Exclusive Article By Lindsey Patterson at EMRIndustry.com
Innovative new technologies have always played a role in advancing healthcare. From being able to store, access and share patient records with other care providers to 3D printers that are able to create a variety of medical devices and resources on-site, there are plenty of ways that new advances in the world of tech are having an impact on patient care. The following examples serve to highlight some of the most exciting and significant ways that innovation is changing the way that providers care for their patients.
Digital Archives and Record Storage
Ensuring that physicians, surgeons and other healthcare providers are able to base the decisions on the most accurate and up to date information available is a concern of paramount importance. While there are still several hurdles that must be overcome in order to ensure that digital records are able to be accessed, utilized and shared in the most secure manner possible, digital record storage has already created sweeping changes across the industry. The ability to share information between providers more quickly, conveniently and with greater ease may eliminate many of the most significant barriers and issues that currently erode the quality of care patients receive.
Automated Patient Diagnosis
Medical professional typically require extensive training and a great deal of experience in order to ensure that patients are provided with an accurate diagnosis. Automating the process offers numerous potential advantages and software algorithms that are able to determine the nature of an underlying condition after examining a scan or the results of other imaging procedures are already making a difference. Automating the process of patient diagnosis promises to reduce or even eliminate instances of oversight or other inaccuracies. The rapid pace of technological advancement has the potential to improve the speed, accuracy and consistency of the diagnostic process.
Robotic Surgery
Surgical procedures that are assisted or even performed by using medical robots have the potential to improve several aspects of patient care. On-site surgical robots may allow facilities to offer an expanded range of procedures and may help to ensure that care providers are able to attempt more advanced surgeries with a greater chance of success. Enhanced surgical care will soon provide patients and providers with the means to treat a number of illnesses, injuries and medical conditions more easily and effectively.
Mobile Applications
Some of the technologies that are currently improving the state of patient care may be far more mundane than many individuals might imagine. With a growing list of mobile apps able to benefit everything from provider education to facility scheduling efforts, the impact that the current generation of tablets and smartphones are having within hospitals, clinics and even private practices should not be underestimated. Educational programs like Android and iOS bootcamp are allowing aspiring programmers and application developers to turn innovative new ideas into the latest generation of medical apps more quickly and in greater number than ever before. New smartphone features, such as augmented and virtual reality applications and overlays, mean that mobile technology is something that both doctors and patients can expect to see a whole lot more of in the days to come.
Future Tech Trends and Emerging Technologies
Advances in the tech world continue to open new doors, expanding the range of possibilities and options available to patients and care providers alike. From on-site 3D printing used to variety of medical devices more quickly and cheaply than ever before to even more futuristic innovations, such as nanotechnology that may allow providers less invasive surgeries, there are plenty of new resources that promise to make an even bigger impact on the world of medicine. Keeping an eye on the latest tech trends or making an effort to learn more about the most exciting and eagerly awaited new developments and breakthroughs may provide a valuable glimpse into a world that may be just around the corner.
