Modern innovations have changed the fate of numerous industries like IT, Business, finances, and entertainment; the healthcare sector isn’t far behind in the race.
Remarkable progress has been made in the healthcare industry, revolutionizing the standard of care.
However, before we jump into the advances made in the medical industry, Let’s look at the impact of technology on healthcare.
One of the significant impacts made is the easy access to information to both the patient and the healthcare professional.
Technology has ensured that neither doctors nor patients rely on physical records to access vital information with the induction of electronic health records across hospitals and clinics.
There are no two ways how the role of technology in the healthcare industry has contributed to saving patients’ lives and improving quality of life.
Patient care has significantly enhanced with the introduction of pacemakers, and health trackers, making it convenient to track patients’ health.
Digital technology has altered the future of medicine by greatly improving operational efficiency that adheres to the high standards of medical care.
Medical research in the healthcare domain contributes to various medical breakthroughs. Modern technology has enabled researchers to jump leaps and bounds in the medical field by saving time on analysis, quantification, and testing.
Technology has empowered individuals to look after themselves, track their wellness, and accordingly set goals that minimize the burden of medical burden in the long run.
There is no denying that today, medical imaging technology, virtual reality, 3D printing, and telemedicine have transformed how we view medicine.
Let’s discuss in detail how certain advances have upgraded the healthcare sector.
1. Virtual Reality
VR has been around for a long time and is thoroughly used by several organizations and industries; now, it is used to treat several psychological illnesses, from anxiety and stress to dementia.
However, virtual reality’s use is not only limited to treating psychological disorders; patients suffering from pain are also treated by changing their perception and thought processes around pain.
What distinguishes virtual reality from other forms of technology is that it transports you and helps you understand the traditionally impossible functioning of the human’s internal system.
The hyper-realistic CGI helps establish virtual models, allowing practitioners to view patient information in-depth, understand their conditions vividly and see how treatments would work.
Virtual reality also benefits the patient by equipping them to learn about their condition from the comfort of their homes or any other remote location.
Virtual models are a tool for medical trainees to comprehend human physiology from a micro to a macro perspective.
2. Telemedicine
Telemedicine has increased in demand ever since the COVID-19 pandemic. Telemedicine offers numerous benefits to patients and healthcare practitioners.
Apart from providing comfort and convenience to patients, it has helped cut secondary costs, including travel expenses.
It has also improved the quality of care for the elderly and individuals experiencing geographical limitations.
Flexibility is the key aspect of telemedicine, enhancing the healthcare professionals’ working conditions.
Primary care providers are no longer at the risk of getting exposed to illnesses or infections as telemedicine allows doctors to consult and refer treatment from the comfort of home.
People without access to primary care must wait endlessly to get a consultation; telemedicine has resolved that issue.
Besides providing a convenient medical check-up, the new technological innovation has also made it possible to monitor patients’ health as they recover from illness remotely.
Remote monitoring devices have eliminated the need for patients to visit the nearest hospital or clinic to get their blood pressure, oxygen levels, or cholesterol checked in case of fluctuations.
Data collected through telemedicine enables healthcare professionals to identify potential health risks and take prompt action to prevent dire consequences.
With time, telemedicine will only continue to grow, provide better healthcare outcomes, cut costs, and offer early interventions.
3. 3D-Printing
The medical industry, with time, has established the reputation of being the most advanced in terms of new treatments due to the technological advancements that have left no stone unturned in improving patient care.
Deemed the future of healthcare, 3D printing is one of the leading innovations that has swept the healthcare sector off its feet.
3D printing has enabled healthcare professionals to offer patients exceptional treatment. It is used to develop surgical cutting, drill guides, prosthetics, and patient-specific replicas of organs, bones, and blood vessels.
The advances in 3D printing have led to the development of safer, more reliable products, saved time, and reduced cost.
Custom parts are designed according to the individual’s requirements, making them more approachable and comfortable.
3D printing has also revolutionized the pharmaceutical industry by providing the option to cultivate doses based on the person’s age, body size, lifestyle, and sex.
There is always a risk of human error when creating custom parts manually. However, 3D printing has eliminated doubts by enabling professionals to develop several iterations before finalizing the final product.
4. Wearable Devices
The demand for wearable devices has significantly grown over the years. These devices are synced with phones to help you track everything from steps and physical fitness to your sleeping pattern.
Besides integration into the wellness program, wearable devices are also incorporated into various clinical settings to provide more objective data.
The data collected is used to analyze patients’ health and subjective data, enhance decision-making, and discover the best practices that deliver fruitful outcomes.
More specifically, the aging population remains fit with the help of wearable devices that track their health and prevent chronic illnesses.
Among the widely used wearable devices are smartwatches that depending on the model, keep the individual informed about sleep patterns, blood pressure, and electrocardiogram.
Technological advancements don’t end with devices worn outside the body; implantable help evaluates the functioning of different organs.
Smart pills are also used to aid the diagnosis process by providing images and values from inside the body after swallowing the pills.
Conclusion
With time technological advancements have transformed the dynamics of the healthcare industry. Out of all the sectors that have benefited from incorporating technology in the healthcare sector with promising outcomes.
Though the medical industry demands highly skilled individuals with years of experience to smoothly run the operations, the healthcare sector also requires exceptional tools to manage the infrastructure, which is now possible thanks to different technological advancements.
The transition to modern times has improved the overall experience of healthcare professionals and patients, from collecting vital information to offering quality care.
In conclusion, digital technology will go as far as healthcare providers are open to streamlining the quality of care.
