The impact of technology on major health decisions

1. Theimpactoftechnologyonmajor healthdecisions Hospitalanddoctors'treatmentqualityhasgreatlyimprovedbecauseof technologicaladvancementsin recentdecades. Improvementsin diagnosticimaging surgery,molecular diagnostics,andbiotechnology areafewexamplesoftheimpactoftechnology. Demandfrom consumers for improved health, the existenceof health insurancesystemsthathelppayforinnovativemedicaltechnology,and the desireof medical specialiststo deliver the best treatmentpossible to patientshaveall contributed to the field'srapid development.Inthis article, we examinehow changesin medicaltechnology haveaffected publicopiniononmedicaltopics. Today'smedicaltreatmentcannot function without the aid of computers andother forms of technology.The advancementof health information technologyhasresulted in manypositive outcomes, such as improved patientcarequality,lesspaperwork,moreefficientadministration,lower medicalcosts, fewer medicalerrors, easieraccess to care,closer monitoring of the managementof chronicdiseases, earlier detectionof infectiousdiseaseepidemics,andmanyothers. Hospitalsandclinicsrelyontechnologyaidstobetterhandlehealthcare data. Electronic prescriptionsystems,such as computerizedphysician order inputsystems,electronic medicalrecords systems, and clinical decision supportsystems,are all examplesof cutting-edgehealthcare technology.Theseaid doctors in keeping tabs on their patientsand their illness management and referralprocesses,which helpreduce prescriptionmistakes. Medicationmistakesmay be avoided thanksto automated dispensing equipment,bar-codingduringdispensing,androbotsfordispensing.

2. Usingtheseadvancements,doctorsandpatientsarelesslikelyto experiencethekindsofmistakesandharmthatcouldhavebeenpossible witholdermethods. Electronichealthrecordsmakepatientinformationandtrackingtheir recoveryeasier. Laborders, discharges,referrals, transfers,and processesmay all be simplified using a computerizedprovider order entrysystem. A Picture ArchivingandCommunications System(PACS)gathers, stores, and disseminatesimagesfrom medicalimagingequipmentsuch as X-rayand CT systems.Thistechnologyenablesdoctors to accurately diagnoseand efficientlytreat patients by providinginstantaccess to vital visualinformation. But Radio FrequencyIdentification technology allows for a wireless communicationsystemto be used to monitor a patient'sdevelopment and medicine.Using barcodes on the medicationsandthe wristbands wornbypatients,medicationerrorsmaybereduced,andsafetycanbe improved. Thehealthcareindustry hasbeen profoundly influencedby the proliferationofwirelessgadgets,suchasthosethatgatherandtransmit datatoaperson'scellphone.Theyalsotellyouhowmanycaloriesare inthemealyou'regoingtoeat. Thereareavarietyofothersleepmonitoringdevicesthatcollectdataon sleep duration and quality. Also, you may getwristbandsthatmeasure yourskinconductancereactionandprovidefeedbackon yourmental andemotionalhealthandstresslevels.Sharingthisinformationonsocial mediamaymotivateindividualstoexercisemore,getbettersleep,and decreasetheirbodymassindex. Additionally,peoplewithdiabetesmayuseawirelesssensortomonitor andrecordtheirbloodsugarlevels.Thegadgetalsoshowstheuserhow

3. theirdietandexerciseroutineimpacttheirbody'sabilitytomanage glucoselevels. Thepace at which a person breathes, as well as their body temperature, heartrate,andbloodpressure,mayallbemeasuredusingsensors. Otherscannerscantransmitpicturesofafoetusor heartthroughwireless transmissiontoanexpert,whocanthenanalyzeandinterpretthedatain realtime.Theabilitytomonitorpatientsaroundtheclock,inreal-time, remotely,and concurrentlyhas significantlyinfluencedhealthcare delivery,particularlyforpeoplewithchronicdiseases. Technologyadvancementsin the healthcareindustry haveaccelerated rapid illness diagnosisand treatment. Through telemedicine, patientsand doctors can establisha rapportbecauseof the ease with which patients mayshareinformation about theirhealthstatus, symptoms,and treatmentoutcomeswiththeirdoctorsremotely. Diabetics,forinstance,mayhavetheirprogresstrackedbysending regularupdateson theirbloodglucoselevelstotheirphysicians. Specialistsinweightreductionmaykeeptabson theirclients'daily progresstoward theirgoals. With this innovation,patients may avoid the hassleandcostoftravelingtoamedicalfacilityfortreatment. Anothermedicaltechnologyinnovationisrobot-assistedsurgery.Inthis procedure,robotsassistdoctorsinconductingproceduresonpatients. Thepatienthealsmorequicklyandhaslessscarringbecauseoftheless invasivenatureofroboticprocedures.Hysterectomy(theremovalofthe uterus), prostate cancer,and heartsurgeriesare only some of the proceduresthatbenefitmostfromroboticsurgery. Thediagnosis,treatment,andpreventionofsomeillnesseshaveallbeen drasticallyalteredbytechnologicaladvancementsinrecentyears. Thanksto medicaltechnology, preterm infants are receiving better treatmentandcarethanever.Specialventilators,steroids,artificial

4. pulmonarysurfactants,andnewbornintensivecarehavealldecreased themortalityrateforprematureinfants. People maynow accessmuch healthcareinformation on the internet, allowing them to makeeducatedchoices about their medical treatment. Patientsmayresearchtheiroptionsfor medicaltreatmentandchoosethe bestpossible providerby comparingand contrastingtheirprofiles online. Assistivetechnologyhasadvanced,creatingtoolsthathelppersonswith disabilitiesleadmoreindependent,productive,andfulfillinglives. Touchscreens,speechsynthesizers,Brailledisplaysandembossers, voice recognition, alternativekeyboards,pointingand typingassistance, joysticks,trackballs,optical pointing devices,keyboard modifications, screenreaders, talkingword processors,and big print word processors, among others,are among the options that computersprovideto persons withavarietyofdisabilities. Onlineplatforms are also often used to disseminatefakehealth warnings.Inaccurateinformationspreadbyinternetusersonlyincreases thegeneralpublic'salready-presentscepticismofscientificprogress. Peopleworryaboutlaunchingnewtreatmentmethodssincetheydon't knowwhetherthey'llbeeffective. Theaboveshows that the public has benefitedmuch from the developmentof medicaltechnology.This includesthe enhancementof healthcaregenerallyand the savingof countless lives. Medical procedureswere often fraughtwith humanmistakesbefore the developmentof modern medical equipment.Due to inefficientmedical technology,many lives were lost becausecertain treatmentstook too long to complete.Some individualsstill view technologicalprogress withscepticism.Thustheyhaven'tcompletelyreapedtheadvantagesof technology.Manyworriesthatprogressintechnologymaybringwithit unanticipateddangers.