New Ways to Manage Pandemics: Using Technologies in the Era of COVID-19: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Objective: Health care systems and professionals worldwide are relying on technology as an essential partner to manage the COVID-19 epidemic. This paper explains how digital technologies can benefit the public, medical workers, and health care systems. Method: This nonsystematic literature review was conducted on different technologies and their impact and applications in the COVID-19 epidemic using proper search keywords on the PubMed, Google Scholar, and Science Direct databases. Results: We found various helpful technologies, which can help us to appropriately contain and manage the COVID-19 pandemic through broad areas of clinical care, logistics, maintenance of socioeconomic activities, and inspection. However, main challenges still need to be addressed for obtaining the full capacities of the technologies to support health care systems. Conclusion: Technologies can offer many innovative ideas and solutions against global and local emergencies. In this time of great vagueness and danger, we require all the resources we can collect to rescue ourselves and our patients. Barriers and challenges, such as lack of technology proficiency, confidentiality requirements, and reimbursement matters, need to be recognized and resolved rapidly, accurately, and compassionately.

Keywords: COVID-19; Health Care; Informatics; Robotics; Technology; Telehealth.