Since the turn of the millennium, the technology industry has sky-rocketed and there are many types of technology which have become a huge part of our lives. We can now get almost anything with the click of a button, be it a meal, taxi or even renting out an apartment. With the healthcare industry, many people believe it is lagging behind in regard to how some of the other industries have developed their technologies. However, there are many companies which have been working on developing the latest pieces of technology which are slowly transforming the industry.
The Issues with the Health Care Industry
The healthcare industry has certainly not had its shortage of issues over the past few years, and this has driven a number of external companies to try and solve them through designing more pieces of technology. Taking the UK as an example, it is a country where the government provides free healthcare through the National Health Service (NHS). Even though this is great because it saves a lot of money, the government are lacking sufficient funds to develop the NHS, and the rate of healthcare is actually beginning to decline.
Firstly, there is a shortage of staff, and this means that the current staff are extremely stretched and not able to provide a quality service to any of their patients. Secondly, the other big issue is that they are unable to develop the technology used in the hospitals, surgeries and care homes.
This means the healthcare industry has worsened, and people are unable to get the adequate care required. However, many people are not just relying on the government anymore and they are instead starting to utilise the companies which are trying to develop alternatives to traditional healthcare.
How is Technology Transforming it?
Because of the aforementioned issues, the healthcare technology market is now flooded with different pieces of technology which are starting to shape the industries future. A lot of these are only available to private healthcare companies, and can be accessed by paying a fee to these companies – but there are also lots which be accessed on the mass market.
For instance, the popular Fit Bit wristbands are a small item which can let you know information about your body which was previously only accessible by a doctor. They can track your blood pressure, temperature, heart rate, recommend a diet and track how well you are sleeping. This is stopping people going for the same number of check-ups they would usually need and is helping to reduce the strain on staff.
There are also items such as GrandCare which can eradicate the need for elderly or disabled people to receive around-the-clock care. This is an item which is installed into the person’s home and tracks when the person takes their medicine, eats their meal or hasn’t moved for a long time. They can also use the device to communicate with their family and friends through video calls and if they haven’t moved for a long time it will send an alert to their family’s or carers phone.
To Sum Up
The healthcare industry was slightly late to the party, but there is no doubt that it is fully starting to get a grasp of how technology can help elevate to the next level. The two examples mentioned are popular now, but within the next few years there will be many more that will help further develop healthcare for people all around the world.
