Technology in the healthcare industry has undergone many changes in the past years. It’s important to remember that not so long ago it was necessary to return to the place where one underwent a medical examination to obtain the results, for example. Today, that’s almost unthinkable, since most of the results can be accessed online. This happens either on the medical center’s app, on its website, or, at the very least, when receiving them by email.
It’s worth noting that technology is ever-changing and constantly advancing in every industry. The healthcare industry has been benefiting from these advances in a variety of ways. Medical centers, professionals, and patients all benefit from these improvements that facilitate work, access to results, and enhance the quality of results.
The same technologies and technological advances that are used today for a number of things will soon be used in this industry. The impact of technology in the healthcare industry can be seen, for example, in something as simple as when one medical center can access one patient’s medical records with just one click.
Five ways technology is changing healthcare
Companies dedicated to building teams that can add value to a product are central to this technological change. Thanks to their contributions, patients now spend less time in clinics, doctors’ offices, and hospitals.
At WillDom we’ve worked with clients in the healthcare industry who contacted us to introduce them to software developers who could assist them on how to generate more interest in patients, for example.
There are many productions that portray dystopian futures in which technology is the leading role. Thanks to the speed at which technology grows, little by little all that we saw on TV and in movies is coming true.
One can only remember The Jetsons as they consulted with their doctor through their television screen. Not so many years ago, that would have seemed like madness. Today, video consultations are an everyday thing. This change was deepened with the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, which forced many companies, including those in the healthcare industry, to adapt to the needs of users.
Faster communication
It’s now almost no longer necessary to phone a doctor’s office to make an appointment. Gone are the days of long waits for the front desk to see patients over the phone, and scheduling appointments by looking at the availability of the physical calendar.
Most practices now offer appointment booking using a website, their own mobile app, or even chatbots on different platforms.
This means more patients can self-book their appointments, which translates into less user frustration and greater efficiency.
Online health records
Not too many years ago, people had to find a place for medical test results papers at home. Perhaps they were in bags or boxes stored inside closets, taking up space and vulnerable to being lost or damaged over time.
Electronic health records came along to turn this chaotic situation around. As a result, all the medical history of a patient in a doctor’s office or medical center is centralized in a single place where it is almost impossible for it to get lost. In addition, transferring this data from one doctor to another is also much easier now.
3D printing
We call 3D printing to some technologies which generate a physical model (three-dimensional) using digital information.
The variety of things that can be obtained by using a 3D printer is growing every day in the field of medicine. Among these are 3D printed drugs and the customization of prostheses, for example.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Sounds like a science fiction movie, right? A few years ago we would have thought so, but today AI is revolutionizing the healthcare industry.
Excellent results can be achieved to create innovative treatments for patients through research conducted between humans and computers themselves.
Furthermore, artificial intelligence allows, for example, a thorough inspection of images that may show pathologies, thus reducing the possibility of error. As a result, patients get an earlier diagnosis, with a better chance of success.
There are many more applications of artificial intelligence to the medical field. Perhaps we will explore these in another article.
Telemedicine
It’s no longer hard to find an appointment to simply ask a doctor for a prescription, for example. Today, any patient can make an appointment to have a video call with his or her doctor and solve any inconvenience from wherever they are.
Many companies have created telehealth platforms from which patients can book appointments and also make video calls.
This reduced unnecessary visits to hospitals and clinics, for example, since patients can consult for their minor symptoms.
Other industries that have grown thanks to technology
Tourism
The Internet has served as a platform for the tourism industry to take off.
Planning a trip is extremely easy and can be done entirely online. From booking hotels to buying tickets or making reservations for tours, everything is just a click away.
Agriculture
It is known that technological development over the decades and centuries has helped to make this task easier. In recent years there are tasks that have been directly automated, thus reducing costs and improving the speed at which they are carried out, for example, crop irrigation.
At WillDom we’ve got full teams that can assist your business on which is the best option to apply tech advance to add value. If you want to learn more, contact us via LinkedIn or visit us at WillDom.com.
