With the help of medical professionals and new medical technology, there have been treatments and cures to illnesses and medical conditions that were once exclusively fatal. Not only does new and advanced medical technology allow for powerful effects on patients’ lives, it also allows for an improved way of organizing and providing medical services. From advances in technology such as electronic medical records, to new equipment and drugs that can treat and even cure medical conditions, society has changed immensely. Not only are these effective advancements lifesaving and helpful, but according to the American Institute of Medical Sciences & Education, switching from paper to electronic medical records reduced outpatient care costs by 3 percent. (Banova, 2018). These electronic medical records allow for better communication, organization and gives a less likely chance for a record or file to be lost. These advancements have allowed for less mistakes and higher survival rates in healthcare.
In 1751, the first hospital was created. The Pennsylvania Hospital was founded by friends, Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Thomas Bond. In the beginning of healthcare, staff did not require much training and there were minimal, if any, restrictions. During the early times of healthcare, it was not very successful. With no technology at all, diagnosing and treating patients was a difficult task. Over time, changes were made to attempt to better healthcare. According to Basics of the U.S. Health Care System, “The establishment of the American Medical Association (AMA) in 1847 as a professional member- ship organization for physicians was a driving force for the concept of private practice in medicine.” (Niles, N. J., 2015). This association set education requirements and standards for physicians and medical staff. One of the most well-known medical conditions that killed over 25 million people before healthcare was practiced, was known as the black death or bubonic plague (National Geographic, 2017). Today’s society is no longer concerned about the bubonic plague. Not only is this medical condition extremely rare in present day, but it is also easily treatable with today’s medical innovations.
Medical technology now allows for the ability to switch from paper charts to electronic medical records (EMR). This not only decreases the costs paid by hospitals and healthcare facilities, but it also allows for records to be easily accessible and better organized. During times of high stress and adrenaline, receiving information from a medical record can be difficult, turning to electronic medical records allows for all information to be accessed fast and effective. Medical practices that use paper medical records are at risk for losing patient information or missing small details that can make a large impact on patient’s lives. Electronic medical records assist in better communication between doctors, nurses, and other staff, creating a lower chance of mistakes made my medical professionals. Electronic medical records are just one of the major support systems of medical technology that allows for greater survival rates.
Implementing new technology leads to many positives and negatives. Advanced medical technology has raised healthcare treatment costs for the patient and insurance companies. Although the treatment costs have raised due to the expensive equipment, administrative technology such as electronic medical records have led to decreased spending for facilities. A major advantage of new and improved medical technology is the ability to get high resolution images and information from diagnostic testing. According to the Hong Kong Journal of Emergency Medicine, “These high selective approaches are more likely to avoid test complications, false-positive results, costs and anxiety.” (Tan & Ong, 2002). Although the equipment might be expensive, medical professionals need access to high end diagnostic and treatment technology in order to obtain the correct diagnosis and with treatment, reduce death rates.
There are many medical conditions that are deadly and with improved medical technology, can allow for treatment to lower morbidity and mortality rates. Medical conditions such as cancer, heart disease and strokes can be treated and cured more effectively with advanced medical technology. The Hong Kong Journal of Emergency Medicine states that “Newer diagnostic technologies are able to detect ever smaller or milder abnormalities that aggravate the problem.” (Tan & Ong, 2002). Diagnostic testing is crucial for the correct medicine distribution and treatment. Equipment such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computer axial tomography (CAT scan), electrocardiograms (EKG), and ultrasounds are some of the many lifesaving technologies in healthcare. Diagnostic imaging is extremely important due to its remarkable view of the body. Getting a clear picture of what is going on inside of a patient’s body can save a life due to time constraints on some medical conditions.
Treatments such as medication can be extremely effective and even lifesaving. In previous times, nurses used to have to inject patients with medications on a time schedule. In healthcare today, most facilities have infusion pumps which automatically release medication intravenously. The medication itself has to be invented and tested in laboratories which would be difficult to do without use of medical technology. Once a medication is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), it is then put out for use to treat patients. Pharmacies rely on technology for “the storage of structured patient records, facilitate the electronic prescribing, dispensing and administration of medicines, automate the handling of medicines in the supply chain and provide tools for monitoring the efficacy and safety of medicines in use.” (Goundrey-Smith, S., 2014). Today, there are numerous medications being invented and tested to treat medical conditions from moderate to severe. Technology is a big role in the production and administration of lifesaving medications.
Although there are treatments and cures to many medical conditions, there are many conditions that are incurable and have few, if any, treatments. Medical conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and HIV/AIDS are some of the many conditions in which have few treatments and no cure available yet. There are very few medications available to treat these conditions however, hospitals and facilities are able to treat the pain and symptoms with medication to prevent them from progressing. Some diseases may cause fatal complications, although the disease itself is not terminal. People with these conditions either reach death due to them if they are fatal, or die with them. There is constantly research and testing being conducted to create and trial medications that can possibly cure these diseases, as well as other incurable conditions.
Morbidity and mortality rates have decreased over time due to advancements in medical technology so far. With the advanced technology we have today, and more philosophies in the making, one day medical professionals may be able to cure the incurable. Not only have medical professionals been able to enhance life expectancy, but they also enhanced the quality of life. Currently, the leading cause of death in the United States is heart disease, followed by cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (National Center for Health Statistics, 2017). There is no single cure for heart disease or cancer, although there might be lifestyle changes or treatment options, each person is different and the effects of treatment vary from person to person. With medical technology, healthcare has transformed to a more individual level, creating for lower mortality rates.
Healthcare can leave an economic burden on individuals, states, or even the government. Health insurance is not cheap and many people rely on support systems such as government funded insurance to get the healthcare they need. Statistics from the National Health Interview Survey’s Early Release Program showed that at time of the interview, 28.2 million people under the age of 65 did not have health insurance (National Center for Health Statistics, 2017). The government has funded Medicare to financially assist individuals over 65 years of age as well as Medicaid which aids low-income individuals in receiving health insurance. Political parties partake in debates to express their thoughts on government funded health insurance. Previous president Barack Obama created the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare in 2011. It was made to expand government funded insurance such as Medicaid to low-income individuals and families. Shortly after swearing into office, president Donald Trump expressed his plans to abolish the Affordable Care Act. This has been an ongoing debate between democrats and republicans throughout the past years and today, the Affordable Care Act is still intact however, it can be abolished and taken away at any time, leaving many low-income individuals and families without health insurance.
Medical technology has been a helping agent in diagnosing illnesses and diseases earlier rather than later. Without all of the diagnostic testing and extremely educated and well-trained physicians, the cause of such illness and disease would be unknown. Diagnosis is the first step in the journey of recovery and getting healthy. With new surgical ideas and innovations, there have been several discoveries of lifesaving surgical methods, leading to an increase in survival rates. With diagnosing a patient early, the treatment and procedures may be less invasive or even curable. According to the Advanced Medical Technology Association, “Medical technology helped add five years to the average U.S. life expectancy since 1980.” (The Value of Medical Technology in Saving and Improving Lives). Without medical technology, life threatening injuries and medical conditions would have made society smaller due to an astronomical amount of deaths.
There has been tremendous progress made throughout the years with the help of medical technology. Not only have the amount of deaths increased, but the quality of life has improved over time. When patients have very serious medical conditions or serious injuries, typical daily activities become difficult. Daily activities such as walking, eating, sleeping, or even breathing comfortably are some things that most people don’t have to worry about however, many people don’t have the privilege of being able to do many of these daily activities on their own due to their health. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a person with a disability is categorized as having a “physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity.” (“What Is the Definition of Disability under the ADA?”). People who fall under disability and are unable to work receive funding from the government as income. Advanced medical technology has led disability rates to decline by 25 percent between the years 1982 to 2000, and disability-free life expectancy has increased over time, according to Life Changing Innovation. (The Value of Medical Technology in Saving and Improving Lives). Not only does this improve the health of many, it decreases the burden on the United States economy.
With the milestones that have been reached with advanced medical technology so far, there are many anticipated milestones and breakthroughs to come. From active bionic prosthesis, which are robotic devices such as arms or legs that imitate those of a real human body to artificial hearts that can be used short term while waiting for a heart transplant or even permanent, these astonishing medical devices have saved lives and made lives easier. In the future, there is a chance for a cure to some of the incurable diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and many other deadly medical conditions. Surgeries that were once a big procedure can now be done microscopically with a small incision or even done with lasers. With present medical technology being improved and doctors becoming more educated and advanced, there will be better medical technology to improve healthcare. As research goes on, one day, curing a disease or medical condition could be as easy as predicting the weather. Medical technology plays an important role in healthcare today and with advancements, can save the world in the future.