How the Medical Niche is Evolving With Technology Advancements

How the Medical Niche is Evolving With Technology Advancements

How the Medical Niche is Evolving With Technology Advancements?

Technology is rapidly evolving and transforming a wide range of sectors, and one of the areas where technological advancements have a big impact on the healthcare industry.

The sector has been a bit slow in implementing the new technologies when compared to other industries, but that is because of the sensitive nature of the medical information and the strict regulations involved in the process. 

However, the healthcare industry has made big strides that have redefined how data gets collected, ways in which the patients receive treatment, research is done, and how the medical practitioners use new tools and get innovative and fresh techniques to practice medicine. A recent study done by PwC Health Research Institute indicates that only 9% of hospitals used electronic health records [EHRs] ten years ago when compared to 90% today. 

Public crowdfunding has also played a significant role in enabling patients with ailments such as cancer that require the use of highly-built machines to get the right assistance they require to get appropriate medical care. Here are some of the ways that technology is improving the healthcare industry.

1. Improved Equipment, Treatments, and Medications

Technology is bringing many benefits to healthcare as time goes by. It has led to the invention of better pieces of health equipment that enable the physicians to give more comprehensive care. It has also led to better and improved treatments that boost the quality of life of many individuals suffering from long-term illnesses and terminal diseases.

Technology has also brought about better medicine that has eliminated the fear of many life-threatening diseases of the past. Improved medical equipment has also led to speedy research and effective medical processes.

2. Reduced Risks and Recovery Time

Technology developments have greatly enhanced the safety of many medical procedures. As a result of technological advancements and medical procedures, many technological innovations like laser treatments are currently less risky. The utilization of new technology had significantly reduced the time of recovery. In some instances, the recovery time is even reduced from a couple of weeks to a few days.

3. Higher Access to Genome Sequencing

Medical researchers sequenced the first human DNA in 2003. The entire process lasted for 13 years and cost almost 3 billion dollars to complete. Technology advancements have currently reduced the overall cost to around 1000 dollars. The data found in the genome is more accessible to physicians and patients nowadays.

4. Improved Disease Control and Healthcare

The development of specific software applications has enabled the WHO or World Health Organization to classify come diseases, their symptoms, and main causes into a large database with more than 15,000 individual codes. 

The information in the database enables researchers and medical professionals to monitor, retrieve, and use valuable data to provide better healthcare and control diseases. Software applications also play a significant role when it comes to tracking medical processes and utilizing automated billing that reduces paperwork.

5. Faster Medical Results

Getting results after taking medical tests in the past took weeks or even months. However, with the technological developments, we have today, you can get your results as soon as the medical lab finishes with your sample. Furthermore, many clinics and hospitals provide web portals, which allow you to access your medical results within days or hours. 

These developments reduce anxiety in patients and give them the answers they need. These web portals also allow patents to get access to their past medical records, which provide them with an opportunity to keep track of their appointments, billing, and medical issues.

6. A Better Relationship With Patients

Doctors can access the records of a patient through technology, which gives them comprehensive information about a particular patient. That can enable the doctors to offer personalized treatment and medications to patients. In the past, the medical files of patients were kept in halls or stores, which created big amounts of paperwork that made it challenging to find a patient’s file. 

However, with technology, you can transcribe the records and put them online, making them available for the patients and doctors. It also boosts the relationship between the patients and the doctors and makes the patients feel more comfortable with their doctors because they know their entire health history.

7. The Main Source of Healthcare Information

Recent research studies indicate that there have been a higher number of individuals looking for medical information over the internet. Therefore, there is a growing list of individuals who utilize the internet to investigate their medical problems. The web does not only make it easy for users to look up for symptoms but the available medication and treatments as well. While it is not a good idea to skip out on your doctor fully, website builders and web design itself have empowered the patients when it comes to making health decisions. Reviews of such services can be found here. Besides, those providing information resources have invested in responsive web design that allows users to use different gadgets to access information.

8. Accurate Prediction of Outbreaks

Because many people look online for answers when they begin feeling sick, the data browsed can add up to develop a bigger picture that is a specific query. Specific locations can be established from all the online searches and a particular database created to show the spread and rise of certain illnesses. This information is important when it comes to predicting outbreaks for their outlook.

Final Thoughts

New technological innovations and developments are leaving a mark on every sector, industry, and trade. While there is value in everything that simplifies medical processes or solves a problem, there are no better applications for breaking technology developments than in the medical sector. 

Technological advancements are better implemented in the healthcare sector in some parts of the globe than others. Developed countries have been able to employ technology more effectively for better patient care. However, developing nations are also catching up fast.

Medical providers who have not yet adopted some of the tools placed at their disposal by technology are realizing their massive untapped potential and are currently making the investments and the changes needed to streamline processes, increase efficiency, lower costs, and, most importantly, to boost the quality of care. The eight items discussed above are just a few illustrations of how technology development is paving the way for a better tomorrow, and only time will tell what is next in the healthcare sector.

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  • Nickie Christie

    The medical niche is slowly but gradually evolving.

  • Graeme Jonson

    Innovation is needed in health care.

  • Paul Howard

    So on point !

  • Lucy Kendrew

    Insightful

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Luke Fitzpatrick

Tech Expert

Luke Fitzpatrick has been published in Forbes, Yahoo! News and Influencive. He is also a guest lecturer at the University of Sydney, lecturing in Cross-Cultural Management and the Pre-MBA Program. You can connect with him on LinkedIn.

   
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