Technology has touched many lives, in different ways and in various sectors. Especially in the healthcare industry, providers have reduced their data entry time by up to 60% – due to reduced paperwork and automation. Patients are now able to communicate with providers, view their health records online and schedule their appointments through the patient portal functionality; made available through an EHR solution. Introduction of ambulatory services, has significantly brought down the healthcare costs; ambulatory service centers in particular, have decreased costs by up to $38 billion dollars! Since it matters to be ahead, let’s review some of the recent innovations related to the healthcare sector:
Recommended read: The Future of Health IT
Promising 3D technology facilitates possible organ grafts or repair:
As a pot maker molds his own pottery, similarly, this functionality facilitates a provider in customizing and printing a 3D object; as per his requirements. Prosthetics and other durable medical equipment (DME) such as hearing aids are currently the most frequently printed items. With such advancements, it is expected to see entire organ grafts in the near future including printed hearts, kidneys etc.
A new road for research and development:
Every day, new discoveries are made in the field of research which opens doors to novel avenues of knowledge. Such is the case of CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) –Cas9 gene editing technique. Introduced in the year 2014, it renders the ability to directly modify genes with great accuracy and at lower costs. With such a powerful application, organizations are working on developing treatment plans for potential diseases.
Telemedicine-enabled clinical e-visits:
For prompt care in rural areas and vicinities with small clinics, it is common for a treatment to be conducted through the functionality of an E-visit. Providers simply have to connect their stethoscope, ultrasound and other medical tools to the computer available. After the connection is successful, data is shared with specialists in respective hospitals. Who in return, provide their expertise on the matter at hand, considerably expediting the entire checkup procedure. This particular method eliminates the hassle of travelling to a hospital miles away and provides quality health care seamlessly.
Robotically enhanced surgery – a blessing in disguise:
Robotic assistance is helping providers perform complicated surgeries with great ease. Although the whole approach is fairly new, steady progress is being made day by day. According to NCBI’s study on robot-assisted distal gastrectomy (RADG), out of a sample size of 21 patients which went under such a procedure; only 1 patient had to be shifted to a different treatment plan, while others made successful recoveries. Moreover, none of the patients who went under the RADG treatment, developed any complications. Such a treatment methodology could prove to be fruitful for the entire industry in the near future.
Protection from cyber security breaches possible?
If we were to read through the HIPAA journal’s report on healthcare breaches for the first quarter of 2018, we would most likely to be amazed by the number of breaches which were recorded. 1,073,766 is the number of breaches that were recorded throughout the first quarter! So does this mean that there is no end to such attacks? Organizations can safeguard themselves against these cyber-attacks through the following counter measures:
- Encryption of patient data: Introduction of smartphones and other portable devices have made it easy for data to be stolen. Through encryption, data stolen is useless for anyone who gains access to it.
- Provision of training to employees: Awareness in terms of literature or in any other form of content, can really be useful for employees. Since they work with data all day long, employees need to be prepared for a cyber-attack.
- Choosing the right vendor for the cyber security solution: Several cyber security service providers offer countless functionalities. But organizations need to choose their vendor carefully, making sure their requirements’ are being met by the cyber security solutions provider.
Wearable technology is looking out for you:
Like an angel looking over your shoulders, wearable technology monitors health and regulates your health by keeping you updated throughout the fitness journey. In addition to this, through the usage of dedicated apps; patients can input and track their data anywhere and at any time they want. With the active monitoring being done through such technology, general population’s health is expected to improve considerably.
Artificial Intelligence – the next big thing:
Computers assist in almost each and every task carried out in an organization. However, when it comes to healthcare, artificial intelligence (AI) is transcending boundaries. From the process of analyzing data to aiding in medical procedures, robotic assistance is becoming increasingly common. Moreover, AI is also facilitating providers through the detection of infection patterns; even before the infection takes place.
Author Bio:
Alex Tate is an independent writer and blogger in Healthcare IT industry for over six years. His experience in working with RCM companies as well as independently owned physician practices and medical groups has provided the foundation for his successful work. His vision and ability to nurture relationships lead to long-term solutions and success. Alex can be reached at alextate07@gmail.com
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