Health technology
In the United States, these technologies involve standardized physical objects, as well as traditional and designed social means and methods to treat or care for patients.
Even with multiple different types of safeguards hackers somehow still find their way in so the security that is in place needs to constantly be updated to prevent these breaches.
Availability allows people who are authorized to access the systems and networks when and where that information is in fact needed, such as natural disasters.
In cases like this, protected health information is mostly backed up on to a separate server or printed out in paper copies, so people can access it.
[14] Physical safeguards include lock and key, card swipe, positioning of screens, confidential envelopes, and shredding of paper copies.
Authentication is the proof of identity that handles confidential information like username and password, while authorization is the act of determining whether a particular user is allowed to access certain data and perform activities in a system like add and delete.
HTA is defined as a comprehensive form of policy research that examines short- and long-term consequences of the application of technology, including benefits, costs, and risks.
[16] Due to the broad scope of technology assessment, it requires the participation of individuals besides scientists and health care practitioners such as managers and even the consumers.
These, some argue, need to be included in the assessment since health technology is never purely a matter of science but also of beliefs, values, and ideologies.
In his book The Digital Doctor: Hope, Hype, and Harm at the Dawn of Medicine's Computer Age, Robert Wachter aims to inform readers about this transition.
Such technologies are intended to improve the quality of healthcare delivered through earlier diagnosis, less invasive treatment options and reduction in hospital stays and rehabilitation times.
Supported by the widespread availability of smartphones and tablets, providers can reach a large audience at low cost, a trend that stands to be consolidated as wearable technologies spread throughout the market.
[24] In the years 2010–2015, venture funding has grown 200%, allowing US$11.7 billion to flow into health tech businesses from over 30,000 investors in the space.
[25] Medical technology has evolved into smaller portable devices, for instance, smartphones, touchscreens, tablets, laptops, digital ink, voice and face recognition and more.
[27] As the imaging hardware and software evolve this means that patients will need to use less contrasting agents, and also spend less time and money.
For example, a neuro-navigated catheter is inserted into the brain, or a feeding tube placement in the stomach or small intestine, as demonstrated by the ENvue System.
[30] Companies such as Surgical Theater provide new technology that is capable of capturing 3D virtual images of patients' brains to use as practice for operations.
An example includes a surgical team that has designed a tracheal splint made by 3D printing to improve the respiration of a patient.
[30] Overall, in the future of medicine, 3D printing will be crucial as it can be used in surgical planning, artificial and prosthetic devices, drugs, and medical implants.
The scale and capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI) systems are growing rapidly, notably due to advances in big data.
AI helps to detect diseases, administer chronic conditions, deliver health services, and discover the drug.
[38] Medical virtual reality provides doctors multiple surgical scenarios that could happen and allows them to practice and prepare themselves for these situations.
Many scientists began working on creating a next-generation robot system to assist the surgeon in performing knee and other bone replacement surgeries.
They can help nurses with simple and time-consuming tasks like carrying multiple racks of medicines, lab specimen or other sensitive materials.
They enable individuals to care for themselves, work, study, access information easily, improve independence and communication, and lastly participate fully in community life.
[46] Patient safety organizations and government programs which have historically assessed quality have made their data more accessible over the internet; notable examples include the HospitalCompare by CMS[47] and the LeapFrog Group's hospitalsafetygrade.org.
[52] The trend to disclosure is controversial and generate significant public debate,[53] particularly about opening up the National Practitioner Data Bank.
This wearable technology allows people to track their steps, heart rate, floors climbed, miles walked, active minutes, and even sleep patterns.
These advances may eventually have some effect on doctor visits from patients[56] and change the role of the health professionals from "gatekeeper to secondary care to facilitator of information interpretation and decision-making.
The work of these professionals encompasses clinical applications of chemistry, genetics, hematology, immunohematology (blood banking), immunology, microbiology, serology, urinalysis, and miscellaneous body fluid analysis.
