Between March 2nd & April 15th, 2020, virtual urgent care visits increased by 683% and virtual non-urgent visits increased by 4,345% (Journal of the American Informatics Association, n.d.), which hints that digital health in hospitals has moved forward 15 years in the last 4 months. So, what does the new future for digital health in hospitals look like? Healthcare is changing rapidly. But are these changes here to stay? I will look at why I think many of these changes will be incorporated into ongoing care, even once a vaccine is found for COVID-19.

Technological advancements are making its way into healthcare and can be instrumental in tackling barriers linked to the social determinants of health. Social Determinants of Health include behavioral, social and economic conditions that influence an individual’s ability to practice healthy living. A ‘whole person’ approach to care delivery addresses the multidisciplinary nature of one’s health.