Four Types of Medical Technology You Should Know About

Combining technology with medicine changed the way we treat and are treated as patients. Now, it’s possible to cure diseases, which used to be an automatic death sentence, make early cancer diagnoses and even treat babies who are still in the womb. Providing quality health care has become easier with how medical technology has evolved over the years. Here are four types of medical technology you should know about.

Telehealth

Telehealth, or telemedicine, is where a medical professional can administer healthcare without the need of going to their office directly. It can be done on pretty much anything that can connect to the internet, like your laptop and smartphone. Virtual appointments aside, telehealth also allows you to send secure messages through text or email to your doctor. It also lets your doctor check on you routinely through remote monitoring. An example of this would be using a vitals monitor or a CPAP machine for sleep apnea.

Robotic Surgery

Robotic surgery is probably among the lesser-known forms of medical technology. That’s because it was once considered a novelty and used in very specific situations. Nowadays, scientists and medical professionals alike have made substantial progress in making robotic surgery more mainstream. When someone thinks of surgery, they usually think of a room with a handful of nurses and the surgeon. However, technology has made it possible for surgeries to be performed with minimal human contact. It’s minimally invasive, can produce more accurate results and it reduces the risk of a patient getting an infection.

This new way of performing surgery does require a subtle hands-on approach as the robots can’t operate themselves. To operate this machinery, you would need a graduate’s degree in medicine. Graduate degrees do cost a bit more than other degrees, especially master’s and Ph.Ds. You can expect to spend around $80,000 to $120,000 in college and around $130,000 in medical school fees. Your best bet is to take out a student loan from a private lender. Even for graduate degrees, they usually offer lower interest rates and a variety of repayment options once you complete your degree.

Artificial Intelligence

AI, or artificial intelligence, has been around for some time and in fact, it’s still evolving to this day. It’s been integrated into many aspects of our lives including medicine. In the medical field, the incorporation of AI has made it much easier for medical professionals to document patients, gather more precise information, make more accurate diagnoses and help make advancements in drug development. AI also has helped lower the risk of burnout among workers as it takes care of most the lesser tasks for them.

Wearable Devices

Wearables may be something you’re already familiar with. You may have one yourself such as a band that says what you’re allergic to. Technology has taken health wearables to the next level. In fact, certain brands, like Apple, have incorporated health managing technology into their products. The Apple Watch has an app that keeps track of the pace and rhythm of your heartbeat, how many steps you take every day and even your sleeping patterns. Having access to this kind of information can help lead to less anxiety through exercise incentives. Being able to see and track progress can encourage you to work to maintain that progress even when you do not necessarily feel like it.

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