent report conducted by CNBC and posted on March 4, 2020, noted that even tech giants like Apple, Microsoft, and Google were looking to transfer operations outside of China due to the ongoing tensions, the potential for a trade war and other issues. However, they were not likely to consider re-shoring, but rather seeking out opportunities in Thailand, Vietnam and other locations that would allow for business continuity while at the same time keeping production costs to a minimum.
 
There is currently a great deal of social unrest in the U.S. that looks to continue at least through the November elections. Add this to the high corporate tax rates and the continually decreasing cost of telehealth medical devices, and it is likely that production will become more diverse in the near future.
 
The need to ensure business continuity, uninterrupted production, and reduce costs indicates that the future for telehealth device manufacturing will become even more diverse, expanding globally as opposed to being centrally located. As such, look for an increased need for both legal and translation services given the strict laws and customs regulations regarding medical devices specifically.
 
Legal regulations and other restrictions generally require that all of the documents be provided in the original language format in addition to translated copies being made available for the countries of export.
 
Additional requirements generally require that the owner manuals and other documentation for medical devices likewise be provided in both the original and target languages, again requiring translation services.
 
3. Telehealth Device Manufacturing and Localization
There is going to be an increased focus on localization as remote telemedicine and telehealth devices become increasingly commonplace. Both hardware and software developers will need to have an increased focus on localization services, including accounting for additional language capacity for the user interfaces and specific translations focused on accurate medical terminology.
 
For the medical device hardware manufacturer, expect an increased need for the diversification of the devices and connections based on the unique requirements of the nations where the remote medical devices will be sold.
 
An additional focus on localization appears to be imminent as medical device manufacturers begin seeking areas outside of China for ensuring business continuity and expanding production capacity while at the same time seeking to reduce production costs. It appears that countries throughout Southeast Asia will be the ultimate winners in terms of increased production, though this remains to be seen for certain.
 
It does look as if there will be at least some industry-wide disruption as the world transforms from a global pandemic that has seriously disrupted production already, and the addition of further discontinuity as production facilities are made more diverse.
 
4. Telehealth Device Manufacturing and Business Process Outsourcing
Many of the nations who have suffered adverse reactions from the recent medical pandemic have been forced to reconsider their ability to respond to any potential future crises.
 
It is relatively safe to presume that at least a portion of this response is directly related to the expansion of healthcare and treatment through the implementation and increased use of both telehealth and telemedicine devices due to the recent pandemic. Conversely, this same medical crisis has also resulted in an expanded pool of potential employees across the globe, increasing the potential for production capacity and even sales internationally.
 
However, given the current levels of social unrest, social distancing, and other disruptions, it is expected that business process outsourcing may increase substantially, even to the point of redundancy where possible. This also holds true for vertical integration in such instances where the medical device manufacturers may be in a position to expand to such a degree.
 
There is a definitive need to reconsider both the means and source of production during the global pandemic, especially in the event of a second wave of the coronavirus. Regardless of what ultimately transpires in terms of the COVID-19 pandemic, business process outsourcing will take an increasingly prevalent role in medical device manufacturing.
 
5. The Projected Future of Telehealth Technologies
The use of remote diagnostic and other remote medical devices will greatly assist in the ability of an increased number of clinics and hospitals to retain a minimal staff while at the same time offering more accurate and complete services for the patients. Fortunately, the government seems to be aware of this and as reported by TechCrunch on April 3, 2020, the U.S. government has started the ball rolling with a two hundred-million-dollar initiative to ease the burden of the telehealth industry.
 
Another area of concern in regards to both telehealth and telemedicine devices is an inadequate infrastructure in place in many locations around the world. As such, medical device manufacturers will need to focus on more efficient and less resource-intensive software programs to run these applications in more rural and isolated areas where the remote medical services will be more commonly located.
 
The medical device manufacturers do not have the means, nor should they be required to provide the necessary infrastructure in the many remote locations where telehealth and telemedicine services will be more prevalent. What is required, however, is a keen understanding of the markets and what the potential limitations on their capacities will entail.
 
There looks to be an increase in the need for RTC or real-time communications above and beyond the increasing need for live, remote interpretation services. Look for an increase in the use of both clinics and home-based remote medical devices as the needs for and benefits of these in rural locations becomes more commonly recognized.
 
This, however, will also present yet another challenge for medical device manufacturers, and more directly for the software engineers—the need to focus on simpler user interfaces. Again, this is merely based on common sense and what will be the requirements of the end-user of these at-home medical device technologies.
 
Among the most common users of these mobile and portable medical devices will be more rural and isolated elderly people. Statistically at least, the majority of these people are not going to be technologically savvy or even aware.
 
It is certainly going to present a challenge creating a user interface that remains easy to use and self-explanatory while at the same time ensuring that the device itself functions as it must in order to be of real assistance.
 
In terms of the use of remote clinical medical devices, there looks to be a major increase in the use of more specific remote diagnostics equipment. There are still tens of thousands of rural medical clinics and even hospitals where it is necessary to ring the doorbell and await a response before someone can be admitted into the emergency room.
 
In a report posted even before the coronavirus outbreak started, NBC noted that more than four hundred hospitals are at risk of being closed due to a lack of funding and the inability of these commercial enterprises to remain financially viable. They also noted that there was nearly a 6% increase in mortality rates in these rural areas.
 
The only possible solution to counteract these numbers is through the continued growth and expansion of the remote telehealth and telemedicine industry. While there is very little likelihood of the telehealth or telemedicine industries fading into a distant memory as the global outbreaks finally die out, there will need to be some adjustments made to the manufacturing and production work within the telehealth industry.
 
According to an article published by the Brookings Institute, the American government is focusing on the ability of the medical device manufacturers to increase production and availability of telehealth and telemedicine devices. Current efforts are focused on regulatory changes that will actively increase the use of telehealth services in accordance with the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act.
 
Even the World Health Organization is pushing for an increase in the availability of telehealthcare services, telemedicine devices, and other technologies. Likewise, the nation of India is pushing for a rapid expansion of its internet infrastructure specifically for the purpose of improving access to remote health care services.
 
The continuing production of telehealth and telemedicine devices should not be the question. The more pressing question as we enter the new normal should be the necessary focus in terms of research and development.
 
The focus on telehealth software needs to be streamlined to run equally well even on systems with fewer resources, and there needs to be a continued effort to keep the prices both competitive and affordable. The medical device developers and manufacturers that can keep up with those demands have the best chance of becoming and remaining successful, long after the COVID-19 outbreak is nothing more than a footnote in the historical records.
 

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Ofer Tirosh is the CEO of Tomedes, a translation company that seeks to unite the world through language and globalization for businesses and individuals around the globe.