Technology influences virtually every aspect of modern life. One industry which has benefited immensely from these advances in technology is healthcare. New technology has revolutionized healthcare. From diagnostic technology such as MRI scans and X-Rays to robotics in surgery, technology continues to redefine healthcare today.
Technology is the future of healthcare and it’s easy to see why. It affects virtually every area of the industry, from research, health devices development, diagnosis, surgical procedures, medical aids, health records management to safer medications. This post explores 4 ways in which technology is improving healthcare practices of the future. Read on.
Electronic Health Record (EHR)
Health records are critical in healthcare. Doctors and other medical practitioners require patient information to make the right call for treatment. For a long time, the management of such records was a clumsy manual affair. Medical personnel relied on manually written records and vague charts. In such situations, it was easy to make poor diagnosis or follow-up decisions.
Luckily, new technology has now made patient record management more effective. The Electronic Health Record (EHR) is an electronic version of a patient’s medical history. The records are now available on an online network by authorized medical personnel. You can read more about Electronic medical records here.
The provider maintains the system with updates to patient records throughout their attendance. The EHR contains administrative and clinical data which the doctor or other medical practitioner requires. Such data can include demographics, progress notes, medical problems, and medications.
With the EHR, providers can easily share relevant patient information in seconds. Such transfer of information comes in handy in emergencies and can boost decision making in the fast-paced hospital environment.
The system also reduces the incidence of medical errors with more accurate and easily available data. Doctors can clarify any information they need from the system. The availability of health information reduces duplication of tests by the same provider. This eliminates bottlenecks in the treatment process and boosts patients’ satisfaction levels. The patient gets solid information to make better decisions about their health.
Other advantages of electronic health records include safer, more reliable prescriptions, improved efficiency by healthcare providers, and cost reduction in healthcare with improved safety, decreased paperwork, and overall, improved health.
Telemedicine / Telehealth
Digital technology has made life easier today by overcoming the challenge of distance. In medicine, telemedicine is one of the most notable technology trends and it is revolutionizing access to medical care. This is the practice of medicine through digital technology.
Doctors and other medical practitioners today leverage the latest telecommunications technologies to advance healthcare based in areas where access to healthcare was a challenge, doctors can now use a telecommunications infrastructure and deliver the much-needed care to patients in such places.
Today, this technology is highly efficient because of the availability of innovative electronic communications and software. Care providers can offer opinions or diagnosis remotely to avoid the need for travel and therefore speeding up the analysis process
Genome Sequencing
One of the most interesting medical technologies over the last few decades has been genome sequencing. This is a complex process of determining the entirety of an organism’s DNA sequence at a single time. The process is defined as one of the greatest endeavours of biology.
While this was mostly used as a research tool, there are new applications in the field of medicine. Genome sequencing is mentioned as the future of personalized medicine. Sequencing reveals to scientists what genetic information is in a particular DNA segment.
The specific gene information obtained in genome sequencing has immense potential for the future of medical care. This information can reveal genetic variants causing disease or which increase the risk of disease. A lot more non-medical information is also acquired in the process.
Home Health Monitoring Systems
In medicine, patient monitoring is one of the most critical tasks. However, it’s not always easy for the doctor to monitor their patients after a visit. This is where home health monitoring systems come in handy.
In-home monitoring is a big trend in healthcare today which allows healthcare providers to follow up on their patients. This technology provides the doctor with real-time data about their patient’s health. The data helps the care provider to create a new treatment plan or tweak the one in place.
These are many other healthcare IT solutions revolutionizing the healthcare world such as Laboratory information systems, Radiolog AI solutions and wearable technology. By embracing these technologies, healthcare providers and medical practitioners can deliver more effective services for their patients.
