The medical field has been making advances for decades. And unless you’ve been on the receiving end of this type of care, you may not realize what’s going on in the medical field as it relates to technology and medicine. While the pharmaceutical industry has gotten a lot of attention in recent years, the rest of the medical industry is thriving as well. Medical technology is a field all on its own with many different applications and areas of expertise. Here are some of the ways that technology is changing the medical field.
3D printing
The use of 3D printing in medicine may not be what you would think. Sure you can create tiny parts with 3D printing technology. But what’s even more interesting is that you can even 3D print organs with it. For medical professionals, this opens up more opportunities to get advanced training for certain surgical operations before they do them. It helps to improve outcomes for many patients. Additionally, 3D printing has led to the ability to create certain tissues that patients need and so much more. It’ll be interesting to see where this technology can go in the future.
Advanced medical devices
Medical device development has come a long way over the past two decades. The acceleration of innovation is leading to medical advances that were once thought to be impossible. People with specific types of vision loss can benefit from artificial irises. People with aortic valve problems can get a replacement that’s based on bovine valves. Some patients with epilepsy can get improvements from deep brain stimulation. These medical devices and more are improving the lives of patients with many health conditions that were once believed to be untreatable.
Better quality wearables
When people think of technology and wearables, they often jump to things like the Fitbit and other exercise and biometric trackers. But advances in technology mean that there are changes to be made even in the field of medical wearables. Imagine being able to track blood pressure, blood sugar, and more all remotely? That’s the power of these devices. Some of them are there just to easily measure blood sugar so diabetics can give the appropriate amount of insulin. Others are helping elderly patients live more independently at home while still getting the health monitoring they need.
Robotics
Not only has the field of robotics been used to improve the lives of amputees, but it’s also been instrumental in creating better outcomes for surgical patients. Often surgeries that are long and complex can lead to doctor fatigue. Using robotic equipment that’s guided by the medical professionals means that they can be more precise and there is less risk of accidentally slipping and causing more damage than was there when they opened the patient up. The future of robotics in conjunction with medicine looks bright as more people can use fully functioning limbs and recover post-op more effectively.
Nanotechnology
The use of nanotechnology in medicine was once the thing of science fiction stories. But today, this robust technological field can benefit the lives of countless patients who receive something from it. Nanotechnology incorporates not only a delivery model for medications but also the use of micro-robotics. When used for medication delivery, nanotechnology can target just the part of the body that needs the medicine instead of it impacting multiple systems. Tiny robots can be used to not only see the damage but to also repair it from the inside out. This is making waves especially when you consider what it could do for patients with cancer. Imagine being able to send out nanorobots and have your cancer disappear in a matter of days or weeks? These are the kinds of innovations that people in the medical technology field are exploring.
Final thoughts on technology in medicine
Using technology to improve the lives of patients is the ultimate goal of medical experts in the field. They don’t innovate for innovation’s sake. Instead, they know that their work could one day be used to change someone’s life. And to them, that’s worth all the time and energy they put into these advances. The future of medicine looks amazing with different technologies in hand and a mindset on helping people thrive.