Health is Wealth: Advancements in Technology Transforming Global Healthcare

Health is Wealth . Whether we consider physical or mental health , technological advancement has revolutionized the health sector. Polio , Malaria , Dengue Hepatitis B, Covid 19 and many other life threatening illnesses have raised serious challenges to our society however, thanks to advancements in health technology , we have been able to combat these diseases effectively.

Background

Before we talk about the current medical advancement, it is very essential for us to understand the background behind the medical revolution. In the 16th and 17th century ,during the establishment of the European colonies, the European settlers encountered several infectious diseases and harsh climate.In 18th century , Slaves, bonded laborers and native population impacted by Colonialism were often prone to diseases which soldiers and contract workers had little resistance to . The mortality rate was quite high.

These new diseases and harsh conditions in the colonies gave rise to the field of Tropical Medicines but these medicines would include substances which were highly toxic. Later in the 19th century, medical advancement began to emerge, and new ideas were introduced to fight against the diseases. Tropical medicines were quite helpful for the native population . Many colonies started setting up healthcare facilities for the soldiers and civilians to not only provide healthcare facilities but also do some epidemiologic studies to research about the cause of the disease .

Global Health

The idea of Global health emerged in the 19th century when the world expanded in economic and technological sectors due to international trade.People crisscrossed the globe with goods and diseases. During this expansion,six Cholera pandemic affected thousands of lives globally.The global pandemic raised a critical question about the medical sector and opened new dimensions for the health technology advancements and international health policies. The International Sanitary Convention was the first International health collaboration involving 7 countries that created international health policy.World Health Organisation is another example of International Health Collaboration which was constituted in 1946. The motto of this organisation is setting international health standards , data collection, epidemiologic surveillance, research , training and emergency relief.

Digital transformation in Healthcare

Digital transformation in healthcare has become an integral part of our lives. This transformation brings evolution to both society and the healthcare industry. Artificial intelligence, Internet of things, virtual reality are few emerging health technologies in healthcare business and operations. They provide a broader range of healthcare options to the patients. Better health management procedures and digitization to the new therapies helps in finding the root causes behind the life threatening diseases and offers better digital health solutions.

Covid 19 is one of the examples which has boasted innovation in the medical sector. Few other examples are use of monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of COVID-19, Gene therapy for the treatment of genetic forms of immunodeficiency, real-time molecular diagnostics technologies , development of vaccines using new technologies, use of artificial intelligence to predict the spread of infections.Due to the advancement in technology, patients can see their health reports and statistics in their mobile phones.

Telemedicine is another technological advancement where patients can reach out to unlimited doctors for the medicine via a portal and video conferencing. Currently fitness, wellness and mental health are all popular telemedicine fields. Physicians' daily tasks including paperwork, patient data storage and more can be streamlined through Telemedicine and cloud based applications. Physicians are able to spend more time with their patients , building rapport and learning important medical history details.

Data security and Integrity

As we progress in technology , we also face increasing risk of data security and integrity. It is vital for healthcare providers to ensure that patient data remains secure and confidential. To address these challenges, healthcare providers have established compliance measures like HIPAA to protect patient information. Data residency, Data localization and Data sovereignty are few key concepts which stand out as a major influencer in regards to the health data exchange across borders.

Health equity through technology

As the saying goes, the bigger the disease, the deeper the pockets need to be. Health insurance is one key aspect which patients think twice before they set up a doctor appointment. A good health insurance is required to avail advanced health solutions. Countries are trying to achieve health equity by eliminating the health inequalities and the achievement of universal health coverage. However, it is a big challenge to avail quality healthcare due to geographical terrain or socio-economic status etc.

Conclusion : Worldwide public health is the responsibility of every country and with various technological advancement in the healthcare industry it is becoming more prominent . What we need to consider is how these advances can be accessed by less-equipped countries. We also need to ensure that data security and integrity are maintained. Our motto should be to make the world a livable place for all.