Technology and healthcare: working together for a healthier future

As technology has evolved, so too has our ability to offer better healthcare and surgery.

So, how are technology and healthcare working together to revolutionise global health, and how can it continue to improve how we practice healthcare?

Thanks to the development of technology, patients now have access to advanced diagnostic tools and minimally invasive surgical procedures and cutting-edge treatments – all of which have transformed the healthcare industry.

Some of the technological and digital transformations that have helped to develop healthcare are remote consultations, telemedicine, targeted treatments and healthcare mobile apps.

Electronic records

Today, digital technology gives us more security and freedom compared to the days of paper records.

From lab reports to hospital stay details and prescriptions – everything can now be stored digitally. This also means that accessing information is much easier. Your digital medical records are stored in the cloud and can be accessed from anywhere.

Digital health technology also facilitates information sharing and collaboration between hospitals and labs, as well as allowing healthcare professionals to access information related to patient allergies even if the patient is unconscious.

Improvement in care of patients

Mobiles apps allow patients to keep track of their doctor’s appointments, food intake, heart rate and exercise, and health and fitness apps now offer customised solutions by tracking what people are eating as well as their level of activity.

Some new apps allow patients to upload their prescriptions and get medicines delivered to the door – saving time and money on costly pharmacy visits – whereas others allow doctors to communicate directly with patients and keep track of their vital parameters.

Radiofrequency technology allows doctors to keep track of the real-time location of patients along with their vitals and temperature. This makes the patient accessible to a doctor in the case of emergencies.

Modern developments in technology such as 3D printing has also revolutionised care for patients – it can be used to create hearing aids, dental devices and prosthetics – and virtual reality devices can be used by doctors to ease symptoms of anxiety and depression in the elderly and mental illness patients.

Other technological developments such as robotic surgical procedures have minimised the chances of mistakes during surgeries.

Telemedicine: a new era

A very recent development that is ushering in fdont

a new era for modern medicine is telemedicine.

With telemedicine, a patient can consult with a specialist anywhere on the globe. This is a technology that has made distance redundant when it comes to medical consultations. It can also be a lifesaver in emergency situations where immediate critical care is required.

In this method, devices such as video telephones are used to transmit bio-signals, images and other related data between a doctor and a patient. The parties do not even have to present at the same time for this exchange to happen.

For patients, this means less waiting time and speedier recovery. It also means those in countries that have poor access to healthcare now get much quicker and easier access to healthcare when they need it.

Currently, the rate of adaptation and implementation of technology in healthcare is largely uneven across the world because, while developed countries have made rapid strides in this regard, developing countries have yet to catch up.

However, the symbiotic relationship between technology and healthcare means many countries across the world will soon be picking up pace when it comes to implementing revolutionary technologies.