The future of healthcare is changing with advances in healthcare technologies, such as artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, virtual reality and augmented reality, 3D-printing, robotics.
It is important for us to be familiarized with the latest developments in healthcare technologies to take benefit from them and at the same time understand the pros and cons of the same.
Healthcare is a very critical because of the high stakes involved with handling and caring lives. In healthcare, technology is bringing a significant change at a huge level right from patient registration to diagnosis and treatment.
Let us look at some of the latest updates in technology on healthcare:
1. Artificial intelligence – Artificial intelligence algorithms can mine medical records, design treatment plans faster than the current mode of functioning. Supercomputers root out therapies from a database of molecular structures. Recently, Google’s DeepMind created an A.I. program for analysing breast cancer. The algorithm surpassed the radiologists past and existing treatment solutions. Many healthcare providers are using A.I. to make advancements in medical imagining.
2. Big data – Technology has integrated the cluttered medical records of patients into a single platform to ensure effective treatment for patients by having access to complete history of the patients. Based on the medical history of people in a region, Big data can be useful in identifying COVID-19 infection zones and assist the medical professionals in giving quick and effective treatment. In the case of the COVID-19 outbreak, access to public information has led to the creation of dashboards that are continuously monitoring the virus and helping the authorities in effective resource mobilization. Big Data provides huge potential in bringing down treatment cost, predict epidemics and avoid preventable diseases to improve the overall health and quality of life.
3. Robotics – Technology is aiding and assistance doctors and nurses in a variety of ways in providing care to the patients. Especially seen during the COVID scenario, when robots were used to spray disinfectants, perform diagnosis and some medical procedures and delivering medications. In USA, hospitals have taken the assistance of robots to monitor and treat the patients.
4. Virtual reality: Virtual reality is also changing the lives of patients by training surgeons to practice operations sitting at far distances. Promising softwares have been developed by ImmersiveTouch and the like. A research by HBR reported that VR- trained surgeons showed 230 % boost in overall performance in comparison to the traditionally trained ones. Patients undergoing treatment using VR assistance have shown a decline in pain levels as well.
5. Genome Sequencing – With genome sequencing you can get the the valuable information about the drug sensitivity and other medical conditions including your family history.
6. 3D-printing – This can-do wonder in healthcare. It is becoming possible to now print bio tissues, artificial limbs, blood vessels. Researchers at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York developed a way to 3D-print living skin with blood vessels which is crucial for burn victims.
7. Telemedicine – Studies consistently show the benefit of telehealth, especially in rural settings that do not have access to the same resources metropolitan areas may have. Government and private organization have built mobile and web applications using people’s location to disseminate information regarding healthcare and other essential services.
In healthcare, digital technology can help transform to sustainable healthcare systems and processes, improve the relationship between doctors and patients and provide cheaper, faster, and effective treatments for diseases. We are living in revolutionary times for healthcare because of the digital health with a mission to spread the knowledge and developments of new advances in healthcare. The updates in information technology is helping not just doctors in providing efficient treatment but even patients in solving the most intricate health problems.
