Thanks to the digital revolution, the healthcare industry is enjoying a range of improvements and innovations which are impacting significantly on the quality of patient care. Because of digital technology, patients are spending less time in the hospital, experiencing quicker recovery times and have more of an ability to take control of their own care options. Digital healthcare has provided better options for research, more resources in developing areas, and innovative methods for patients to reach healthcare professionals. Let’s have a look at a roundup of some of the most significant technologies that are transforming the way we experience healthcare today.
The Internet
The use of the internet has brought about significant improvement in patient care. Not only does the internet allow patients to gain quicker access to care by providing them with the ability to search for clinics, hospitals and doctors in their area, it also allows them to find care providers which are better suited to their needs as well as save money on their medical bills by searching for cheaper online drugstores. The internet also provides a useful means of communication between patients and their healthcare professionals, enabling them to gain advice and support whenever needed without having to book an appointment to visit the doctor’s office.
Digital Therapy
Thanks to digital therapy, it’s now easier than ever for patients to fully recover at home. More and more patients are spending less time in hospital beds thanks to digital technology, instead, they are recuperating in the comfort of their own home using the benefits provided by wearables and mobile apps that keep them in contact with healthcare professionals and give them access to support and help when needed. Thanks to digital therapy, those patients who are recovering at home are provided with step by step guides based on their personal health needs in order to provide them with the best self-care and methods needed to best aid their recovery.
Cloud Services
Gone are the days of worrying about whether or not your patient records will be lost, stolen or damaged. Thanks to the cloud, patient records can be securely stored online using a certified EMR system like RevenueXL which many healthcare practices are recognizing the benefits of and using. Because of this, not only is patient data much more secure, it’s also easier for doctors and other healthcare professionals to quickly access patient details and records on the go whether in a hospital or on a home visit using a smartphone or other mobile device which can be connected to the internet in order to access the cloud system.
Telemedicine
Thanks to the innovative practice known as telemedicine which is made possible by innovations in digital and mobile technology, patients in developing and rural areas with little resources and limited access to healthcare professionals are still able to receive the best possible standard of care. Rather than transferring patients to hospitals or clinics with more resources, healthcare professionals are now connected through telemedicine to a number of other professionals and experts around the world who they can now turn to for immediate advice and support when it comes to giving a patient the best possible care.
Wearables
Wearable technology is quite new but is already making huge movements in the healthcare industry. For many users of wearable tech, it has already proven extremely useful as an aid to monitoring their own health and is popular with those who are sticking to an exercise and diet routine to track their vitals and changes to their body. For healthcare professionals, research on the use of wearable technology is proving to have significant results, as it can be used to send real-time reports of vitals and other symptoms of the wearer to their doctor or nurse. Wearable technology is expected to be highly valuable to patients with a range of conditions such as asthma and fibromyalgia.
Digital Diagnosis
In order to ensure that patients everywhere have access to the best care, the digital diagnosis has come about. With the digital diagnosis, it’s easier to diagnose and treat a patient in their own home which is valuable to patients who are unable to get to the doctor’s office. For example, software-based technology is able to detect abnormalities in the hippocampus of the brain in order to determine whether or not a patient is experiencing the symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease. This is resulting in a quicker diagnosis of conditions and, therefore, earlier treatment.
Which digital technologies have improved the healthcare you receive over the years? Let us know in the comments.
