Benefits of Technology in Healthcare
Technology plays an important role in many aspects of our lives, one of which is healthcare. The integration of technology in areas like biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, information technology as well as the development of medical devices and equipment has made significant contributions to improving healthcare and saving lives all around the world. From “small” innovations like adhesive bandages and ankle braces to larger, more complex technologies like MRI machines, artificial organs, and robotic prosthetic limbs, technology has undoubtedly made an incredible impact on medicine.
The digitization of health records has been a game changer in the healthcare industry. As more healthcare facilities move from paper charts to electronic medical records, the benefits will increase for both practitioners and patients. Electronic health records can be accessed on-demand, and can potentially save lives, time and money. With easier access to the records, more in-depth evaluations can be made, enabling doctors to reach an accurate diagnosis more quickly. In addition, electronic health records can make it easier for doctors to follow up with patients and ensure continuity of their care.
Improving the quality of life is one of the main benefits of integrating technology into medicine. Technologies like monitoring systems, minimally-invasive surgeries, and more advanced scanning equipment’s allow patients to spend less time in recovery and more time enjoying better quality of life. The advances in of medical technology and tele-health has also created robotic surgeries where, in some cases, doctors do not even need to be in the operating room with a patient when the surgery is performed, and patients can have the procedure done in a hospital or clinic close to their own hometown, eliminating the hassles and stress of health-related travel. Other robotic devices allow for minimally invasive procedures; that reduces patients’ scarring and significantly less recovery time.
Medical scientists are constantly conducting research and testing new procedures to help prevent, diagnose, and cure diseases as well as developing new drugs and medicines that can lessen symptoms or treat ailments. Through the use of technology in medical research, scientists have been able to examine diseases on a cellular level and produce vaccines. Vaccines against life-threatening diseases like malaria and polio prevent the spread of disease and save thousands of lives all around the globe. In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that vaccines save about three million lives per year, and prevent millions of others from contracting deadly viruses and diseases.
Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NUMed) offers undergraduate degrees in Medicine and Biomedical Sciences as well as opportunities for postgraduate studies. NUMed is the first fully owned international branch campus offering a degree in medicine conferred by a UK university. Established in 2009, NUMed draws on the legacy of Newcastle University in the UK. Since its inception in 1834 as a medical school, the university has always been at the forefront of research and teaching, and its reputation has been externally confirmed to be of the highest international quality.
To find out more about NUMed’s programmes, excellent facilities, and student life, visit www.newcastle.edu.my.
