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Clinical trials are the way that most new treatments are tested for initial efficacy and are becoming much more public in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you are sick, having easy access to your medical records is important for a multitude of reasons. But if an appealing or selective trial opens up, having your records available and organized prior to joining a clinical trial could save you time and stress and help you secure a spot in the trial. Even if you are not sick, in order to join a trial, you will likely be required to produce an extensive set of your medical records.

Suppose that a patient is seeking a second opinion from a specialist in Texas for their recent cancer diagnosis. The patient resides on the East Coast of the United States and is unable or uncomfortable traveling. To properly confirm and address the diagnosis, the physician in Texas needs to see the patient's full medical history, including pathology. Unfortunately, sending the pathology report through the mail is costly and wastes valuable time, and also runs the risk of getting lost or damaged in transit. Not to mention, digital pathology slides are so large they will not fit on a DVD for sending.

While we are still reeling from the onslaught of the pandemic, it is useful to reflect on and investigate some of the occurrences that will pave the way for healthcare in the coming years. Even if it wanes with the current delivery of multiple vaccination candidates, COVID-19 has made an indelible mark on our healthcare system.

Here are ten of the most important trends that we expect to emerge or gain traction in 2021, as the veil of COVID-19 is pulled back.

Patient Record Disconnect

The last thing a patient needs when they are sick, is to have to scurry around and collect their medical records from the various providers who generated the patient’s medical records. Often these records can help to understand a disease progression that is critical for the patient’s treatment plan. But patient records often reside at various providers who store these in proprietary, incompatible and disconnected silos, often requiring the patient show up in person to receive a CD or printed paper copy. Without these records in hand, a patient’s diagnosis can be incorrect or incomplete. Expensive and sometimes uncomfortable tests may have to be performed again.

We are all feeling the impact of COVID-19 on our lives as well as on our professions. Medical imaging practices are similarly being impacted. Unfortunately, much of the affect of this disease will have long-standing implications that will linger far beyond the containment of COVID-19. In order to survive and perhaps even grow in the new reality, imaging practices will need to make drastic adjustments in how they operate.