Why are advancements in medical technology important in healthcare?

By accelerating recovery and keeping people healthy, advancements in medical technology bring about significant social and economic benefit such as increased life expectancy, improved quality of life and a more active population. Providing new solutions for therapies, diagnostics and imaging, not only do developments in technology enhance care for patients, but they also benefit healthcare workers too.

6 advancements in medical technology examples:

• Artificial Intelligence

AI offers new and more effective ways to identify, diagnose, and treat patients. With growing demand and increasing challenges that can occur when treating a large number of patients, AI can alleviate some of the strains on healthcare workers and improve productivity. AI can detect certain diseases, automate different processes and operations, help hospitals with administration and much more.

• Robotic operating

Robotic surgery assistance tools are not only used to aid doctors in the operating room but also in clinical settings to support health workers and enhance patient care. When facing periods of high-demand, machines in healthcare systems can work faster and for longer than employees and can support with increased patient capacity. This would also mean that healthcare staff have more time to focus on patient management and care during busy periods.

• 3D printing

3D printers around the world were put to work creating PPP accessories, breathing apparatus and ventilator valves to help combat the pandemic and are expected to continue their momentum as we head into the new year. With the latest advancements leading to the development of lighter, stronger and safer products with reduced production time and lower costs, 3D printing can develop prosthetics as well as patient-specific replicas of bones, organs and blood vessels.

• Nanotechnology

The potential benefits of nanotechnology are vast, and nanomedicine can make a significant impact on healthcare by delivering steep changes in disease diagnosis and monitoring, implants, regenerative medicine, drug delivery, as well as research. Nanotechnology will help us take an evolutionary leap in health science over the next two decades.

• Blockchain

Impossible to hack or change, Blockchain is a type of Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) that records information on several servers across an entire network of computer systems. Blockchain technology has value in connecting healthcare stakeholders to help maintain an entire history of patients’ health care data, ensure traceability of the data exchange and automate claims and reimbursement processing

• Wearable technology

Wearable technology enables healthcare workers to have real-time information on patient data while they remain at home. Technology can now be worn by patients to monitor a wide range of things such as activity and heart rate, sending the related data to smartphones or applications. Popular healthcare wearables from a commercial perspective include Apple smartwatches and Fitbits. Other medical devices include wearable ECG and blood pressure monitors, as well as Biosensors. You can find out more information about the latest trends in medical monitoring devices and wearable technology in Business Insider.