Future Trends in Healthcare
Future Trends in Health Care Shirley W. Crabtree March 14, 2011 HCS/533 Michael E. Lambert
Future Trends in Health Care
Smart Phones, I-Pads, I-Pods, Blue Tooth, Blackberry, GPS, On-Star – wherever we go and wherever we want to go, and when – ‘there’s an App for that.’ Whether we like it or not, and even whether or not we choose for it to be that way, our personal lives, our work lives, and even our health issues are constantly impacted by technology. We may complain but in reality, we wouldn’t have it any other way. Health care technology can be as simple and as close as a hand-held computer at the bedside of a patient, a monitor worn by the patient, or the sound of an alarm at the possibility of a medication error. Health care technology also can be almost unimaginable and distant as a surgeon in another state guiding the instruments as a robot performs delicate brain surgery in the community hospital operating room. The futuristic fantasy world of Star Trek and Star Wars is today’s technology. Dr. “Bones” McCoy’s Tricorder seems almost archaic compared to current medical technology. R2-D2 and C-3P0 have nothing on today’s health care robots. Robots can deliver laboratory information and specimens to another floor of the hospital, maneuvering around corners, avoiding obstacles, entering and leaving elevators, and even deciding the best route to take to achieve its mission. In the discussion of future trends in health care, including the impact of distance delivery on health care, and the current and future impact of telemedicine; the emphasis is telemedicine in relationship to care for the rapidly- growing population of frail elderly. Telemedicine Small communities in the United States
Future Trends in Health Care
Smart Phones, I-Pads, I-Pods, Blue Tooth, Blackberry, GPS, On-Star – wherever we go and wherever we want to go, and when – ‘there’s an App for that.’ Whether we like it or not, and even whether or not we choose for it to be that way, our personal lives, our work lives, and even our health issues are constantly impacted by technology. We may complain but in reality, we wouldn’t have it any other way. Health care technology can be as simple and as close as a hand-held computer at the bedside of a patient, a monitor worn by the patient, or the sound of an alarm at the possibility of a medication error. Health care technology also can be almost unimaginable and distant as a surgeon in another state guiding the instruments as a robot performs delicate brain surgery in the community hospital operating room. The futuristic fantasy world of Star Trek and Star Wars is today’s technology. Dr. “Bones” McCoy’s Tricorder seems almost archaic compared to current medical technology. R2-D2 and C-3P0 have nothing on today’s health care robots. Robots can deliver laboratory information and specimens to another floor of the hospital, maneuvering around corners, avoiding obstacles, entering and leaving elevators, and even deciding the best route to take to achieve its mission. In the discussion of future trends in health care, including the impact of distance delivery on health care, and the current and future impact of telemedicine; the emphasis is telemedicine in relationship to care for the rapidly- growing population of frail elderly. Telemedicine Small communities in the United States
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