The Incredible Future Of Healthcare

Technology’s always in a rapid, constant state of development. Every day, someone somewhere in the world is developing some new innovation which will change the way we live our lives. While some tech, particularly in the social media arena, do nothing but irritate us, there are many other technological leaps which have benefitted everyone. Here, we’ll look at some of the fascinating ways that the forward march of technology is changing the health sector.

Just like anything, the dawn of the smartphone has had a massive impact on the health sector. Pretty much everyone is carrying around a constant connection to the internet, technology sophisticated enough to steer a spacecraft, and a whole host of other capabilities. There are countless health apps for both iPhones and Androids now, which have made it so much easier for many people to monitor and maintain their health. From simple pedometers to highly sophisticated mood-monitoring apps to help with depression, there’s all kinds of miniature programs which can be a huge help in taking care of your personal health. Most recently, we’ve seen the invention of the doctors app; programs which let you check symptoms, order medication, and contact qualified doctors.

Smart pills are another exciting technology which we’re seeing more and more in the modern health sector. Recently, one company was able to develop a working sensor technology so minuscule that it can be swallowed, and combined with conventional medication in the form of a pill. When the pill dissolves, the sensor is activated. This in turn transmits data to a patch worn on the patient’s skin, which is then sent to an app on their smartphone. This allows for handy reminders to patients who have to keep up with prescriptions, and allows their doctors to see how well they’re sticking to schedule. When it comes to certain drugs prescribed for mental health problems, there have been some concerns about the privacy and autonomy of the patients receiving this medication. Still, the fact that we can do this is pretty amazing!

Genome sequencing is another incredible technology which is beginning to garner more attention. While the science is still in its early days, it’s expected to give us a much clearer idea of how various diseases affect different individuals depending on their genetic makeup. It’s now become easier than ever for us to pin down the genetic profile of a disease. When this is combined with monitoring how the patient is responding to their treatment, it will become much easier for doctors to gauge the effects of a possible treatment. Although we’re only really hearing a buzz about it now, human genome sequencing has been around for years. However, sequencing a human genome used to be extremely expensive, and progress was slow. Sequencing still costs $1,000 a pop, but that figure is expected to reduce as technology becomes more sophisticated.

There you have some of the most significant ways that technology is changing the health sector. As time goes on, who knows what other exciting developments we’ll see?