We’ve seen the numerous ways the evolution of technology has impacted everything from our classrooms to our courtrooms, and the healthcare industry is no exception. Doctors and nurses who practiced a century ago would be astonished by our newfound capabilities.From the invention of infusion pumps and dialysis machines to the creation of antibiotics, heart valves and MRI scanners, technology continues to drive us forward and streamline the way we approach medical treatment. Technology automates and extends things that previously had to be done by people —and that can free medical providers to focus their time and efforts elsewhere, while also potentially reducing the overall cost of medical care.The healthcare industry has evolved immensely over the years, and much of that change has been driven by technology. Here’s a taste of the changes powered by tech.
EHR
“Over the years, advancements in technology have improved the way healthcare professionals approach medical treatment in several key ways,” says Chris Wiegand, co-founder and CEO of Jibestream. Among the most prominent, he points out, is the introduction of electronic health records (EHRs).The now-antiquated process of using paper filing systems to log patient records made it difficult for clinicians practicing in different facilities to collaborate when it came to patient care. 2009’s Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act helped encourage healthcare facilities to streamline their patient record systems by adopting the use of EHRs. While the healthcare system at large is still working through existing roadblocks related to interoperability, EHRs enable providers to streamline many aspects of patient care.Sameer Bhargava, who serves as the chief information officer and chief technology officer at Caregiver, Inc., highlights the efficiencies provided by EHRs to be of critical importance. Over the course of an eight-month period, his team migrated eight million records from paper to an EHR system. “Moving to electronic records elevates our care ecosystem into a cohesive process that can provide a better network of services,” Bhargava says.“Records provide proof of care to support billing without having to fill out forms or faxes. Auditor surveyors can read proof of service details without searching through cumbersome binders. Orderly incident reports can be assessed and, if needed, appropriately and quickly escalated,” he elaborates. “Issues are handled quickly, by the right person, at the right time. Results include improved quality and safety within a better network of services.”
Personalized treatment
Another way technology is driving our healthcare system forward is in its ability to increase patient engagement through the use of devices and wearable technology. Such devices can provide insight to help create hyper-targeted, personalized health and wellness plans.“The personalization can be very precise and can be accomplished through analyzing individuals’ data and presenting care, coaching and health recommendations that precisely address their set of conditions, goals and lifestyle,” the expert explains. “Instead of offering a canned set of content that fits a broad solution to a health system, it’s important to understand the individual and their specific motivations, providing solutions that are particular to their lifestyle in small, manageable steps. Wilkinson adds that targeted steps can be helpful for people across the range of healthcare needs: whether you’re perfectly healthy and want to remain that way; you’re positioned between healthy and sick and want to prevent the onset of chronic conditions; or you are currently managing chronic conditions.
Technology has also brought helpful solutions for children facing common issues like nighttime urination. For example, bedwetting alarms are now being used as an effective tool to help train children to wake up when they need to go. These devices are designed to detect moisture and gently alert the child, helping them gradually develop better bladder control.
Accurate information availability
The accessibility of data and the means to store and process it is a hallmark of the technological age. The Internet, data capture systems, search features and the ability for healthcare professionals to rapidly share information have enhanced the synthesis and analysis of data.“Big data” in healthcare allows the entire field to benefit from comprehensive research studies. They can access larger and more diverse population groups than ever before. They can also draw from existing studies for comprehensive meta-analyses. This innovation allows medical professionals to stay on top of health care trends, techniques and technologies. This can be used to automatically identify risk factors and recommend the right preventative treatment by comparing patient data with data from thousands of other patients, while also reducing costs and improving quality of life in general.On a smaller scale, data can assist HelpCare Plus in many ways to improve operations and patient care. For example, Intel worked together with the largest University hospital in Europe to build a solution to predict how many patients are expected to be at their hospitals daily and hourly, using data from four emergency departments. Being able to plan for patient loads allows hospital administration staff to effectively organise and allocate resources, helping to reduce patient wait times and improve patient care.More and more medical professionals are also accessing online business intelligence platforms that help them make more data driven decisions. These platforms house a patient’s medical history and use predictive tools to provide recommendations such as those who are at risk of a particular disease and what preventative steps are needed.
Improve the collaboration and communication
Our lives have been changed by technology, whether we’re in the classroom or in court. Physicians and nurses from a century ago would be amazed by how far we have come. MRI scanners, infusion pumps, and heart valves are just a few examples of cutting-edge medical equipment that is being made all the time. Because of new technology that lets them do more of what they do best, medical professionals can now spend more time on other parts of patient care. People in the healthcare business have grown because of new technology. Below, you can see the changes that took place.
Medical record integration
The expert from CareAlign thinks that new technology has made it easier for healthcare professionals to treat patients. One thing that stands out is the use of electronic medical records (EMRs) (EHRs). The care of patients could not be coordinated because of an old paper file system that made it hard for doctors to work together. It was a goal of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009 to get health care providers to use EHRs to make their patient record systems easier to use. While the industry as a whole has problems with interoperability, EHRs help healthcare professionals speed up patient care. EHRs and Patient Handoff Tool are very important. It took his team 8 months to move 8 million paper records to an electronic health record system. They did it in that time. A more connected approach can be taken in our care setting when we use electronic records. Bhargava says this. There is no need for paper or faxes to keep track of how much care was given. Auditor surveyors don’t need to carry binders in order to look at proof of service. In addition, “mandatory incident reports may be looked at and escalated quickly,” he says. Issues are dealt with quickly by the right person. “A better service network with better quality and safety.”
Accessible healthcare for all patients
Today’s technology era is all about being able to get and use data. People can now share and synthesize information more easily because of the Internet, data collection technology, and search tools, which make it easier for them to do so. It is easier for researchers to do in-depth studies when big data is used in healthcare. As a result, they can now reach even more and more people. There are also recent papers that can be used in meta-analyses. So, doctors can stay up to date on new health care trends, techniques, and technology because of this new technology. Patients’ data can be compared to hundreds of other patients’ data, and this can automatically identify risk factors and suggest preventative therapy, which can lower costs and improve quality of life at the same time. Smaller data sets can help improve patient care and make things run more smoothly. Intel and Europe’s biggest university hospital used data from four emergency departments to make a system that can figure out how many people are in each day and how many people are in each hour. Planned patient loads allow hospital managers to better use their resources, which reduces patient wait times and improves health care. More and more doctors use data-based decisions made by internet business intelligence systems to make their decisions. Medical records are kept, and predictive algorithms are used to figure out who is at risk and what precautions should be taken.
Mobility Improvement
Devices and wearable technology can help patients be more involved in their own health care, and this can help them get better care. In Brent Wilkinson’s words, these gadgets could be used to make hyper-targeted, personalized health and fitness routines that are tailored to each person. As Wilkinson puts it, “Personalization can be done by looking at people’s data and giving them advice that is tailored to their symptoms, goals, and way of life.” Understanding the person and their motivations is important for giving solutions that are tailored to the person’s daily schedule. He thinks that whether you are healthy or not, there are things you can do to keep from getting chronic illnesses.
