This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Mr. Prateek Jain a medical undergraduate student at AIIMS Rishikesh India. He 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.
21st century is a world where we all are surrounded by technology from smartphones to smartwatches. These advancements have made a great impact on our lives. They play a pivotal role in helping the healthcare system molt out of their traditional ways and become patient-friendly and accessible.
Recently, the healthcare sector has attracted a lot of companies to invest and develop various apps and mobile healthcare systems each with a common goal to increase the reach of facilities. Telemedicine has helped in increasing the grasp while saving the patient traveling expenditure and time. The patients can consult doctors over video conference with just being equipped with a smartphone. Although telemedicine is not a replacement to a doctor’s visit, it can be used to follow up patients and also for general consultation. Telemedicine has also proved to be a boon amidst this pandemic by providing consultation to people at home during the lockdown, building up the efficiency of our already existing system without additional man force or capital.
It is a myth that technological interventions will eventually reduce the patient-doctor interaction. The usage of mobile computing carts in hospitals is a great example. With the use of mobile computing carts, the physician can view all records at the bedside and have healthier interactions with the patient. This not only increases the interaction time but also aids in providing personalized care.
Another important aspect of using mobile technology is in patient care. Many patient-friendly apps have been developed which can assist the patients in various phases of medical treatment. A countless number of patients forget to take their medications on time due to complex dosing and frequency regimes. Applications are at rescue to help them. Also, setting online appointments saves waiting time and makes the doctor more approachable.
Modern technology helps reducing the length of hospital stay. Wearable devices enable doctors to discharge the patients early while keeping up with their conditions using updates from the wearable device. This frees beds for new patients and reduces the cost of hospital stay. These devices are also synced with the patient’s mobile phones, keeping them updated.
The incorporation of mobile technologies into the health care system does come with its issues. The chief issue is finding business models for new devices and services. Another problem is that the innovation of new technology requires funds and investments and after Research & Development, the service has to be made cost effective to be feasible. This discourages many investors and becomes a matter of philanthropy. Another major hurdle is the security issue. The users need a guarantee that their data will be safe and privacy risk is their key concern.
Technology widens the horizons of our healthcare system. Throughout the pandemic, the newly emerging telemedicine has increased the reach to remote and inaccessible areas as well as have a consultation at home during the lockdown. Wearable devices have reduced the hospital stay of the patient. These new advancements not only address the flaws in our existing system but also make it more cost-efficient and user friendly.
About the author
Prateek Jain is pursuing medical undergraduate at AIIMS Rishikesh India. He writes articles as a hobby and this is an excellent opportunity to utilize his skills. He is adaptive and a quick learner. Literature is a strong medium to reach people and he wants to do my part to help people. His enthusiasm and curiosity can be a good asset to this newspaper.
[…] Recently, the healthcare sector has attracted a lot of companies to invest and develop various apps and mobile healthcare systems each with a common goal to increase the reach of facilities. Telemedicine has helped in increasing the grasp while saving the patient traveling expenditure and time. The patients can consult doctors over video conference with just being equipped with a smartphone. Although telemedicine is not a replacement to a doctor’s visit, it can be used to follow up patients and also for general consultation. Telemedicine has also proved to be a boon amidst this pandemic by providing consultation to people at home during the lockdown, building up the efficiency ofSource… […]