With the constant technological advances in healthcare, various devices are steadily gaining traction for people looking to improve their health and different aspects of their lives.
From wearable devices that improve quality of life and allow people to monitor vital signs to supplements like CBD edibles or gummies that offer wellness benefits, health care is going through rapid change for the better.
Let’s explore some new healthcare technology and how it can improve our lives.
1. Internet of Things
Internet of Things, or IoT, is a network of devices and other physical objects with sensors, internet connectivity, and specialized software. This allows them to exchange information and provides users with helpful data to improve various aspects of their lives.
As a promising type of healthy technology, IoT is paving the way for smart hospital systems, remote patient monitoring, and the use of wearable devices that provide real-time health updates to doctors about their patients.
These advancements help medical and health professionals monitor patients and diagnose conditions, offering a more proactive and connected approach to treatment.
2. Artificial Intelligence
If you’ve ever asked yourself, “How is technology good for us?” you only need to look at artificial intelligence (AI) for the answer.
While we are far from replacing doctors and healthcare specialists with computers, even today, AI offers numerous practical uses that help professionals.
One example is AI’s ability to analyze large data blocks and identify patterns a human might miss. This can help professionals diagnose conditions and even predict patient outcomes.
At its most basic, AI chatbots can answer patient questions, provide feedback and support, and schedule appointments, making it more convenient for healthcare practitioners.
3. Blockchain Technologies
Blockchain technology, which is often mentioned alongside cryptocurrency, is any structure that stores transactional records. Block refers to the piece of information, whereas chain is the public database found in a certain network.
Interestingly, these technologies are gaining popularity in health care. More specifically, they are useful for storing and exchanging patient data between healthcare professionals. Additionally, such technologies can identify and point out mistakes in the medical field and clinical trials.
Given the security of blockchain technologies, they have the potential to become the default option for storing and transferring sensitive information.
Aside from keeping patient information safe, this can streamline communication, help reduce errors and discrepancies, provide a unified platform, and contribute to better diagnostics, treatments, and patient care.
4. 3D Printing
3D printing is another technology that’s revolutionizing healthcare through its ability to produce various solutions.
One key application is the ability to ‘print’ prosthetics and implants for dental products and surgical tools. This tech can work with anatomical models created from CT and MRI scans, allowing professionals to plan surgical approaches and get the exact tools, prosthetics, and implants.
The future of 3D printing looks even more promising as various polymers (materials that provide basic structure and are involved in vital life processes like structuring our DNA) show promise in their ability to eventually replace metals, which can be used for implants.
Also, researchers have been working on medical supplies from biodegradable materials that dissolve after serving their purpose in the body. This can eliminate the need for follow-up surgeries, leading to less invasive treatments and improved patient quality of life.
Conclusion
So, how does technology affect physical health? While its impact used to be minor, it’s now grown rapidly with various technologies, including physical products and software, helping healthcare practitioners take better care of patients.
From the use of integrated devices that send valuable data in real-time to the 3D printing of surgical instruments and prosthetics, the sky is the limit.
