Recent Technological Advancements In Healthcare

Technology has altered every part of our life. Smart devices have made everything easier and more efficient than ever. Healthcare is one of the major sectors that have seen a drastic improvement thanks to the recent technological advancements.

In a clinical setting, the internet enables healthcare workers to access information that can help them treat their patients in a much better way. If you are a healthcare worker, you can’t imagine your life without the internet. And if you are looking for a stable connection for yourself, consider ISPs like Verizon Fios, AT&T, and Spectrum. Spectrum Internet, in particular, offers a reliable connection that can help you as a healthcare provider stay online 24-by-7 and get access to tons of reliable information. You may Spectrum Customer Service and get yourself the required plan.

If you are wondering about the recent technological advancements that have made changes to the way patients are treated, and how the overall healthcare sector works, keep reading as we have mentioned five recent advancements in the medical sector.

Nanomedicine

Nanomedicine is the application of nanotechnology in the field of medicine. Nanotechnology deals at an atomic, molecular, or supramolecular level and has a huge potential of bringing some positive changes in healthcare. There are multitudes of areas where nanomedicines can be used, including vaccine development, drug delivery, implants, and much more. The most recent uses of this technology are in cancer treatment and biomarker detection.

Another example of the application of nanomedicine is the early detection of kidney damage. The method involves the use of gold nanorods, which are designed to get attached to a certain type of protein generated by a damaged kidney. When such protein gets accumulated on the nanorod, its color changes. The test can be used effectively in the early detection of kidney damage.

Digital Health Assistants

There are many digital devices that can act as smart assistants for patients. These include voice assistants and chatbots to answer any medical question, wearable devices, and fitness tracking apps.

Chatbots have also been found helpful in treating mental illness. A 2017 study by Fitzpatrick found that Woebot, a chatbot that delivers cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), has proven to reduce the symptoms of depression significantly. There might be many reasons behind that; patients might find it hard to talk to a human due to the fear of being judged, or maybe they simply need some place to vent out their emotions. Whatever the reason is, digital health assistants can certainly be of quite a help for the patients.

Remote Monitoring

Remote monitoring allows for better patient engagement and helps in keeping a daily track of their health. Devices like smart thermometers, wearable gadgets, and others allow patients to keep track of their daily habits and health without having to leave their houses and visit in person. It has proven to be especially useful during the pandemic when it wasn’t feasible for most of the people to pay a visit to a doctor.

The future of remote monitoring is quite promising; inventors are looking out for improved ways to supply medical equipment and necessary drugs without having person-to-person contact with the use of drones and other smart technology.

Internet of Medical Things

The use of IoT technology in the medical sector is known as IoMT or the Internet of Medical Things. The technology has many applications, such as sensors in pharmaceutical shipments to keep the temperature under control so that the medicines remain intact, personalized healthcare by using the large amount of data collected for every individual patient, and drones that can provide faster delivery of medical equipment and medicines.

An example is the smart Glucose-monitoring devices. Traditionally, it was not only difficult to measure the Glucose levels of patients but was also inefficient to keep track of such a large amount of data. The modern Glucose measuring devices keep a real-time check of patient glucose levels and provide regular or periodic reports.

Precision Medicine

Precision medicine is a type of medicine or a way of treatment that utilizes the data collected about a patient’s genes and medical history to provide him with a more personalized treatment. While the concept isn’t new, as it has been used for years to match the blood type during blood transfusion, it is getting smarter as larger amount of data is being collected thanks to technologies like big data and cloud computing. It will make healthcare many times more efficient and easier.

To conclude:

Technology has revolutionalized every aspect of our life. The Healthcare sector is one of the areas where technology has brought the most rapid advancements. From nanomedicine to digital health assistants, remote monitoring, and precision medicines, we can see some interesting uses of technologies like AI, IoT, Big Data, and cloud computing. All these applications are not only making the lives of healthcare professionals easier, but are treating patients in the best ways possible.