Wk 3 Individual: Technology Trends Proposal Part 2

2

Technology Trends

Institution

Student’s Name

Course

Instructor

Date

Telehealth

Telehealth makes use of digital data and communication channels to access medical care and manage one's health. Healthcare practitioners and patients use telehealth services to follow up and monitor patient's recovery after discharge from the hospital. It is also used as a channel for interaction between clinicians and patients.

Telehealth has enabled access to healthcare services to individuals who live in remote and isolated areas. It has also enabled patient's support for self-management. Telehealth has facilitated online access to medical specialists, enhancing interaction and coordination between the healthcare team and patients. It has also made it easy to access healthcare services among individuals with reduced mobility, limited time, and ferry options.

Adopting the telehealth trend has proved to be beneficial, especially in these periods of the Covid-19 pandemic. Telehealth services minimize patient contact with a healthcare provider, preventing the spread of contagious diseases such as covid-19. Through screening and monitoring of health conditions, telehealth services reduce pressure and workload among caregivers, thus minimizing burnout cases.

Healthcare robots

Healthcare robots are of different types with distinct use. For instance, hospital robots deliver sensitive materials within the hospital environment, including laboratory specimens and medications. Care robots provide support and care to the less privileged such as the disabled and the elderly. Healthcare robots also assist in surgical procedures, cleaning, and disinfection.

The application of healthcare robots has facilitated healthcare delivery more efficiently and cheaper. Processing of healthcare information faster and the ability to store information, hence overall improvement in quality care. On the other hand, the use of healthcare robots has led to the unemployment of more healthcare practitioners; robots perform the majority of the work.

Adapting healthcare robots leads to high-quality patient care as the medical robots support less invasive procedures and frequently monitor patient conditions. Medical robots enhance operational efficiencies as they can perform a variety of tasks without tiring. They also ensure a safe work environment by transporting supplies and linens in environments with a risk of pathogen exposure.

REFERENCES

Catalyst, N. E. J. M. (2018). What is telehealth?. NEJM Catalyst, 4(1). https://catalyst.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/CAT.18.0268

Robinson, H., MacDonald, B., & Broadbent, E. (2014). The role of healthcare robots for older people at home: A review. International Journal of Social Robotics, 6(4), 575-591. https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12369-014-0242-2.pdf