Those with chronic illnesses have benefited for years from scientific, medical, and technological advancements. Each new innovation can mean that the quality of life enjoyed by those with chronic illnesses becomes a little better, with more freedom to live and more ways to treat their symptoms. In this article, we’ll take a look at three key technological innovations that have helped the chronically ill lead better lives in the past handful of years, making people happier and more comfortable across the world.
Wearables
One of the key advancements that are still in its infancy is the wearable. These devices, which usually sit on the wrist and are about the size of a watch, are seen as hugely promising for sufferers of a number of chronic illnesses. In today’s world, you can wear an automatic blood pressure monitor to track your blood data, which is key for diabetic individuals and those with heart issues.
Perhaps the most exciting implication of the wearable, though, is the fact that, in years to come, it will provide doctors and researchers with unprecedented levels of data from which to spot chronic illness as it develops and tailor different treatments for each individual. This is regarded as one of the key breakthroughs we’re soon to encounter in the world of technological medical innovation.
Video Appointments
With doctor’s clinics and hospitals less accessible in recent months, video appointments have stepped in to fill the void for those who suffer from chronic illness. Instead of having to drag yourself to the doctor’s for your latest check-up, you can now do this remotely from the comfort of your couch. Being able to check in for a check-up without having to make the journey and book an appointment weeks in advance is a serious boon for those who suffer from chronic illnesses.
Not only is this system beneficial from an efficiency standpoint, but it also means that those who want to make an urgent appointment are more able to get in touch with a doctor on the same day as a symptom begins playing up. Again, this is something that simply wasn’t available to patients just a couple of years ago.
Data
Whether generated from wearables or from hospital admissions, data is at the epicenter of the medical revolution that is ongoing across the world. With a huge amount of information about each patient, doctors and researchers are now able to use software to analyze data from hundreds of thousands of patients. The result is faster medical trials as well as a new understanding of different treatment regimes that are aimed at those who suffer from chronic illness.
A huge part of this effort is taking place in research centers and universities, where professionals are handling sensitive healthcare data carefully in order to derive brand new insights about the illnesses that are most common around the world. Over time, expect to see new revelations about the health issues we’ve long thought we knew.
There you have it: three of the key ways in which technology is helping those who suffer from chronic illnesses in 2022.
