HealthTech: How Technology is revolutionizing Healthcare

Technology is playing a very important role in improving and growing every industry in today’s world. As improved technology makes our lives easier by providing better solutions and services, all industries be it entertainment, education, or healthcare, is on its way to digitalization. In this post, we are going to learn about how technology is changing healthcare industry and how it will revolutionize this sector forever. 

We are using technology in various ways to find solutions to problems in the healthcare sector and improve it further. We use improved software, and hardware to improve how we treat patients and how fast is their recovery. We can also use large amount data collected from the patients to draw relevant insights and provide personalized care and treatment to the patients.  

Now let’s discuss in detail some ways in which healthcare industry is changing for the better. 

1.  Wearable Devices: 

There are many types of digital wearable devices available these days that are helping people in a lot of ways. Devices like fitness trackers, smartwatches, continuous glucose monitors, ECG monitors etc. are becoming a necessity as the world is recognizing its worth.  

Now let’s discuss functions of these devices in detail: 

Fitness Trackers and smartwatches: 

These trackers and watches keep record of the vital information of a person which includes the record of things like blood sugar levels, amount and quality of sleep, number of steps taken in a day, heart rate and so on. Wearing a smart watch and tracker like this is very beneficial for someone who wants to keep track of their health, and for someone who has some type of chronic health condition that needs to be taken care of. Devices like these have emerged to become a very important innovation in today’s world. 

Continuous Glucose Monitors: 

These are the devices that can monitor someone’s glucose levels automatically once placed on the body. It can check glucose levels at any time. Part of this device is inserted under the skin or between the cells to track the live glucose levels in the blood. It stores and maintain the record of the patient’s glucose levels in a secured place like a trusted software.  

CGM helps the patients by alerting when the glucose levels drop significantly. It also helps the patients in managing their glucose levels throughout the day and helping them find balance in how much they eat. These also helps in reducing the need to get pricked regularly for glucose level monitoring. So, in all we can say, it is a very revolutionary step in the healthcare for the patients who suffer from chronic illnesses like Type 2 diabetes. 

ECG monitors: 

ECG or an electrocardiogram is an electronic device used for the detecting, recording and monitoring the electrical activity of the heart such as heart rate and heart rhythm. Earlier this facility was only available in a hospital but as the technology is advancing, patients can now use portable ECG monitors in their homes as well. As we know that cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of mortality, devices like these are of great help for the patients. These devices keep track of the activity of the heart and help the physician make informed decisions to provide the best care to his/her patients. 

Blood Pressure monitor: 

 
As the name suggests, this device is used for monitoring the blood pressure in body. Digital blood pressure monitors are very useful for people who need to monitor their BP frequently, as it gets difficult to visit a hospital or clinic again and again. A digital BP monitor is simple to use and can be used at any time of the day. This product is of great help for the patients as they can measure and keep record of their BP from the comfort of their homes. 
 

2. Use of Artificial Intelligence: 

After discussing about wearable devices and trackers, now let’s understand how AI is helping in revolutionizing healthcare industry. 

• One of the ways artificial intelligence is helping in improving healthcare is by diagnosing and detecting diseases. It is highly efficient in detecting early signs of cancers and other abnormalities by reading medical imaging reports such as mammograms and MRIs. 

• Artificial intelligence is also being used in drug research and development. AI is good at predicting which drug would be more beneficial and less harmful for the body.  

3. Telemedicine: 

Telemedicine is the use electric communication media like phone calls, video calls, etc for providing healthcare services to the patients. This service is useful in cases where commute to the hospital or a clinic is not that necessary or not possible by the patient. It is also useful in cases where a patient just wants to consult with doctor for a general advice or a routine checkup. With the advancement in technology, more and more people are opting for telemedicine services in place of actual visits to the clinic. In this type of service patients can share their blood reports and medical imaging report with the doctors over the call and receive consultation and prescriptions digitally. 

4. 3D Printing: 

3D printing technology can be used in many ways such as in the creation of anatomical structures of the body, medical equipments like forceps and clamps, and in the process of drug research and development. It can also be used for studying and research purposes by medical students. 

5. Smart Pills: 

Another revolutionary technology in the world of healthcare is the innovation of smart pills. These pills are used for recording images and videos of internal body, deliver some specific drugs, and collect relevant data and information. This technology is still in the process of development and can become revolutionary in the upcoming years. 

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