Medicine
and Technology
In
today’s world, technology plays an important role in every industry as well as
in our personal lives. Out of all of the industries that technology plays a
crucial role in, healthcare is definitely one of the most important. This
merger is responsible for improving and saving countless lives all around the
world.
Medical
technology is a broad field where innovation plays a crucial role
in sustaining health. Areas like biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, information
technology, the development of medical devices and equipment, and more have all
made significant contributions to improving the health of people all around the
world. From “small” innovations like adhesive bandages and ankle braces, to
larger, more complex technologies like MRI machines, artificial organs, and
robotic prosthetic limbs, technology has undoubtedly made an incredible impact
on medicine.
In
the healthcare industry, the dependence on medical technology cannot
be overstated, and as a result of the development of these brilliant
innovations, healthcare practitioners can continue to find ways to improve
their practice – from better diagnosis, surgical procedures, and improved
patient care.
Information
Technology and Medicine
Information
technology has made significant contributions to our world, namely in the
medical industry. With the increased use of electronic medical records (EMR),
telehealth services, and mobile technologies like tablets and smart phones,
physicians and patients are both seeing the benefits that these new medical
technologies are bringing.
Medical
technology has evolved from introducing doctors to new equipment to use inside
private practices and hospitals to connecting patients and doctors thousands of
miles away through telecommunications. It is not uncommon in today’s world for
patients to hold video conferences with physicians to save time and money
normally spent on traveling to another geographic location or send health
information instantaneously to any specialist or doctor in the world.
With
more and more hospitals and practices using medical technology like mobile
devices on the job, physicians can now have access to any type of information
they need – from drug information, research and studies, patient history or
records, and more – within mere seconds. And, with the ability to effortlessly
carry these mobile devices around with them throughout the day, they are never
far from the information they need. Applications that aid in identifying
potential health threats and examining digital information like x-rays and CT
scans also contribute to the benefits that information technology brings to
medicine.
Medical
Equipment Technology
Improving
quality of life is one of the main benefits of integrating new innovations into
medicine. Medical technologies like minimally-invasive surgeries, better
monitoring systems, and more comfortable scanning equipment are allowing
patients to spend less time in recovery and more time enjoying a healthy life.
The
integration of medical equipment technology and telehealth has also created
robotic surgeries, where in some cases, physicians do not even need to be in
the operating room with a patient when the surgery is performed. Instead, surgeons
can operate out of their “home base”, and patients can have the procedure done
in a hospital or clinic close their own hometown, eliminating the hassles and
stress of health-related travel. With other robotic surgeries, the surgeon is
still in the room, operating the robotic devices, but the technology allows for
a minimally-invasive procedure that leaves patients with less scarring and
significantly less recovery time.
Technology
and Medical Research
Medical
scientists and physicians are constantly conducting research and testing new
procedures to help prevent, diagnose, and cure diseases as well as developing
new drugs and medicines that can lessen symptoms or treat ailments.
Through
the use of technology in medical research, scientists have been able to examine
diseases on a cellular level and produce antibodies against them. These
vaccines against life-threatening diseases like malaria, polio, MMR, and more
prevent the spread of disease and save thousands of lives all around the globe.
In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that vaccines save about 3
million lives per year, and prevent millions of others from contracting deadly
viruses and diseases.
Medical
Technology and The Law
As
technology in the world of healthcare continues to evolve, rules and
regulations concerning its use must be established and adjusted to adapt to the
new methods of administering care. Regulations like HIPAA and its Privacy
and Security Act target the concerns about the confidentiality of patient
information and the steps that must be taken to maintain privacy in our digital
world. Medical providers and healthcare administration must be careful
when choosing to implement new products and technologies into their services,
and should ensure that all technologies are “HIPAA compliant” before investing
in their implementation. Other initiatives, like the 2010 Health Care
Reform bill, state the steps that must be taken by hospitals and other
care providers to integrate medical technology into their practices.
Technological
innovations in the healthcare industry continue to provide physicians with new
ways to improve the quality of care delivered to their patients and improve the
state of global healthcare. Through technology’s integration with areas like disease
prevention, surgical procedures, better access to information, and medical
telecommunications, the medical industry and patients around the world continue
to benefit.
