Digital healthcare has seen a surge in recent years as technological advances pave the way in many locations. Some of the digital healthcare trends have evolved from simple electronic record keeping (which has been mandated since 2009), to using wearable tech gadgets during surgical procedures. Fitness trackers help people maintain a healthy lifestyle during their everyday activities, while tracking devices can keep up with elderly patients that have a tendency to wander away. The technological advances in digital healthcare are nothing short of revolutionary and amazing. Let's take a look at some of the latest innovations in the industry.
Wearable Technology
Wearables are showing up in more healthcare environments as technology progresses to make doctor/patient interactions simpler and more effective. Some wearables track body actions and functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, and insulin levels. Those types of wearables help patients stay healthy during their daily lives, while providing valuable data to the doctor during their normal checkups. If the doctor notices anything detrimental in the data, he can recommend treatment or additional monitoring based on that analysis.
Wearables that have been around for a while are seeing updates as well. Enhanced digital technology has made it easier for devices like hearing aids to pick up conversations in noisy rooms, and diabetes trackers to log and analyze insulin levels to ensure a healthy level is maintained.
Sensor Monitoring
The benefits of sensor monitoring are exceptional to healthcare, and the industry continues to develop innovative applications and uses for sensor tracking and monitoring. Some sensors track locations, which can be extremely useful when dealing with patients that have Alzheimer's Disease or Dementia.
Other sensors use analytic data to determine if everything whether or not a patient is alright. For instance, if a patient doesn't get out of bed or doesn't perform certain activities such as turning on lights, a family member or caregiver can be alerted by the sensor to check in on them.
There are also necklaces that elderly people can wear. In the event that they fall or experience another sort of accident, the necklace has a button on it that can be pushed to alert caregivers that help is needed. The latest systems use gyroscopes, accelerometers and magnetometers that track the actions of the patient. Now if the patient falls, and is too hurt to push the button on the necklace, the new system sends alerts even according to collected data even if the patient can't execute the alert on their own.
What to look for in the future
The latest digital healthcare technologies are centered on keeping patients healthy and providing help when they need it most. But what's coming up in the future of digital healthcare technologies? Digital health clinics are making a huge showing, as many patients are unable to make it to the doctor every time they need to go. With digital health clinics, patients can receive diagnosis and care without ever leaving their home. Predictive analytics and telemedicine are making huge strides as well, which will help provide healthcare when and where it's needed most. Healthcare assistance is on the rise, and healthcare technology is advancing overall to provide a great experience for all.
