Technology and Health: a perfect match

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Danielle Correia Furtado, a medical student of the fourth period from Universidade do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte (UERN). She is affiliated to the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do not necessarily reflect IFMSA’s view on the topic, nor The European Sting’s one.

The health systems of different countries have a big diversity in terms of decisions about the incorporation of technologies and the expectations of users of services.However, in all countries, worldwide, the health system has passed and is undergoing major changes in their way of functioning due to the current Coronavirus pandemic.

Medical care used to have a strong face-to-face relationship and had only a small amount of help from technology, but it had to adapt to social isolation, it underwent changes in its system so that it could maintain service to the population, thus, technology gained strength. The most diverse health systems, with their complex, extensive and operating in different ways, started to be managed with the help of information technology and informatics everywhere.

The cell phone, the computer and the internet are protagonists of this importante technological change in health, since they allow instant communication. This great advance is called “Telemedicine” and allows health professionals to take care of their patients at a distance, through teleconsultation, in addition, it contributes to an agile and efficient service for patients. In this way, it is realized that mobile technology is capable of saving lives.

Still, because it is faster and more accessible, because it allows the consultation to be made no matter where the patient is, that is, it happens in real time, it contributes to democratization of access to health, facilitating its access, since for a service is done through an electronic device, without the need for mobility, however, there are still barriers for telemedicine to be an effective form of access to health, such as the poor distribution of internet access due to social inequality experienced worldwide.

Considering the positive aspects, this remote service contributes to the reduction of basic costs, such as expenses for patient travel, rental of clinics for care, extra employees who manage the consultation, among others.

This shows another aspect of mobile technology saving life, since the value saved with this cost reduction can be used in other areas of health that demand greater value, such as intensive care units.

Furthermore, applications that aid in the recognition of symptoms have spread, such as those that exhibit the typical symptoms of covid-19, thus, the patient feels more prepared to report to the doctor what he is feeling, this brings the patient closer to health area and collaborates with the virtual medical amanese, since he starts to recognize what is fever, main pains and what fits in breathing difficulty. Still, there are applications for smartphones and computers that teach the step-by-step of emergency care, such as basic first aid, preparing the population to act correctly in case of domestic accidents, such as drowning, burns, heart attacks and others.

It is noticed that the internet combined with electronic devices are relatively simple technological solutions that contribute to saving lifes, since they allow the continuity of medical care in any situation. So, mobile technology can save lives.

REFERENCES:

ELIAS, Flávia Tavares Silva. A importância da Avaliação de Tecnologias para o Sistema Único de Saúde. BIS, Bol. Inst. Saúde (Impr.),  São Paulo,  v. 14,  n. 2, maio  2013.

GAVA, Marilia et al. Incorporação da tecnologia da informação na Atenção Básica do SUS no Nordeste do Brasil: expectativas e experiências. Ciência Saúde Coletiva, [S. l.], p. 21-25, 21 mar. 2016.

NOVAES, Hillegonda Maria Dutilh  and  ELIAS, Flávia Tavares Silva. Uso da avaliação de tecnologias em saúde em processos de análise para incorporação de tecnologias no Sistema Único de Saúde no Ministério da Saúde. Cad. Saúde Pública [online]. 2013, vol.29, suppl.1, pp.s7-s16. ISSN 0102-311X.

About the author

Danielle Correia Furtado is a medical student of the fourth period from
Universidade do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte (UERN). She is vice president of the academic league Diabetes and High Blood Pressure (LADHA), Monitor of the discipline of Medical Genetics and Participant of the Collective Health Study Group, thus, she understands the importance of technology in healthcare and its potential to save lives. In addition, she is passionate about IFMSA and participates in the local board of the IFMSA Brazil UERN.