In the past, receiving medical treatment in the comfort of one’s own home was considered an indulgence available only to the wealthy. Healthcare digitization is becoming a reality because of many advancements in technology we’ve been witnessing in recent years.
This notion goes for both traditional healthcare treatments, but also beauty treatments since skincare technology has also evolved quite a bit. So, how is technology transforming healthcare at home? Let’s take a look at some key figures to understand healthcare industry trends in 2022.
How Technology is Transforming Healthcare?
Digital technology has changed our lives so much that it’s simply impossible to imagine our existence without it. Healthcare technology companies are no exception because they’ve managed to revolutionize the way we approach home health care.
These advancements range from simple technology for personal women’s care such as LED masks and other futuristic skincare tools to more advanced treatments for in-home personal care services for patients who wouldn’t be able to receive these services at home a couple of years ago. Let’s discuss different technological solutions that have had a massive impact on modern healthcare.
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Remote Monitoring Tools
Tools or gadgets used to monitor a patient’s health at home are known as remote home health monitoring devices. These amazing tools range from fitness bands that monitor our daily activities, such as how many steps we take, how much sleep we get, what we eat, and so on to digital pacemakers that can be controlled and accessed remotely.
Individuals can feel more secure in their quest for a healthier lifestyle with the help of these ground-breaking uses of wearable technology in healthcare. These gadgets may also be linked to smartphones to save the expense and time spent seeing a doctor. So, even if something is wrong with the patient, the smart device can signal the doctors or emergency services enabling them to react very quickly.
You can keep track of different body activities with these smart tools, including blood pressure, glucose, and heart rate.
Virtual Reality
Believe it or not, even virtual reality technology has a lot of applications in modern healthcare. In fact, both patients and doctors can enjoy different benefits from employing this technology. First and foremost, you can use it for educational purposes such as simulating operations and emergencies. Medical experts can improve their skills in this way.
Moreover, there’s also a vast therapeutic potential that exists in virtual reality technologies in regard to mental health. You can use it to relieve or treat symptoms of anxiety or physical pain, especially when used in conjunction with other forms of treatment. Back in 2017, the medical VR industry was worth around $8.9 million, while it’s expected to reach a staggering $285 million in value by the end of 2022.
AI-Powered Chat Bots
Artificial intelligence has been transforming every part of our society, and healthcare is no exception. Instead of waiting in long lines or waiting for doctors to pick up the phone, they can discuss important matters with AI-powered chatbots. These bots would be available 24/7, making it very convenient. You can program it to access relevant medical data such as symptoms, prescriptions, therapies, physicians, and other diseases. Another great thing about AI-powered technology is that is self-learning, meaning that it’s going to evolve and improve itself non-stop.
GPS
If a senior or elderly person is away from home for a long period of time, GPS tracking can enable family members, health personnel, or law enforcement agencies to locate them quickly.
With modern technology, satellites, and other groundbreaking tools, you’ll be able to locate individuals even if they’re at places with weak signals or that are hard to reach. They will also be able to prompt an alarm that will either contact the family or the police department with their location, ensuring that they’re found before something goes wrong.
In the event of an emergency, it can also aid by automatically phoning for assistance. In the event of an emergency, having GPS on hand becomes an absolute necessity.
Different Home-based Healthcare Solutions
The personal care industry is very versatile, and we believe that mobile technology is going to evolve much more in the future. For example, instead of running to the dermatologist’s office for treatments and appointments, you can use facial tools and other skincare devices to perfect your skincare at home. However, if you require more advanced assistance, you can choose between the following options:
Home Assistance
The fundamental goal of home healthcare is to keep patients out of a medical center as much as possible. Medical experts can support patients who are unable to care for themselves on a daily basis by providing them with home assistance services such as meal preparation, basic housekeeping, and emergency services. These services can be performed until the patient is fully recovered and able to take care of themselves.
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Home Care Agencies
You also have full-blown homecare agencies that specialize in-home care. Medical personnel or physicians may be sent to a patient’s home to treat their injuries or diseases in different situations. Once the patient is feeling better, services will cease. A good thing about these types of agencies is that they usually have a vast number of medical experts on speed dial, so you’ll be able to receive quick and effective care.
Home Healthcare Workers
Other medical professionals, such as nurses, physiotherapists, nutritionists, occupational therapists, etc., may also be included in home healthcare programs. People of all ages are becoming more health-aware, which will raise the demand for these specialists dramatically over the next decade.
Pros & Cons of Technology in Healthcare
As with everything else in life, technology in skincare and personal home care has its benefits and downsides. While we assure you that, eventually, benefits will outweigh the downsides, it’s still important to mention them:
Technology in Healthcare: The Pros
In-home care provides assistance with everyday tasks like bathing and dressing. There are no restrictions on the kind of activities that can be included here. Such services will allow elderly people to get frequent assistance with their personal care needs while maintaining a high standard of living.
Another big advantage of home healthcare services is the ability to get expert nurse care. With the supervision of nurses who are qualified and knowledgeable about the most up-to-date medical equipment and techniques, they can even perform surgeries at home. Your loved ones may receive the tailored care they need right in their own homes thanks to home healthcare.
Home health care also includes nutritional and dietary assistance. Following treatment for some conditions, patients who are released from the hospital often become weak because of a lack of nutrients. Age, disease, and injury may wreak havoc on their health and wellbeing. Nutritional counseling and home-cooked meals can help your loved ones avoid malnutrition as part of their home health care.
You can also use home healthcare to make sure that your prescriptions are up to date and that there are no contraindications with the meds you’re taking. Just give a quick call to your doctor or have them come over to give you detailed usage instructions.
Clinical trials have shown that home care for people with chronic illnesses like diabetes or pneumonia is better and has fewer consequences because they’re not exposed to other sick individuals as they would be at regular hospitals.
Technology in Healthcare: The Cons
Technology is continually improving healthcare, but if it’s too complicated to use, it doesn’t matter! This is especially the case with elderly individuals who aren’t as tech-savvy as younger users.
You can easily mitigate this issue by assembling a competent group of healthcare software developers who can create a user-friendly and intuitive graphical user interface. A step-by-step guide on navigating the app can also be implemented to ensure that the software is easy to use. It’s also important to test it on individuals with no prior technology experience, to ensure that it’s suitable for everyone.
Moreover, the software also is prone to error, and another setback is that it usually requires charging or batteries to be able to operate. So, if you forget to charge your gadget or replace a battery, you can be in a lot of trouble. Either way, with proper research and time invested into optimizing modern healthcare products that can be used at home, we’re sure that all these drawbacks can be mitigated.
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Conclusion
As you can see, technology in personal care products and medical devices has the power to revolutionize the current system. We’re constantly seeing new healthcare technology trends that are making both patients’ and doctors’ lives much easier and more convenient. We certainly hope that this revolution will continue to grow and evolve and that in-home care will become the new standard in the future.
