The Benefits of Technology in Healthcare: How Technology Improves Patient Care

The past decade has brought exponential changes in nearly every aspect of life. However, nowhere have we seen these changes more prevalently than in the healthcare and technology fields. These industries increasingly go hand in hand as technology becomes more essential in the early detection of conditions and diseases and the long-term monitoring of their outcomes.

Two things in particular have driven this intersection of technology and healthcare outcomes — the COVID-19 pandemic and its resulting impacts on the healthcare industry, and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and its capabilities. Learn more about what new entrants to the workforce can expect.

The Advantages of Healthcare Technology

As in every industry, technology has permeated nearly every facet of the world of healthcare, enabling workers to do more than ever. When staff can do more for their patients, everyone benefits from the advanced, accessible and informed care they deliver faster and more effectively.

Already, we have seen these tech features and others reduce preventable deaths while improving treatment and recovery times.

More Accessible Care — The Benefits of Telehealth Services

The 2020 lockdown highlighted a need for care options for people who could not or should not be exposed to a physical hospital setting. Even as life returns to normal, though, some people have decided to maintain virtual care over in-person services, citing the time it saves them and avoiding potential infectious diseases as leading causes.

More Informed Care — The Evolution of Wearable Medical Devices

In the medical industry, wearable technology refers to more than hearing aids and smart watches. Companies across the globe are racing to manufacture the best wearable sensors and wireless devices that integrate style and information into the same solutions. The better the results become, the more likely users are to wear them and collect vital health information to monitor physiological status and condition development. The industry has and will continue to see new watches, bracelets, rings, glasses and other sensors contribute to their progress.

More Advanced Care — Detecting Issues Early With AI

One of AI's greatest strengths is its ability to recognize patterns. Healthcare researchers and scientists have been using this feature to their advantage by integrating it into disease detection software. According to the American Hospital Association (AHA), AI detection is making diagnostic tests more affordable and accessible, while also identifying at-risk individuals earlier and addressing concerns before symptoms even present.

The Positive Impact of Technology in the Healthcare Field on Job Outlooks

Technology helps more than healthcare outcomes, too. Following the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare facilities globally are struggling to meet demand due to provider losses and burnout. However, research suggests that implementing AI and other assistive technologies to optimize workflow can help prevent burnout and increase employee satisfaction by allowing them to spend more time with patients and doing the work that first drew them to the field.

Along with helping optimize existing specialties, technological development is also leading to the need for new roles entirely. For example, telehealth specialists train to better diagnose and treat patients via a screen. They may be assigned to monitor patients remotely in settings with limited staff availability and fill in other industry gaps. 

Bottom Line — Cognitive Computing Is Improving the Quality of Healthcare

Wearable technology, telehealth and AI have been around for some time now, but we are only starting to see what they can bring to the healthcare industry and people who need them most. At AIMS Education, we help our students understand the future of their industry and how they can position themselves to continue growing with every new advancement. Discover the start to your allied health career path when you register for an info session today and play your part in this new tech revolution.