When new technology enters the market, the first question is how it will improve our lives. While it is a strong selling point, an even stronger one is how they can help the healthcare business. Because of technological breakthroughs, many significant advances in health have been made. Take a look at our picks for the best.
Virtual reality
Virtual reality is currently being used to help physical therapy patients to work more while also making it easier.
Training yourself to walk again isn’t going to be the most enjoyable experience, which is where VR comes in. Because VR can already transform exercise into a game, it makes logical to provide physical therapy patients with a VR experience to work through.
It can also speed up the process, which will do more than relieve the patient’s frustration. Stroke and traumatic brain injury patients must begin physical therapy as soon as possible in order to have the best chance of recovery — and the harder they work, the faster they will recover.
3D printing
As of now, 3D printers are so inexpensive and widely available that many people own one, making what the 3D printer creates significantly more accessible.
3D-printed prosthetics are becoming the standard in healthcare for artificial limbs. Because of the lower cost and labor involved in creating prostheses, they are significantly more accessible to patients. They can also be personalized to better fit the patient for added comfort.
Organizations like Tej Kohli Foundation are using 3D printing that offers patients affordable and useful prosthetics. It is also helpful for children, who will have to have more prosthetics made as they grow.
Wearable tech like Smartwatches
Smartwatches already contribute significantly to healthcare. We’re bound to see healthier lifestyles and reduced rates of heart disease and stroke with a watch continually monitoring our heart rate and blood pressure, reminding us to exercise after ten minutes of sitting and managing our calories.
But a smartwatch and other wearable tech are only one gadget in a range of gadgets designed to monitor patients.
This enables remote healthcare, which has been increasingly important in recent years but is extremely valuable even outside the concept of viral infections. Doctors can treat patients in remote and rural locations, treating patients with doctor shortages will be easier, and GP waiting times will be reduced.
Heart monitors, blood oxygen and stress detectors, and other devices enable healthcare personnel to monitor a patient’s vitals in real-time without physically being present in the room.
GPs have already adopted a similar strategy, scheduling many patient visits over the phone. It’s just a matter of time until wearable technology is used to report back to your healthcare providers on your condition.
