Remember back in the day when patients got excited about the wrist band that monitored their heart rate? Well, as amazing of an innovation as that was, to the new generation of doctors and patients they have become old news. Technology has sure changed a thing or two in the 21st century, including the way symptoms are determined, how medication is administered, and how doctors get to interact and take care of their patients. Today, people suffering from diabetes don’t even have to administer insulin shots because an implant does that automatically for them. Furthermore, the internet and various gadgets like the smartphone or tablet allow us to stay connected with healthcare professionals 24/7 and have all of our questions answered.
Get medical advice wherever you are
With seemingly futuristic and easy-to-use medical tech innovations, patients can use doctor consultation apps to contact any type of health care professional and have their symptoms and health concerns evaluated within minutes. One of the greatest benefits of such technological advancements is that patients can get easy access to professional medical opinion no matter where they are at. All it takes is one click.
A new kind of doctor
Have you ever thought that a robot would replace your doctor? Well, we live in an age in which it is our reality. Robotic check-ups are no longer a phenomenon seen in Sci-Fi movies, but an occurrence in thousands of hospitals in America. Furthermore, a study, conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins University actually indicates that interestingly, patients prefer the robot’s visits as opposed to their doctor in person.
How can a robot replace a doctor?
To clarify, robotic check-ups are still conducted by professional doctors; the difference is that the communication takes place via a screen and joystick that the doctor is able to use from the comfort of his office, home or even another country.
Dearborn’s Dr. Samer Salka, an interventional cardiologist at Oakwood Hospital had the following to say in his interview with NBC News on this medical innovation, “It’s a way to communicate in a time of need and inaccessibility… At 2 a.m., when I need to see an EKG or talk to a patient, I should be able to do that right from home. I can make a diagnosis right away and then come in to the hospital if I need to.”
Technology has done marvels for the healthcare industry and benefitted both doctors and patients in that it made communication, physical exams, and even drug administration much more convenient and even less painful. If technological growth continues at this rate, who knows what kind of miracles we’ll get to see in the medical field in the years to come.