With our technological advances growing each day, it’s getting increasingly hard to estimate where we might be in the future as far as technology and medical sciences are concerned. Merely thirty years ago, predictions of the future (which is our current present time) seemed completely farfetched, yet we’ve exceeded quite a few and determined others are impossible. So, what can we actually expect for the future of healthcare? Will the life expectancy lengthen? Will we ever find a cure for cancer or even just the common cold? We’ll look at the data and make realistic predictions for what the future has in store for us as far as healthcare is concerned.
It’s becoming increasingly obvious that the future of most industries is automation in some way, shape, or form. We’ve seen it in grocery stores, restaurants, and now, even doctor’s offices. You sign in electronically, inputting your basic healthcare information like medical history and allergies. It’s getting increasingly reasonable to estimate that the future would hold automated options for checking in, getting the patients’ medical histories, and their vitals. This would save time and limit the potential for errors.
Integration of Fitbit-like devices
With the growing popularity of Fitbits, it should come as no surprise that the integration of devices like this may be coming to a medical facility near you. These devices offer a lot of benefits to medical professionals, including but not limited to being able to monitor their patient’s vitals around the clock. These devices could lead to catching warning signs of serious diseases and problems far earlier than would have been possible without them.
Virtual appointments
Many doctors’ offices around the nation have already started to integrate technology into their appointments, saving them time. Many medical practices will utilize messaging features and virtual chat options online to help patients electronically and not have to waste the time on an appointment. This is great for conditions or problems that wouldn’t necessarily need to be examined to be diagnosed and treated.
Less invasive surgeries
Each year it seems like there’s a new procedure to treat some common ailment you thought you’d just have to suffer with, like LASIK eye surgery or spine surgeries, such as can be found here. As technology and medical sciences progress, so do the procedures offered to treat ailments people previously just had to suffer through. In addition to that, they’re coming up with easier and better ways to treat these ailments, making it less risky to partake in these surgeries.
The future of healthcare has been hard to estimate due to the rapidity at which technology and medical sciences have been advancing. With the British NHS wishing to introduce it into general practices, things are moving quickly – see here. People have both overestimated and underestimated in the past on the level of advancement we’d see in, say, five years or so. These estimations were made based on research proving these marginal advances are becoming more prevalent in society. It seems fair to say that the future of technology holds many innovations for the health sector – do you agree?
