When the pandemic hit, the healthcare industry got quite the spark to turn around and digitalize its services. Not only have these hardships made what could become the new normal for patient experience and treatment more evident. It also indicates what a paradigmatic shift that is happening in the field of healthcare technology in our times.
So, what is in store for the future of healthcare – and what are some of the most advanced patient-relevant evolutions happening in medicine as of today? Here are four technological impacts already affecting our way of living with illness, medical afflictions and injury.
1. Self agency of patients
In times of less physical meetings, many have already had to resort to having their doctor’s appointment by phone or video call. And sure did our needs budge the capacities of time saving potentials for such solutions forward. Even yet, it also made us aware of the possibilities that lie ahead.
Not only are we now more effortlessly able to get diagnosed, order our prescriptions online and see a professional from the comfort of our own home. We are also able to self-test our blood work and get treatment by ordering medical supplies in more safe and efficient manners than ever before.
The potential for more at-home patient care will save medical professionals an abundance of much needed time and resources. It could also indicate what will be the new standard in regards to medical treatment with an already congested system.
2. Education and experience based treatment
The rise in AR and VR technology is not just fun and games. It provides accessible, real life-feeling training for medical personnel. From anything like simulating surgeries to crisis scenarios, AR/VR can create fast-paced and ever changing learning conditions. At the same time it has the potential to distribute knowledge of the medical field to countries and regions more deprived of information from technological, human and experience based sources.
At the same time, steadily evolving AR/VR technology provides medical and therapeutic solutions. In addition to creating immersive therapeutic environments for psychological treatments, it turns out it could help autistic individuals by creating safe arenas for social learning. Manipulating reality in a realistic fashion pushes forward the accessibility of knowledge as well as expanding our views on healing and prosperity.
3. Professional and self-monitoring
The healthcare system is already in lack of time and personnel for the soaring number of new patients. With a rising global population, the need for resource capacity resolving measures are greatly needed.
Luckily, not only is technology enabling medical professionals to monitor our health from afar hasilty progressing in terms of e.g. 5G-connected heart monitors and seizure trackers. The consumer based market is also leaping forward. Not just by societal need, but it also stems from a rising health consciousness in the population in general.
Smart watches and even our phones get more advanced by each launch, making sure we have the latest health softwares ready at our disposal at any given time. Even the most trendy gadgets now tell you if your heart rate drops – or even if you just walk somewhat uneven. Being informed makes us more capable and proactive in avoiding several lifestyle diseases, which globally not only costs billions. It greatly strips time away from scientific research and treatment of other conditions.
4. Faster supply of critical materials
3D printing has already revolutionized the medical field and is sure to become even better as time passes. The most apparent convenience when the 3D-printing technology got incorporated in medicine was the fast and affordable possibility of making medical supplies for surgeries and other treatments.
But “bioprinting” – that’s where things are taking a huge turn. It might sound boardline gross to be able to print skin, flesh and organs. Still, when technology makes it possible to replicate real human body parts and intestines, the prospects of both life expectancy and of course quality of life has unprecedented potential.
Hopefully, technology such as this will have world wide effects not only on cost and accessibility but on overall global health and wellness.