Revolutionizing Healthcare: How Technology is Transforming the Health Industry.
Introduction: The Era before Health Technology
Alarm fatigue continued to be a problem in healthcare provision and management amongst professionals until the introduction and development of healthcare technologies. It is defined as the repeated triggering or activity of alarm systems that result in the responder becoming desensitized. Because of technological development, integrating both physiological cues and algorithmic analysis reduced the incidence of false alarms.
The era before health technology, also known as the pre-digital era, was characterized by:
This era was marked by challenges in accessing, sharing, and utilizing healthcare information, leading to inefficiencies, errors, and poor patient outcomes. The advent of health technology has transformed the industry, addressing many of these challenges and improving patient care.
Health technology is defined by the World Health Organization as the application of organized knowledge and skills in the form of devices, medicines, vaccines, procedures, and systems developed to solve a health problem and improve the quality of life. This includes pharmaceuticals, devices, methods, and organizational systems used in the healthcare industry, as well as computer-supported information systems.
Types of Health Technology:
These categories are not exhaustive, and health technology is constantly evolving, with innovations and applications emerging regularly. Some of the above-mentioned types of health technology will be further elaborated in subsequent paragraphs.
Some other examples of health technology include:
As a consequence of greater investment in health technology, fewer medical errors result. In addition, health technology-enabled healthcare organizations move away from outdated paper records to electronic health records. This resulted in greater patient empowerment and efficient documentation of medical history. Overall, health technology has resulted in improvements in Drug Administration, access to medical information, integrated healthcare, improved diagnosis and treatment, improved public health, and increased economic savings as well as scalability of services.
Although improvements have been made in health technology, there are several opportunities for improvement to help diagnose accurately, reduce risk to patients, and improve outcomes and life expectancy.
The healthcare industry is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by technological innovations that are changing the way we approach patient care, diagnosis, treatment, and data management. From telemedicine to artificial intelligence, wearable technology to electronic health records, these advancements are revolutionizing the way healthcare providers work, interact with patients, and deliver care.
Medical technology
Medical Technology has evolved into smaller portable devices, for instance, smartphones, touchscreens, tablets, laptops, digital ink, voice and face recognition and more. With this technology, innovations like electronic health records (EHR), health information exchange (HIE), Nationwide Health Information Network (NwHIN), personal health records (PHRs), patient portals, nanomedicine, genome-based personalized medicine, Geographical Positioning System (GPS), radio frequency identification (RFID), telemedicine, clinical decision support (CDS), mobile home health care and cloud computing came to exist.
MRI have been a long-used and proven medical technology for medical research, patient reviews, and treatment analysis. With the advancement of imagining technologies, including the use of faster and more data, higher resolution images, and specialist automation software, the capabilities of medical imaging technology are growing and yielding better results. As the imaging hardware and software evolve this means that patients will need to use less contrasting agents, and also spend less time and money.
Further advancement in healthcare is electromagnetic (EM) technology guidance systems, used in medical procedures, allowing real-time visualization and navigation for the placement of medical devices inside the human body. For example, a neuro-navigated catheter is inserted into the brain, or a feeding tube is placed in the stomach or small intestine, as demonstrated by the ENvue System. ENvue is an advanced electromagnetic navigation system for enteral feeding tube placement. The system uses a field generator and several EM sensors enabling proper scaling of the display to the patient’s body contour, and real-time view of the feeding tube tip location and direction, which helps the medical staff ensure correct placement and avoid placement of the tube in the lungs.
3D printing is another major development in healthcare. It can be used to produce specialized splints, prostheses, parts for medical devices and inert implants. The end goal of 3D printing is being able to print out customized replaceable body parts
Before the digitization of healthcare, patients were more likely to suffer harm due to inefficient and faulty chemical systems conditions and the processes is. Several medical errors arose due to undeveloped technology including adverse drug events and alarm fatigue.
Telemedicine is one of the most significant trends in healthcare technology, enabling patients to consult with healthcare professionals remotely through video conferencing, phone calls, or messaging apps. This approach has expanded access to care, especially for patients living in rural or underserved areas, and has reduced wait times and travel costs.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is being increasingly used in healthcare to enhance diagnosis, treatment, and patient outcomes. AI algorithms can analyze vast amounts of medical data, identify patterns, and make predictions, enabling healthcare professionals to make more informed decisions. AI-assisted diagnosis can also help reduce errors and improve patient safety.
Wearable technology, such as fitness trackers and smartwatches, is empowering patients to take a more active role in their healthcare. These devices can track vital signs, monitor chronic conditions, and provide real-time feedback, enabling patients to make lifestyle changes and improve their health.
Electronic health records (EHRs) are revolutionizing the way healthcare providers manage patient data, coordinate care, and communicate with each other. EHRs provide a secure, interoperable, and accessible platform for storing and sharing patient information, reducing errors and improving patient safety.
Other notable trends in healthcare technology include:
This evolution of digital health technology is crucial in reducing harm to patients as well as ensuring efficient use of hospital resources and enabling economic sustainability.
A core component of this evolution is interoperability as new models of care are emerging and evolving. Interoperability will enable effective information sharing between care settings, organizations, and geographical locations on a large scale and facilitate information sharing on a smaller scale between professionals and patients to optimize patient outcomes and quality of care. This is hinged on the ability of IT systems across health and care to be interoperable, i.e., compatible with one another.
Conclusion
Healthcare technology is transforming the industry in profound ways, enabling better patient outcomes, improved efficiency, and increased accessibility. As innovation continues to accelerate, we can expect even more exciting developments in the future. By embracing these advancements, healthcare providers can deliver high-quality, patient-centered care that meets the needs of a rapidly changing world.