Technology and its Impact on the Medical Field

Technology can have both negative and positive effects on people and jobs in the medical field. Technology has been and will continue to advance every day. A positive effect technology has had on the medical field is the use of handheld devices being used to record and update a patient’s medical history almost instantly. Just to name a few other positive aspects, technology has reduced human errors, improve clinical outcomes, made getting and staying in contact with patients easier. There are some negative effects like the use of technology can also lead to more serious health conditions.

Technology has made an incredible impact on the lives of everyone, many fields of study, and especially in the medical field. Throughout this project, I will discuss how the medical field has changed from the effects of technology. Today, thanks to technology, there is better and more accessible treatment for a wide variety of diseases, better and more efficient care for the sick, and better health care and disease control.

Artificial Intelligence, also known as AI is very important in healthcare because it helps to better diagnostics and provides better treatment. Artificial Intelligence is a computer system that is able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence. Across the healthcare industry, artificial intelligence is changing the way health providers are making decisions. AI helps to make good decisions better and also makes treatment and surgeries more effective and smarter. Below are listed some advantages and disadvantages of AI Technology.

With smart solutions, doctors are able to diagnose patients and know real-time solutions. AI can enable early disease detection and even the possibility of prevention, it can enhance the workflow of radiologists by accelerating reading time and automatically prioritizing urgent cases. Computers can now offer input on X-rays and similar diagnostics to help physicians make more timely and informed decisions. The same is true when it comes to developing new drugs and determining the best route for treating patients.

There are many devices that can be used today to help patients in hospitals get in contact with healthcare providers quickly. In case of emergencies patients can simply press a button and notify healthcare providers. This is one of the main advantages of technology for patients and doctors. With this kind of device, without wasting time the doctor can reach the patients and save their lives.

The concept behind the remote health exams is simple: an in-home technology, like the one on the right, reads all of a patient’s basic vitals and transmits the data to a physician. The technology makes it possible for patients to obtain regular, basic checkups without leaving the comfort of their homes. As developers find new ways to produce this equipment in more cost-effective ways, the technology will likely become more mainstream.

Everyday technology is advancing which is also advancing the care and treatment that is available to patients. As a result of this, the prices of treatment are rising. For better treatment patients are required to pay more money. If you do not have the fund necessary for treatment you will not be able to receive the best care available. Technology increased health care but also increased the cost of that. Which is impossible for the patients to pay.

Another disadvantage of medical technology is sometimes the machinery or technological devices show the wrong result. The technological machines are made by engineers and programmers. Sometimes the errors and bugs come into it. With all technology comes the risk of error. If the doctor receives the wrong information about a patient more than likely the patient will receive the wrong treatment. This can cause the patient to worsen, or sometimes even cause life-threatening results.

I personally believed that the more technology advances the more jobs will become unavailable. As stated in the quote above that isn't true. Medical Technology isn't taking away jobs, it's just making medical jobs easier and safer. Medical Technology and clinicians work hand and hand. One isn't going to work without the other. Medical Technology is a huge help to healthcare workers.

As technology advances the relationship between doctors and patients is becoming less and less. Technology reduces the interaction required between the doctor and the patient. The same goes for the relationship between two doctors. During some visits, patients may find that their doctor may be staring at a screen more than they are interacting with them. I have personally witnessed this myself at a few of my own doctor visits. Even though the doctor is more than likely entering information into the patient's medical records, the patient may feel a disconnection between them. Sometimes may connect with other doctors to discuss and help diagnose a patient, but now that is entirely necessary. They can just use AI to help them decide the diagnosis and the best course of treatment for the patient.

1. Worldwide, an average of 12% of people said they currently used a connected health device, with a further 12% saying they had formerly used one.
2. 67% of physicians believe smartphone apps that record health and fitness data will deliver better outcomes
3. It’s predicted that loT can cut costs from clinical and operational inefficiencies by 25%, or $100 billion per year
4. 71% of physicians say the use of personal sensor technologies, like wearable devices, will have a positive impact on health
5. 80% of physicians are already using smartphones as part of their professional practice.
6. 68% of physicians say that at-home diagnostics testing will help to drive better outcomes for patients.
7. In 2016, 52% of hospitals globally were using three or more connected health technologies.

Medical Technology is the future of healthcare. It took what we already had and made it safer, easier, and more reliable. The Medical field will continue to become more advanced as long as technology is advancing. Though there are definitely concerns about some aspects of medical technology, it’s undeniable that the future looks bright for this technology and the healthcare world.