Technology has played a vital role during the pandemic. It has bridged the gaps made by the mandated physical distancing to help us all stay healthy. But as society is entering the new normal and reclaiming the need for livelihood, technology will play even a more vital role.
Having the right technology is a top strategy to sustain everyone's safety and wellbeing. While scientists are still racing to develop the vaccine, technology is your vital partner in a post-COVID world, and it should not let our guards down.
As head of the family or community, it is essential to invest in technologies that can help sustain your family's overall wellbeing in the long term. Here are ways how technology can support families and communities during and beyond the new normal:
Virtual Communication
People handle additional challenges in dealing with COVID-19 such as loneliness, insomnia, and depression due to isolation. That's why regular virtual communication with your loved ones and families is essential. It can both keep you from viral and mental health risks (like anxiety). Naturally, we prefer person-to-person contact, but virtual communication would be the best option in the coming days. To help you and your loved ones feel less lonely and isolated, investing in a stable and reliable network is crucial.
VOIP Phones
You can support the wellbeing of your loved ones during the lockdown and beyond with managed VOIP phones. VOIP is the phone technology amid the pandemic. It lets you enjoy video conferencing, data collaboration, online gaming, app/desktop sharing, and a much lower cost of up to 80%. It's much cheaper than traditional phones and, at the same time, easy to install, more comfortable to maintain, and more secure. With VOIP Phones, you won't worry about keeping on communicating with your community as much as you need to.
Telehealth
During and beyond the new normal, families should opt for remote consultation or telehealth if possible. Sick members of the community can get the care they need from the safety of their own homes. The doctor can escalate the situation and direct the patient to a health facility should the assessments turn out to be critical. Telehealth can also prevent you from acquiring hospital-borne diseases when in-clinic visits deem not necessary. Health providers also need to work with their technology partners to ensure that their remote health systems like online appointments, EHRs, video conferencing systems protect your privacy or comply with data security laws.
We don't know when things will go back to a pre-COVID world, but there is always a ray of light at the end of the tunnel. For now and in the foreseeable future, technology is one of your top health and disease-prevention partners. Indeed, prevention is always better than cure.
Bryan Villarosa of Troinet
IT Services Provider in New York and New Jersey