Healthcare and medicine are rapidly evolving fields. While doctors and other healthcare professionals still use tried and tested methods and traditional treatments, they now have access to all kinds of new therapies. Innovative technology has also paved the way for greater control of individual health. Today, we have access to a huge range of apps, gadgets and devices to monitor and improve our mental and physical well-being. In this guide, we’ll explore some of the most exciting and impactful developments.
Wearables
You only have to look around you to see the impact of wearable technology. If you’ve been on a train journey, taken part in a charity run, done a workout at the gym or visited a busy store lately, you may have noticed that most people have smart watches. Activity trackers are particularly popular. These devices tell you how many steps you’ve done and the distance you’ve covered and some also monitor your heart rate. Wearables are brilliant for people who are trying to be more active as well as those who already exercise regularly. Studies show that using an activity tracker motivates people to move more. It’s common to set a daily steps target, for example. In addition to encouraging active lifestyles, your device can also provide useful information, such as your resting heart rate, the number of active minutes you do each week and how well you sleep.
Advanced cancer treatments
Cancer treatment has evolved significantly in the last 25 years. In many cases, survival rates have increased and patients have experienced fewer or less severe side effects thanks to new and improved therapies. Innovations like Dignicap can help to reduce the risk of hair loss associated with chemotherapy while new treatments can target cancerous cells with more precision to protect healthy cells. Surgical techniques have become more advanced and testing is now more accurate, enabling doctors to diagnose more cases at the earliest possible stage. Another major breakthrough is self-testing. Examples include stool sample collection at home as part of bowel cancer screening.
Online services
One of the most notable differences in the way we access healthcare is the growth of online services. Today, you can do everything from ordering medication and booking appointments to having consultations with doctors and dentists without leaving the house. Many facilities also offer telehealth services and video calls.
Robotics and AI
AI is a subject everyone is talking about. While there are reservations about the future of AI, it offers incredible opportunities within the field of medicine, research and healthcare provision. AI and robotics are beneficial for healthcare professionals, students and patients. They have an enormous scope, covering elements ranging from treatment development and diagnostics to training, surgical procedures and virtual assistants. AI can eliminate time-consuming, mundane tasks, provide safe training methods and make diagnostic processes faster and more accurate.
Healthcare is evolving daily, with new treatments, therapies and technologies becoming available. There are myriad ways in which new technology and advanced research are contributing to a different landscape, which offers advantages for both healthcare professionals and patients. Examples include wearable devices, advanced cancer treatments, online services and AI and robotics.
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