Modern Technology Has Improved Healthcare Delivery

Modern technology affects every single aspect of the society we are living in today. Kiley R goes on to say that “there is not an industry out there that has not been affected by the high technology revolution”. https://www.aimseducation.edu/blog/the-impact-of-technology-on-healthcare/. It may be in transportation, communication, security, banking or healthcare, they all rely on technology in one way or another but nowhere is this immense impact more apparent than in the field of medicine and healthcare. Technological breakthroughs are revolutionizing the way healthcare is being delivered thus modern technology is changing the structure and organization of the entire medical field at an ever increasing rate. This covers from widespread adoption of electronic medical records, to advances in bio-medical engineering and technology.

Technology permeates every dimension of critical care, an example is bedside technology which is an integral to the assessment, monitoring and to the provision of treatment to patients. Now some devices are either placed inside or outside the body and play a major role in promoting its normal functioning. Taking a pacemaker for instance, is a device created for those who have heart problems. It keeps the heart pumping normally as it should under physiological conditions and in return it supports the rest of the body. It can be used on both the young and the old thus prolonging their life expectancy while on the other hand those without it live shorter lives with limited activities and tasks as their hearts are incompatible.

Apart from all this modern technology also helps with access to vital information and enhancing communication between a health professional and a patient and from these, Zimbabwe which is a developing country may take into account the usage of some of these modern technologies for a better healthcare delivery system.

Modern technology has improved the recording and storage of information in real time into databases. These databases are commonly referred to as electronic medical records. Back in the days medical information from visits to the general practitioner, medical specialist and the dentist were held in separate locations with different health practitioners and hospitals but now electronic medical records have allowed all patient histories, test results, diagnoses and relevant information to be stored centrally in an online location. They can be accessed by approved relevant department and care providers anytime, quicker and much easier thus results in improved case management, treatment and patient recovery. In addition to, the data in these records allows for more focused and accurate patient care as well as the ability to see health trends for each individual and his/her contact details. Apart from the ability to access medical history of patients, there are also medical billing systems which allow hospitals, medical practices and clinics to operate much more smoothly.

Availability of information and big data in healthcare allows the entire medical field to benefit from recent research studies. It also enables the health professionals to reach larger and more diverse population groups than ever before. Health professionals can also draw formulas from existing data for comprehensive meta-analyses thus allowing them to stay on top of healthcare trends, technologies and techniques. Health professionals can be use the databases in automatically identifying the risk factors and recommending the right preventative treatment by comparing patient symptoms with other symptoms from other patients also known as Telemedicine is another aspect of modern technology which involves the use of services such as video-conferencing between a patient and medical specialist who are geographically separated from each other.

This is a cost effective and beneficial way to those who living in rural areas and remote communities who require regular access to their medical specialists who live several kilometres away. A medical practitioner such as a nurse is usually present providing face-to-face clinical services to the patient during the teleconsultation with the specialist to ensure correct procedures are carried out. Teleconsultation is also beneficial to health care workers on location, as the specialist can provide education and training virtually.