6 Technologies Helping People Live A Better Life

Introduction

The healthcare industry has experienced a real and digital revolution in recent years, providing patients and health organizations alike with some remarkable technologies that are helping all of us live better lives.

Not all technologies are meant to stand the test of time; some are only designed to function and produce value until we create something better. Some, like this company available for Rug Cleaning NYC, will evolve with the times

However, when it comes to the innovations we explore in this article, we believe the opposite to be true – these amazing technologies are not going to be replaced any time soon (and in fact we believe new digitally-enabled products will be built on top of them!).  Here are the 6 technologies that are helping people to live a better life.

Alexa Healthcare Apps

Amazon has already made some significant investments in the healthcare industry over the course of the last few years. Their investments in Amazon Alexa devices seemed to be apparent from the very beginning.

Since its launch in 2014, The Amazon Alexa skill store has exploded with a number of different healthcare apps that help people to monitor their health. For example, in a previous article, I covered 17 different use cases for Alexa skills in the healthcare industry alone.

Some Alexa skills allow users to have updates about the status of their individual hospital, for things such as whether there are parking spaces, and how behind the service may be running.

This can help people live better lives by avoiding them making wasted trips, and giving them informed information about what to expect when they arrive at said hospital.

In addition to this, Amazon also announced that they are building a 12-person health and wellness team within their Alexa division, which should make the assistant even more useful in the health sector in the next few years.

Hybrid Closed-Loop Insulin Delivery System

More than 100 million U.S adults now suffer from diabetes or prediabetes, and many of these people will rely on regularly pricking their finger to receive accurate information about their blood sugar.

This process can be incredibly time consuming, and embarrassing for people who aren’t used to broadcasting or performing medical tasks in public.

For those with Type 1 diabetes, however, the hybrid closed-loop insulin delivery system, better known as an artificial pancreas, is making insulin monitoring and management far easier.

This device is an automated insulin delivery system that connects to a glucose monitor with an insulin pump, completely eliminating the need for people with diabetes to test their blood regularly.

This makes it easier for people to steady blood glucose levels, with some studies showing that A1C levels in Type 1 diabetes patients have dropped by half a percent.

Scoliosis Braces

Scoliosis is a medical term used to explain a significant, sideways curvature of the spine that usually occurs during the growth spurt that takes place just before puberty.

At the severe end, suffers can be completely disabled, with extreme pain and discomfort levels on an everyday basis.

If this is the case, a doctor might recommend a scoliosis brace is worn. According to Healthcare Weekly, this is a stiff plastic jacket that fits around the torso, and starts from underneath the arms, ending up at the hips. It has straps to keep it in place which also work to straighten the spine over time.

The scoliosis brace is usually prescribed during adolescent years, where it’s easier to manipulate a spine that is still in the growing process.

This helps people to live better lives as it can lower pain and discomfort levels, and can prevent curvatures from worsening, which may lead to more invasive surgery’s in the future.

Telehealth Mobile Apps

In the last few years, many healthcare organizations have turned their attention towards creating convenient services that better suit the needs of the clients they serve.

With technology becoming an ever important part of the healthcare industry as a whole, doing so has never been easier.

Telehealth, which involves providing treatment over secure wireless networks through websites or apps, is a market that has grown considerably in recent years.

Now, there are telehealth mobile apps that perform almost any function, including allowing patients to fill prescriptions through an app and have it delivered to their door. One vendor, HelloAlvin, even offers users the possibility of enrolling on the platform directly via text messages.

Telehealth apps can also help people live better lives by enabling them to book appointments with specialists that might not be available in their area, cutting down waiting times and potential transport costs for that person to travel to another city to receive treatment.

Smartwatches

When it comes to using technology to provide innovative solutions that allow us to take better control of our health in an affordable manner, smartwatches are definitely one of the best inventions out there.

Originally created as pedometers that allowed individuals to track their steps, brands are now establishing greater uses for their smartwatches, with more developments being made every year.

One of the most innovative on the market at the moment is the Omron smartwatch, which has an inflatable rubber cuff that allows you to measure your blood pressure accurately and on the go.

This helps people live better lives as it allows them to control their blood pressure out of the hospital, and can bring up potential warning signs far earlier, allowing treatment to commence before a tragedy occurs.

As a result of these smartwatches, many people are avoiding more serious consequences by gaining more awareness over their health and taking action earlier than they would without them.

Artificial Intelligence

The use of artificial intelligence within the healthcare industry is expected to experience rapid growth at an annual rate of 40% through 2021, by which time it should be worth $6.6 Billion.

While this is good news for those investing in the healthcare industry, artificial intelligence is also good news for patients, too, as it can help reduce and mitigate risks associated with preventable medical scenarios.

One way they can do this is by sending automated reminders to elderly patients, or those with memory problems, to help remind them to take their medication within a specific timeframe.

They can also identify people at high risk, and provide personalized dosage recommendations based on each patient’s unique body chemistry and related environmental factors.

Essentially, artificial intelligence can be used as an aid to help people live independently for longer, with care plans that meet their needs and provide a holistic approach to their health.

Conclusion

One of the greatest things about healthcare innovations is that they are created to target many diverse areas that the industry would struggle to fix without the use of technology.

With varied investors and researchers looking into different areas of the healthcare industry, with different aims for the outcome of their developments, we have been provided with technology that has improved the lives of many people across many different areas.

Whether this is just a case of making things more convenient for customers through telehealth services so that they book a hospital appointment instead of putting off their aches and pains for one week longer, or something more life changing like a scoliosis brace, these technologies are all desperately needed within the healthcare field.

This article comes from Codrin Arsene @ Digital Authority Partners