Technology has changed nearly every aspect of our life – from helping you dine, to sell your furniture, to help you find a new job, the way you travel and lots more. Technology has become a vital part of our daily lives and as the technology improves every day, there are developments that are constantly helping us. Over the few decades, new medical developments coupled with the use of technology have changed the face of our healthcare. The medical industry is always looking to bring the best of every domain to make sure healthcare is imparted in the best possible and effective manner.
With people now using technology on the go with their smartphones and mobile apps, healthcare too is now delivered through this medium. Let us see some of the biggest impact of health apps in healthcare.
Improved patient engagement
Several new and innovative mobile apps that have transformed the way we communicate. With smartphones, it has become very easy to have a video conference with anyone from where ever you are and on the move. There are a lot of healthcare apps with focus on medical encounters through video calling. This would eliminate traveling to your doctor and waiting in long queues for a consultation. This would also help in case there is an emergency or if a person who is sick has to travel a long distance to see the doctor. There is no longer the need for a patient and doctor to be in the same location. You could have access to specialist on the other side of the world. The patient and the doctor can mutually decide if the consultation has to be live or if the healthcare service can be delivered virtually.
Notification and reminders
In case you really have to see the doctor and video consulting is not an option, there are apps that could send you notifications if the doctor is coming in late so that you plan your visit accordingly and do not waste time waiting for the doctor at the clinics. There are reminder apps that will notify you about your next consultation or your next appointment. The reminder app will also assist you in taking your pills on time. This way the app will understand when you are running low on the pills and will remind you to buy them the next time you are near pharmacy, as your location is identified and you are notified when there is a pharmacy in your vicinity, or you could just have them delivered at your doorstep.
Assisting doctors in diagnosis
There are apps that help doctors make decisions and assist them in their diagnosis. There are evidence based guidelines that can help doctors identify the cause of a particular symptom and provide the best possible treatment. With the improvement and advancement in the field of healthcare, a number of diseases and disorders have been identified and it becomes difficult for doctors to be aware of all them. With the help of apps, doctors can search for the symptoms at the patient’s bedside and arrive at the best possible treatment.
Social networking through clinical apps
There are social networking apps where patients can connect with other who have the same condition and compare symptoms and treatments. This way a patient is fully aware of the condition and can in turn help doctors to treat them better. Patients also encourage each other bringing very positive results. This also creates a pool of information on a particular condition and assist in research for effective treatments.
Summary
As healthcare apps continue to evolve, these tools will transform from a source of information to becoming the hands and eyes of a doctor and engage patients with their healthcare in new ways.
