With the constant development of new technology, every industry is more and more reliant on the machines and systems which they now use. One industry where technology is particularly important is healthcare, as technology has totally transformed the industry’s treatment options and patient care. Innovations in just the last few years have led to huge advancements in-clinic research, treatment success, and patient data analysis. With technology in the healthcare industry set to continue driving the industry, it is important to know the important breakthroughs which have always happened.
This article will look at six proven ways technology has improved the health industry.
1. Remote Medical Consultations
Online remote medical consultations have totally transformed diagnoses and patient experience as people now don’t have to go and see their doctor in person for a check-up or examination. Many public health services and hospitals are overrun these days, whilst in private healthcare systems, just a routine checkup can cost a lot of money, so being able to have a medical consultation via text or video call can save money, time, and vital medical resources for both the patient and the healthcare provider. It also gives people the chance to consult with a medical professional 24/7 and get advice without having to speak to someone in person. Many patients are nervous or embarrassed when talking about their health issues, so remote medical consultations help to avoid this issue.
2. Improved Data Analysis
Data analysis is so important for quick and accurate diagnoses, which gives patients the best possible chance of receiving effective treatment. Technology has enabled the scientific community and healthcare systems around the world to connect with each other to share trials’ data and treatment results. Not only does this help healthcare providers to access the most up to date information regarding different conditions, but it also helps them save time and money in the process. The digitization of healthcare means that the same data is available to everyone, no matter where they are in the world, and that expert analysis can be obtained at any time.
3. Mobile Health and Fitness Apps
There are millions of people globally who now use different kinds of mobile apps for various health and fitness applications. The app development experts at Vincit.com explain that there are now personal training apps, nutritional apps to track your food, and even apps that can trace outbreaks of infectious diseases. The importance of tracking apps has been shown during the Covid-19 Pandemic and has helped governments to make important health decisions based on accurate up to the minute data.
4. Enhanced AI
There are many big tech companies around the world who are focusing their efforts on developing Artificial Intelligence to help improve the healthcare industry. One technology company has successfully developed artificial intelligence to identify and analyze breast cancer far more effectively than human doctors. There is another company that has developed an AI system that can monitor 911 callers and detect the signs of a heart attack in their voices.
5. Medical Supply Drones
Drones have facilitated a huge step forward in the medical supply chain as healthcare providers are now able to provide remote areas with vital medical supplies and equipment. There are many places in the Third World where access is difficult, but drones can be flown remotely straight to the place where the medical supplies are needed. This technology has also been shown to be vital in areas where access is impossible due to a natural disaster like a flood or hurricane where roads or bridges are out of use.
6. Self-Testing Equipment
As the world has seen during the COVID-19 Pandemic, self-testing kits are a vital factor in identifying diseases and stopping their spread. GPS data and connected healthcare systems mean that anyone who has come into contact with someone who has tested positive can be identified immediately, and the necessary steps can be taken to test and quarantine them. The spread of HIV, which at one time looked like it could ravage the world, has been dramatically slowed with the development of HIV self-testing kits. With this technology, scientists are optimistic that HIV could well be on the way to extinction.
Technology has impacted our lives in every way, and its importance to the healthcare industry cannot be overstated. New equipment and software have improved everything from patient diagnoses to individuals’ fitness regimes. With new technologies being developed every day, there are no limits to what breakthroughs could soon be made in the healthcare industry, and this is great news for patients and healthcare providers alike.
