Koninklijke Philips N : People are still weary of returning to care. Here’s how we can bring them back.

At the same time, our health systems are constrained and inefficient and not delivering the types of experiences that patients expect. Just think about all the ways that a patient might feel like an afterthought in their own care. Long wait times at the doctor's office have become the norm. Bouncing from one appointment to the next at different locations is an exhausting experience. Having to repeat exams because the preparation instructions weren't clear is also emotionally taxing.

New innovations that deliver convenience, patient-provider rapport and meaningful engagement - either virtual or in person - are the way forward.

For example, we developed an app to help engage patients virtually by helping them prep for elective procedures and improve the experience of visiting a hospital. This technology creates a virtual waiting room that supports a safe arrival at the hospital so that people aren't sitting in a crowded waiting room until their provider is ready to see them.

Sometimes travelling to a physical location isn't even necessary. Telemedicine has been the face of the shift toward convenient virtual care, for example, by increasing patient access to specialists who may be in faraway locations. Yet we're only scratching the surface of what's possible with virtual care. Tele-ultrasound solutions, for example, are enabling improved access for remote collaboration, access to specialists, and virtual training. I expect we will continue to see such examples of telehealth innovations help patients get the best care possible regardless of their location.