Technology is considered the driving force in today’s healthcare industry. If we take a look at some of the greatest healthcare inventions in the past year, we will be astonished to see how far we have come. From scheduling appointment online to reading diagnosis, from downloading your reports to listening to your practitioner’s podcasts – internet surely has taken healthcare to a whole new levels.
Eager to learn how it is changing the face of healthcare for good? Continue reading.
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Closed-Loop Apps
Medical apps like fitness tracker, blood pressure tracker, weight tracker etc. are becoming very popular among the masses. Research reveals that every millennial has at least one such app on their Smartphone today. Such closed-loop apps are precluding hospital visits as accurate by the minute readings are now available to patients with just a click. App developers and pharmaceutical companies are constantly aiming to make such software and applications more resourceful. They aim to completely omit human intervention and develop devices that not only offer a reading but also administer one’s need for treatment and delivers it.
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Dr. Google
Today, patients are becoming more efficient when it comes to their healthcare. They have their very own doctor online before they go visit one offline. Healthcare searches make the top 4 most searched things on Google. More and more people are relying on search engines and websites like NHS Choices and WebMD to learn about the symptoms of a disease. Moreover, consultations are also sought online on multiple forums.
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Improved Information Sources
Another important area that continues to grow, thanks to the advent of internet is organisations contributing to the availability of the most up to date medical information. The interaction with this information and the data collected can be used to refine and provide more targeted treatments and information. Examples of organisations who offer free and up to date information are Inside Radiology and Targeting Cancer. As the name suggests, they are fully loaded with information on cancer cases, causes, symptoms and treatments. Similarly eye care specialists such have an online presence (https://www.personaleyes.com.au/) have a load of information and online tests so that you can perform a quick pre-diagnosis.
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Crowd-Sourcing Diagnosis
With social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Skype, doctors and medical students are closer than ever even when separated by thousands of miles. Resources are distributed, calls for help are heard and knowledge about new diseases and technologies is shared on a bigger platform. Crowd-sourcing diagnosis is also becoming a thing where doctors share cases that have left them stumped.
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Quality Check
With ratings, followers, likes and patient success stories on hospital websites, there remains no room for error as the word will soon spread. This is making hospitals and private practitioners more vigilant with the services they offer. They know that today’s generation will not expect anything but the best. Trying to persuade them of otherwise will leave the practitioner at the risk of losing his/her job.
Viewing these benefits it has to offer, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that we are not so far away from a world much better, healthier and knowledgeable.
