5 Technological Innovations Revolutionizing Modern Healthcare

The vast improvement in healthcare that patients have experienced within the past 50 years can be attributed to the development of new technologies. From performing procedures without cutting a patient open to significantly reducing recovery times, these technical marvels have done amazing things. They have even allowed doctors, surgeons and dentists to treat untreatable problems. As technology continues to propel healthcare forward here are five unique applications developing technologies have in the field of healthcare.

Robot-Assisted Surgeries

Robot-assisted surgery aims to make the hands of surgeons steadier, reduce surgery times, and improve the overall outcome for the patient. Robot-assisted surgeries have steady hands while working in ways that human surgeons could only dream of doing. This leads to a surgery time that is about 50 percent shorter than conventional surgeries. The best part of these surgeries is that the patient has minimal risk to complications because the procedure is confined to a smaller area with less exposure to contaminants. This results in a quicker recovery period for patients in some cases.

Efficient Dental Drills

Many people dread the dentist’s office because they fear the discomfort and pain that is commonly associated with these procedures. They fear sitting in a scary dentist’s chair while someone drills at their sensitive teeth for hours on end. The good news is that drills are becoming exceedingly more efficient. Companies like Richards Micro-Tool are giving dentists access to drills made of more durable materials designed to be more efficient. This results in quicker procedures with significantly less pain and better long-term results.

Micro Blood Tests

Drawing blood has been an essential part in diagnosing the health status of a patient, but it seldom one patients enjoy. Given that blood tests tend to test for incredibly specific things, the amount of blood needed for standard tests like the complete blood count (CBC) test is minimal. Smart businesses have begun developing micro blood tests, which use about 0.1 percent of the blood that a conventional CBC uses. The result is less lab work and less blood drawn, which means that the typical blood test becomes more affordable and feasible.

Stem-Cell Procedures

Stem cells are the tabula rasa cells of the body. They can be shaped to fulfill almost any function with the right type of stem cell. One particularly useful area stem cells currently sign is when it comes to reconstruction and plastic surgery. Doctors can use it for everything from breast enlargement to recovering areas where cancer and radiation have destroyed structures in the body. These procedures are made possible by the technology that enables doctors to extract and then introduce these cells into the body of a patient.
Engineered Organ Replacements

The most stunning advancement technology has brought medicine is the ability to grow replacement organs outside of the body. There are three main ways of doing this: by using a scaffold of cells obtained from a cadaver, by printing cells using a 3D printer, or by growing them by utilizing DNA and the right environmental conditions. Some of these replacement organs are already available. Ears, noses and other simpler body parts have been engineered on a common basis. More complex body parts, such as the heart or kidneys, are currently still in the process of being tested inside of laboratories.

As technology continues to advance, so too will medical care. New procedures will develop, untreatable diseases will be treated, and conditions that were once a death sentence may be cured. Miniaturizing technology, clever engineers and persistent doctors will be the driving force in developing new technologies that cure today’s biological problems

Rachelle Wilber
Bio: Rachelle Wilber is a freelance writer living in the San Diego, California area. She graduated from San Diego State University with her Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Media Studies. She tries to find an interest in all topics and themes, which prompts her writing. When she isn’t on her porch writing in the sun, you can find her shopping, at the beach, or at the gym. Follow her on twitter: @RachelleWilber

If you would like to learn more about healthcare technology or would like to become certified in a healthcare area then please review our programs.  Our Healthcare Certification Programs are designed for working healthcare professionals who are looking to diversify their career with new and exciting certifications.

AIHCP

Five Changing Trends in Healthcare Customer Support

Healthcare is continually changing for the better and the next time you visit the doctor, it’s possible you’ll see these trends first-hand. Healthcare is increasingly becoming dependent on electronic data that is kept in your personal medical file. As technology continues to improve, it will be possible to quickly access your medical history at any hospital or private practice you visit. This will reduce errors, costs, and improve your physician’s ability to help you. Solutions like the ADP AdvancedMD service are already helping to improve the way doctors and private practices interact with patients and offer better customer support.

Electronic Records
Electronic health records have been in existence for over 30 years, but only recently have facilities really started to use them on a large scale. In 2008, only about 38 percent of the health records had been converted to e-records. By 2013, the number has increased to 78 percent. In the future, all records should be entered into an e-record system, making it easier to provide your doctors with information on your health.

Digital Tools
There has already been an increase in the use of digital tools. Tablets have proven useful in many different areas of healthcare, but there is even greater room for improvement as the technology continues to improve. Digital tools include telemedicine and in-office ehr software to help improve the health of patients and E-visits may become a new trend that may eventually replace more than 10 percent of in-office appointments.

Specialty Drugs
Niche treatments can be very expensive to develop and aren’t generally worth the cost when they only treat a small portion of the population. It’s likely the cost of these specialty medicines will eventually go down as Congress attempts to control the amount that drug companies can charge for new medications. Hopefully more specialized cases will be able to be treated as they are tested and made safe for consumption.

More Affordable Treatments
As the cost of medications go down, new treatments will be more readily available to treat unique conditions. As Medicaid gets more power to push for better prices with drug makers, it will be possible to inspire new competition and create a more efficient method for creating generics. As technology advanced in medicine, we will be able to see more people able to afford treatment and medicine.

Bundled Payments
Health care providers are starting to use a novel approach to cost-cutting. Bundled payments group all of the services a patient gets under a single fee. This new system sets a lump-sum fee that covers the entire cost of treatment from beginning to end. This can greatly reduce surprises and make treatment more affordable.

As health care continues to get more affordable and becomes increasingly digital, patients can expect to get better care. Customer support will change as a result of new technologies, and the ability to provide patients with exact quotes on services. Better managed payment systems will enhance the entire patient experience and we will see a greater improvement all across the board.

Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most her time hiking, biking and gardening. For more information contact Brooke via Twitter @BrookeChaplan

As health care professionals, we deal with the financial end of medical care on a daily basis.  Good support is key.  Please also review our healthcare certification programs

AIHCP

How Health Information Technology Is Improving Healthcare

Health Information Technology (HIT) is an array of technologies that store, share and analyze organized health information through the internet between healthcare providers, consumers, government agencies, and insurers.

It can be the primary means of providing continuity of care for each patient, between the primary care physician and supplementary care from other doctors. If a patient were admitted to the hospital, all hospital caregivers and the primary care doctor would have easy access to the patient’s same medical records, lab results, vital signs and medical orders. This accurate report reduces medical errors through omission, illegible notations, and misplaced records.

Costs

The internet can simplify the administrative healthcare system by eliminating unnecessary procedures and reducing myriads of paperwork, which is often duplicative. Internet technology can limit medical errors that increase consumer costs and engender mistrust in the changing healthcare industry.

Improved Care and Treatment

Medical personnel can instantly check a patient’s medical records for allergies, adverse drug interactions. Doctors can ascertain whether a patient’s insurance covers a prescribed drug, then email the prescription to the pharmacy. New medicines and advanced treatments may reduce pain and suffering as well as recovery time.

All clinical data is organized and analyzed, in case an unexpected health crisis should arise. Surgeons and physicians can transmit this data to skilled specialists anywhere in the world, who will consult and supplement the patient’s care.

Benefits to Consumers

Health Information technology enables today’s consumers to be well-informed and interactive participants in their health care. According to Paula Kane, who works with online health information management programs, those who suffer from a chronic illness stand to gain valuable understanding of their condition with improvements in health information technology. This knowledge can initiate a candid conversation with the patient’s doctor by addressing his concerns about medications, symptoms or treatment options.

More Productive Research

Medical groups can learn from each other and incorporate the most recent and innovative treatment methods. Research encourages and produces better diagnostic tools and strategies. Research fosters progressive surgical and procedural techniques. Access to available sophisticated medical equipment and communication with trusted colleagues worldwide, reduces disparities in health care. Health Information Technology promotes the early detection of infectious diseases, and improves the tracking of chronic illnesses.

Conclusion

If Health Information Technology remains an effectual tool, health care is sure to improve. The sharing of medical information between specialists via information technology promotes better standardized treatment for all patients. Focusing on quality comprehensive health care prevents subtle abuses of this technology and helps identify disparities in patient care.

While this decade has seen widespread implementation of HIT, there remain some drawbacks which prevent it from being universally embraced by all healthcare providers. Cybervulnerability and “HIT fatigue”, a symptom of constant alerts and confusing user interfaces, need to be addressed before the full potential of HIT can be realized.

About the Author: Marlena Stoddard is a freelance writer who received her BA from the University of Georgia.

If you are interested in Healthcare Certification Programs, then please review our programs as well

AIHCP