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In 2012 at the Rock Health Innovation Summit business, renowned business man, Vinod Khosla said “80% of health workers can be replaced by software.” This implies that technology in healthcare may constitute a threat to the jobs of healthcare professionals.
Let’s face it, a competent machine learning system diagnosing my illness is far preferable to a medium or mediocre physician. Although there is debate regarding the statement’s accuracy, it does highlight the expanding role of technology in healthcare. Here are some ways that technology aids the industry while also posing obstacles.
How Technology Has Benefitted Healthcare
One technology expert recently stated in a piece for the Huffington Post that “we’re seeing a shift from the current model to one that’s more predictive. One that hinges on foresight and a combination of the right technology and analytical knowledge. It’s what I would call the Predict-and-Prevent model of health care.”
In fact, a lot of diseases could be prevented with the use of medical technology that can identify trends and forecast results. Telemedicine is another example of how technology has improved healthcare. Advanced communication techniques facilitated by artificial intelligence (AI) and remote diagnostic instruments can both save costs and enhance the quality of patient treatment. Doctors can swiftly access a patient’s whole medical history thanks to electronic health records, which also improves patient care.
How Applying Technology in Healthcare Continues To Be A Challenge
The Cost
Medical gadgets account up 5–6% of the trillions of dollars spent on healthcare annually, according to a 2012 report. On the surface, that might appear to be almost nothing. For clinics and hospitals with limited funding, the expense might be a major obstacle. Many economists have opined that the associated expenditures from acquiring healthcare technology are a major factor in the healthcare industry’s problematic financial picture.
The Learning Curve
Healthcare executives and medical professionals need to continue their education and adopt modern techniques. But they sometimes have hectic schedules and might not have the time to grasp the newest technology in healthcare. Medical facilities must prepare training for new procedures or technology. This is because a lack of knowledge about new medical equipment might result in mistakes.
Healthcare facilities are encouraged by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Incentive Programs to use electronic health records meaningfully, however many hospitals find it challenging to achieve this requirement. Medicare executives may decide to pay less to professionals who violate meaningful use policies. But that could greatly worsen financial issues for hospitals and clinics that are already struggling financially.
What Hospitals and Clinics Must do to Keep Up With Technology in Healthcare
All of the aforementioned difficulties stem from the difficulty of keeping up with technology advancements. A Forbes contributor gives hospitals tips on how to keep up with technological advancements. He advises hospitals, among other things, to be proactive, foresee future requirements, and never let technological concerns override patient care. Healthcare relies heavily on technology, but it can also provide challenges.
To ensure that all patients may take advantage of the most recent developments in medical technology, administrators and industry leaders must endeavor to overcome these obstacles.
