Advances in technology has helped improve the technology in many ways, this article will explore 6 of those ways.
The Internet has Become a Great Source of Medical Information
The internet has given people more empowerment when it comes to their health. There is more information about illnesses and diseases online than ever before. This allows people to research their medical issues, symptoms, and explore new and alternative treatments and medicines.
While it’s not encouraged to skip out on going to the doctors, in some cases home remedies and peace of mind is all you need. This can decrease the number of people going to the doctors for minor issues that could have been resolved at home.
Healthcare Facilities Are Using Social Media to Communicate with Patients
The internet has also helped bridge the gap between doctor and patient communication. More frequently hospitals and health care centres are using social media to contact patients and answer their questions about practices. They can also use the platform to launch public awareness campaigns, community outreach and remind people to regularly needed tests and vaccines. Some of the more sophisticated sites even offer instant chats with nurses and doctors about medical issues.
Better Treatment and Less Suffering
New technology has led to new machinery and medicines. These are far more sophisticated than ever before and can shorten illness time dramatically. Not to mention that pain relievers are more readily available.
New technology has also improved research which makes the healthcare even more effective!
Improved Patient Care and Worker Efficiency
Patient care has improved drastically over the years. With newer technology being able to determine if there are any complications related to an illness. Electronic machines allow the doctor to take important information such as vital signs, blood tests and much more, and then store it on the main database. This has improved the quality of care as doctors have something to refer back to and compare. It also means if you see a new doctor they have all the information already there, improving worker efficiency.
Doctors are Easier to Reach and Better at Their Jobs
Technology has enabled doctors to contact and consult colleagues all over the world, whether it be through text, email or video conferencing. This allows knowledge to be passed between doctors and allows for a second opinion from someone who might be more specialised in a certain field. This also allows doctors to diagnose, treat and research conditions that they may not have even known about before.
Online Databases Can Accurately Predict Medical Trends
By analysing health information online, Google have been able to predict certain trends – such as flu outbreaks. They do this by monitoring search patterns. They can see if there is an in fluctuation of people searching for a particular illness. They use this to estimate how much of an illness, such as the flu, is circulating in different countries.