It’s not hard to see the benefits of modern technology in almost every aspect of our lives. On a personal level, many people rely on today’s tech to keep in touch with friends and family, learn new skills, discover more about the world around them, and enjoy unprecedented levels of entertainment too.
On a professional level, meanwhile, we can see technology being used on a day to day basis in almost every industry in the world, from engineering and manufacturing to education and, of course, healthcare, where unique innovations like care collaboration software and AI learning are changing the game for both healthcare professionals and their patients.
The healthcare sector has seen amazing changes in recent years, all thanks to the development and implementation of new forms of technology. This guide will cover just some of the many ways in which today’s tech is helping healthcare get better, every single day.
AI
Artificial intelligence has long been regarded as the “next big thing” in the tech world, heralded as one of the most significant innovations in the history of mankind, and it’s sure to transform many aspects of life in the years to come, but is already having huge effects in healthcare, and it’s interesting to see how AI can be used in a lot of different ways in the average clinic or hospital.
AI algorithms may be used, for example, to search for patient medical records and history in order to provide doctors and specialists with more accurate information to make a diagnosis, and it’s even possible for AI to design treatment plans or even develop new drugs with minimal human assistance. Google even recently created an artificial intelligence that outclassed human radiologists when put to the test of identifying breast cancer in patients.
Electronic Health Record
Electronic health records might not be quite as exciting or groundbreaking as the latest AI innovations from a technological standpoint, but they’ve made a colossal difference to the healthcare industry all over the world, making it so much easier and simple for information on each patient to be stored, referred to, updated, and shared throughout clinics and hospitals globally.
In the past, healthcare organizations had to cope with endless reams of paperwork, keeping simple pen and paper files on their patients that could easily be lost, damaged, or destroyed. The innovation of Electronic Health Records has changed the system entirely, and now doctors and nurses can load up electronic files for their patients at a moment’s notice, helping them make more accurate diagnoses and provide better treatment for all.
Virtual Reality
Virtual reality, like artificial intelligence, is another huge talking point in the tech world at large right now. For a long time, VR was reserved for science-fiction stories and films, but nowadays, it’s not uncommon to find VR headsets and devices in homes and businesses all over the world, and there are various ways in which this tech can be harnessed for healthcare purposes.
For example, VR is already being used to help train surgeons and medical specialists, allowing them to carry out practice operations in the digital space, and reviews of this tech have been highly encouraging, with one Harvard Business Review study finding that surgeons who had undergone VR training were much more efficient and accurate as a result.
Remote Monitoring and Wearables
The wearable market has taken off in a big way in recent years, with many people buying items like smartwatches and fitness trackers to try and improve their health, habits, and lifestyles. These little wearable devices can be used for things like heart rate tracking, blood sugar monitoring, and counting the number of calories a person burns during the course of their workouts or daily lives.
Remote monitoring tools and wearable can also be used by healthcare professionals to monitor the health of their patients from afar, without the need to actually bring those patients into clinics and hospitals. This can help to reduce the physical load and in-clinic traffic for hospitals while still allowing patients to get the care and guidance they need.
Final Word
These are only a few examples of the many ways in which modern-day technology is transforming the world of healthcare as we know it, and there are many other innovations out there that are helping to make doctors more efficient, surgeons smarter, administrative workers less stressed, and patients happier and healthier too. In short, when it comes to technology in healthcare, the future is very bright.
