New technologies are being developed everyday to help the sick and the vulnerable. People often forget how important technology is in the medical field, but new doctors and nurses are being trained with technology ripped straight from a Sci-Fi novel. Several of the newest developments you may have heard about already.
Artificial Intelligence
The advancement of artificial intelligence is improving the medical field. Smart devices and machines help administer medication when it is necessary. These miraculous machines can also sense different symptoms, and warn healthcare workers if adverse reactions are occurring.
Some bedside machines will be able to run diagnostics to get ahead of chronic diseases and other negative symptoms—leading to a more proactive form of medical treatment. Letting artificial intelligence handle some of this work reduces human error and lets workers focus their efforts on patients who need help in that moment. These huge changes will force every medical professional to reevaluate the way they think about their job.
Improved Telehealth
More healthcare practices are providing telehealth options for better patient experience. Telehealth is the extended use of smart devices to interact with patients and monitor their health in and out of the hospital. For example, some doctors ask their female patients to download an app that will track their pregnancy—highlighting significant milestones. Similar apps are also used to track weight loss.
The COVID-19 pandemic has only increased the use of telehealth. Remote video calls can help you communicate with your physician if a medical condition leaves you vulnerable to the virus. Doctors have had the opportunity to reach to many people they might miss through these methods.
Virtual Reality Trainings
Doctors and surgeons are becoming more skilled because of technological innovation. Virtual and augmented reality training sessions are becoming the norm in medical school. Students are better able to view the body through VR technology, and get additional practice in an “operation” setting. Augmented reality is used in surgery today.
Mid-surgery, medical professionals can view augmented reality screens to better understand what they need to do. This helps the surgeon feel more confident in the choices they make, and can reduce the amount of loss hospital workers face.
These new innovations are just a few examples of the highly-technological environment hospitals are becoming. New medical students should look into the developing healthcare field, and try to understand how and why the technology is being used. This will help you in your future medical profession, and will help your future patients as well.
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