Technology has made significant impacts on health care. It has benefited both patients and health care professionals since many medical facilities have adopted new technologies to improve health care. Technological advances in health care include digitizing health records, robotics, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality.
Significant Impacts of Technology on Health Care
1. Online Education
Technology has enabled medical professionals to share health care information through the internet. You can now easily find medical information or alternative medication, such as cannabis, from the vape deals right from your cell phone or computer.
You can also access drug information, which can help you understand contraindications and side effects. For example, you get to know which foods to consume, what to avoid, and the drugs that interact with the prescribed medicines. And you can get all this without having to see an expert physically.
Professionals in the health care sector have also benefited from big data. Big data avail comprehensive research for inclusive meta-analyses. Therefore, health professionals can always be up to date with the latest health care trends and techniques.
Technology also gives physicians quick access to medication reference guides, treatment protocols, and medical calculators. As a result, the doctor finds it easy to research the diagnosis, drug-drug interactions, or correct dosages, unlike researching manually through large files.
2. Easier Access to Health Records
Electronic patient medical records have revolutionized the health care sector. Health records do not get lost or damaged anymore. It is also easier to refer a patient from one department to another without moving tedious files. Even more, patients can access all their information, such as test results, with the click of a button. Also, buy an aws SSL certificate for a certified website.
Technology makes it easier to read the files, unlike written files where some physicians’ handwriting can be unreadable. It also enables easy file transfer such that doctors from any medical facility can access your file and retrieve medical history and information instantly.
3. Improved Communication
Communication failure is one of the leading causes of adverse effects in health care, such as preventable patient deaths. But technology has made communication between physicians and patients easy. For example, patients can quickly be reminded of appointments and take their medications. Consequently, communication technology can increase adherence to treatment plans by patients.
Technology has also improved emergency services. For example, patients in need of urgent medical care can reach first responders in times of emergency. Similarly, radio communication also enables first responders to communicate with other responders in emergencies like fires and accidents. This has helped save a lot of lives.
Health care providers can also exchange information more easily through online discussion platforms and video. Apart from the smooth exchange of patient information, professionals who work in the same area of expertise but work in different localities can easily find each other through staff directories.
4. Telemedicine
Telemedicine or telehealth lets you consult any health specialist regardless of their location. It has features that allow you to transmit biosignals, medical images, and other medical data to a specialist. In addition, the technology captures vital signs in patients at home and offers video conferencing options and alarms that can sound at a nurse’s station.
Telehealth has helped improve treatment delivery and reduced the waiting time for patients. This prevents the advancement of severe diseases like cancer which can be cured in timely treatments. Also, people in rural or inaccessible areas can get help from specialists much more quickly. It can also prevent hospitalization and unnecessary hospital visits, saving valuable time and money.
You can now use telehealth platforms to contact doctors, check your symptoms, and track your medicine. Then, the medicine gets delivered to your doorstep. For example, you can get approved by a telemedicine consultation if you need a major surgical procedure.
5. Bar Code Medication Administration
One of the impacts of technology in health care is the development of bar code medication administration. In this system, bar code technology is integrated with electronic medication administration records to prevent human errors in the distribution of prescription medication.
Barcode technology enables the encoding of medication information in barcodes to compare the drug being administered with the medication ordered for the patient. The system helps you receive the proper medication at the right time and can produce alerts when pills that look alike or sound the same may be confused. It can also offer clinical advisories for some medication when scanned.
Wrong medication administration is costly. Imagine that medication error is among the leading causes of death. But reviews show that technology in medication administration may reduce errors by 50% to 80%. The technology ensures that the right patient gets the proper medication at the right time and the correct dose by the right route.
Final Thoughts
Besides improving public health, technology in the health care sector helps save time and money. For example, physicians can accurately take and record your vital signs. Furthermore, it enhances efficiency, leading to better health outcomes.
References
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5085324/
- https://catalyst.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/CAT.18.0268
