Technology is advancing every day and impacting our lives in many arenas, from the workplace and military endeavors to social interactions and entertainment. The role of technology in health is no different. Technology has transformed the healthcare industry and continues to do so at a rapid pace.
With major advancements like wearable devices and other technological gadgets that can monitor your vitals, it’s clear that advancing technology is improving health and wellness across the board. Advancements in the communication and delivery of healthcare are being made as well, introducing new options for communicating with caregivers. It’s clear that the relationship between technology and our health is quickly establishing a new frontier.
Health Monitoring Devices
New advancements in technology mean that you can be constantly connected to data about your health. While some might see sleek technology like wearable devices as overrated or excessive, others see them as a lifeline to health and a way to make healthcare accessible.
Wearable technology includes devices like Fitbit, Apple Watch, Google Glass, and more. These devices connect you to resources and can positively influence your health whether you’re counting your steps or monitoring your heart rate throughout the day. Wearable technology can improve your health by helping with early disease detection, collecting data that can be used by your doctor to create a better treatment or health plan, keeping you aware of your fitness level and goals, and streamlining healthcare operations in general.
None of this would be possible without technology playing a large role in the way we monitor our health and share that information with healthcare providers.
Safety-Conscious Inventions
When it comes to road safety, technology plays a big role, whether you’re driving in a car down the road or riding a bicycle. Safety features like seatbelts, anti-lock brakes, and even smart helmets all help keep us in one piece as we go about our lives.
Can you imagine driving a car on a busy freeway without seatbelts, airbags, power steering, or responsive brakes? Sometimes the things that keep us the safest are things we often don’t think twice about because we’re so used to them. There is a long list of features in modern cars that are using technology to keep drivers safe.
But what about bikes? You might not think that cutting-edge technology plays much of a role when you strap on your helmet and start pedaling, but that is becoming a reality. While we’re taught from a young age that wearing a helmet is one of the most important things you can do to keep yourself safe and reduce traumatic brain injuries, it’s true that not all helmets are created equal. Why not research and invest in a helmet that has added technology to keep you safe?
Smart helmets are relatively new technology that incorporate added features to keep you safe, such as rear-facing cameras, built-in LED lights, apps to bring you real-time weather alerts, built-in turn signals, automatic brake lights, and more. Some smart helmets even boast GPS systems to help you navigate complicated routes.
The possibilities seem endless for how technology could advance and continue to improve our safety in different ways. Smart helmets are just one example of how safety technology can have a huge positive impact.
Access to High-Quality Care
Access to high-quality care is a benefit of technology that often gets overlooked. Improving access to care is one of the most important ways in which technology has made a positive impact on the healthcare system.
Technology that allows you to have easier communication with healthcare professionals, no matter where you live, is important as well. Virtual communication between patients and caregivers allows those in more rural locations to have greater access to healthcare.
Overall, there are increased options for patient care thanks to the presence of technology. Telehealth, which refers to virtual access to healthcare through technology, now also plays a big role in the education of nurse practitioners and other caregivers so they can best serve patients.
From online portals for patients to access test results to on-demand counseling services and digital prescription refills, technology is changing the way patients can access care around the world. In time these services will only expand and develop, making it even easier for patients to get the care they need.
Health monitoring devices like Fitbits and Apple Watches, safety-conscious inventions like smart helmets, and the development and implementation of tele-health services have all made it clear that the relationship between technology and our health is complex and always developing.
- Small and Big DIY Projects to Improve Your Home’s Sustainability - March 30, 2021
- 7 New Holiday Traditions to Start in Your House - December 17, 2020
- 5 Methods to Unwind and Improve Your Mental Health - July 31, 2020
