As technology improves so does technology in the medical field. In fact, advances in healthcare technology have been some of the most significant in recent years improving the health and overall well-being of patients all over the world. A few of the most significant technological advancements are profiled below.
Telehealth:
Doctors are now able to support and improve healthcare services by integrating this technology. Telehealth is a way for patients to manage their healthcare and digitally access healthcare services. You can use telehealth tools from your home, or your doctor can use them to support your treatment. There are a variety of goals for this new technology which includes, providing access to healthcare for people in rural areas, making treatment more convenient, and providing better communication between patient and doctor — Tools such as patient portals, virtual appointments, and remote monitoring all help to reach the goals of telehealth.
Electronic Health Records:
Also known as EHRs, electronic health records are innovating the healthcare industry more than you would think. Thanks to EHRs hospitals and doctors offices no longer have to worry about losing patient information or the hassle of transferring physical files to another doctor’s office. EHRs are helping to advance medical treatment and diagnostics by creating better communication between doctors. Records systems connected electronically make transferring medical information faster.
Smart Inhalers:
Even though inhaled corticosteroids and bronchodilators are essential in the treatment of asthma, 94% of patients using an inhaler are doing so improperly. Bluetooth smart inhalers are the newest technology in making sure that patients are receiving their medication correctly. This new device monitors inhaler use, reminds patients to take their inhaler, and gathers data to improve patient care. When the smart inhaler is used it records the date and time that the medication was used and if it was correctly administered. All of this information is stored on the user’s smartphone in an app.
Precision Medicine:
This revolutionary approach to treatment represents a breakthrough in patient care. Precision medicine allows doctors to choose treatments and medications that are the right fit for a patient based on profiling their genetic makeup. We’ve seen this type of treatment used explicitly in the care of cancer and rheumatoid arthritis patients. For patients with cancer, precision medicine is used to treat the specific manifestation of their cancer, taking information directly from the patient’s profile of abnormal genes and proteins.
These are only a few of the technological advancements shaping medicine today. As our technology continues to grow so will advances in medicine. Those in the healthcare field will have to grow and evolve to integrate these technologies and thus provide the best quality care.