How the Combination of Technology and Healthcare is Changing Patient Care

Technology has revolutionized all aspects of our daily lives. From the smartphones in our pockets to the smart TVs in our living rooms. We have become accustomed to the convenience of living alongside the newest and best innovations. But what about digital technology and healthcare, why are we only starting to see a boom in this sector now?

While healthcare has somewhat trailed behind, we are starting to see the benefits of digital health technology. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the uptake of digital health tech in healthcare across the world.

Thanks to digital health, patients could see their physicians via video call. The data available through digital health technologies sped up the creation of a vaccine against the virus. 

As we move into a post-pandemic world, healthcare industries continue to innovate. Digital health is changing the future of healthcare. 

Digital Health Databases and Electronic Health Records 

Before recent technology and healthcare innovations, health records were kept on paper. In some countries, they still are. The implementation of electronic healthcare records has meant that patient data can be stored in databases. 

This has improved physician access to important documents. Before these extensive databases, facilities had to apply for physical records from other facilities. This process could be extensive, and didn’t help the patient in the initial treatment stages. 

eHR’s are accessible nationwide. You can receive treatment in any hospital and valuable information is available. Overall, this has improved the patient experience and their care.

Artificial Intelligence and Digital Health Technology

The valuable information stored on these databases can be used to improve healthcare as a whole. Artificial intelligence is still a relatively novel area, and developers are continuing to learn more about its capabilities. However, it certainly has some uses in the healthcare industry, and will continue to revolutionize patient care. 

AI has the power to scan valuable information much quicker than the average physician or researcher. As a result, it has proved that it has the ability to learn more about treatment and diagnoses of disease. 

In fact, tests have already been run on machine learning, using patient data including symptoms and treatments. The AI uses the data to assess patient symptoms, and recommend a diagnosis and treatment plan. 

Recommendations are based on previously treated patients found in the hoards of data available. While this technology isn’t widely available in the healthcare industry yet, it has the potential to revolutionize treatment.

Hospital Software Systems

Management systems have come a long way. The best softwares allows for the efficient running of a hospital or healthcare facility. 

They can help with staff management, and administrative duties. Software keeps databases up to date, and can help to operate hospital equipment. For example, it keeps track of equipment booking, and a record of the available staff. They also allow for timely and efficient patient monitoring. 

Time-keeping is a key component of a hospital workday. Maximizing nurse and physician time results in better care for patients. Ease of use is key, and software is developing all the time.

Digital Medicine and Treatment

Advancements in digital health technology have enhanced our ability to treat patients. Databases and new equipment have allowed for more in-depth research.

The research into diseases like cancer has benefitted from the advancements in our research capabilities. Utilizing the newest technologies like AI and innovative software, new medicines have come to the market.

Thanks to these technologies, researchers were able to learn more about COVID-19. They could assess symptoms, and the viruses makeup. Ultimately, they generated vaccinations against COVID quicker than any vaccine before.

Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Technology

VR and AR are still an experimental area of digital healthcare. However, it has proved that it has the potential to change the face of patient treatment. 

Trainee doctors and nurses have trialled using VR to learn more about procedures and operations. This virtual reality technology can imitate real-life scenarios, and allow physicians to learn how to manage them.

For example, VR can show a life-like rendering of specific operations. This is especially useful in those that are less routine, with more risk. Training doctors can carry out the procedures in a risk-free environment. Ultimately, this results in a better outcome for patients. This is especially true for those undergoing risky, or innovative procedures.

Diagnosis

Typically, a physician must diagnose a patient using their prior knowledge of health and available data on the patients' symptoms. However, as mentioned before, AI has proven itself to be a potentially useful tool in the diagnosis of diseases. This is just one way that digital health innovations have improved diagnosis.

Real-Time Data

Data management in hospitals is gradually improving. Widespread updates are difficult to manage. However, access to patient data is critical to appropriate treatment and diagnosis. 

The more regular and up-to-date patient vitals and symptomatic data is, the better treatment a patient can receive. Vitals and symptoms are used to form a diagnosis. A physician needs to be aware of any changes in a patients information as quickly as possible. 

Real-time data is a system that automatically keeps information like vitals up to date on the hospital software. Physicians are required to make reports instantly, not only when they are available to submit them. As such, this valuable information can be used to reach a diagnosis quicker. This results in an improved outcome for a patient.

Self-Management

The public is becoming more and more aware of their own health. This has accelerated thanks to the pandemic. Patients would rather take care of themselves, in a preventative manner, and be aware of their personal health. This is ideal, as it reduces strain on healthcare systems.

Wearables

Wearable tech, like Apple Watches and Fitbits, are extremely popular. People rely on them to keep up to date with their social lives. However, they are also useful as a tool for health monitoring. 

The tech can help monitor exercise, heart rates, heart rhythm, blood oxygen and more. 

However, there have also been innovations in more precise areas of healthcare. Recently, there have been improvements in wearable technology that allow you to monitor diseases like diabetes. These devices can connect to smartphones to manage blood sugar levels throughout the day.

Ultimately, technology and digital healthcare are used as preventative medicine. Wearables have the potential to catch health anomalies, before they exacerbate into further problems.

Telemedicine

Telemedicine is another area of technology and healthcare that has improved thanks to the pandemic. As patients could no longer see their physicians in the flesh, appointments had to take place online. 

This digital health technology has opened up the communication between doctors and patients. As a result, patients have been able to take control of their healthcare. It is now easier and quicker than ever to receive appropriate care in the first instance. 

Physicians can also reach far wider than they could previously. Specialists can make contact with those that need them in other countries. Ultimately, this helps to prevent the decline of patient health, and they receive appropriate care. 

At Vertrical, we realize the potential that digital health continues to have on our healthcare industry. We develop technologies for the healthcare industry, and the improvement of the patient experience. Get in touch today to discuss how our developers can drive your next project.