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Essay / Innovation in Medicine: Use of Technology in Healthcare
Table of ContentsIntroductionInnovations in HealthcareHealthcare and Information TechnologyMedical TourismIntroduction The world around us is changing at a pace unprecedented in the history of humanity. Thus, applying technology and accelerating innovations to find new solutions to old and emerging challenges is now of utmost importance. Health services include, among others, hospitals, medical devices, telemedicine, medical tourism, health insurance and medical equipment. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The healthcare industry has become one of the largest sectors in India, both in terms of employment and revenue generation. India spends approximately 5% of its GDP on health, yet the current state of the health system faces significant systemic challenges. To overcome some of these problems, strategic planning by government for the provision of health services is urgently needed. Additionally, technological innovations and new ideas can only work if they are designed with a clear understanding of the drawbacks of the current setup. “Old ways won’t open new doors” – a common saying. Innovations in the health sector twentieth century. Initially, the focus was on improving nutritional status. Later, people became aware of the concept of sanitation and hygiene and adopted preventive methods to combat deadly diseases. This was also the time of the development of vaccination and vaccines against diseases like polio etc. It was during this time that people then became aware of the importance of health and hygiene. Furthermore, they were able to understand all the factors that caused the diseases. This was followed by improvements in machines to make it easier for doctors to operate and subsequently led to advancements in surgeries and various surgical procedures. With current innovations in the healthcare sector, quality of life and life expectancy have increased and mortality rates have decreased all over the world. These innovations are numerous and have affected all areas of medicine. In neuroscience, advances in CT and MRI technology have helped to understand the blood supply and function of the brain and now, with other forms of imaging techniques, we can even detect brain cancers at early stages. Recently, a key gene causing microcephaly (a disorder marked by smaller than normal brain size and mental retardation) was detected. Immunotherapy is another treatment modality that can significantly prolong the survival of cancer patients, without any negative side effects or high costs like that of traditional chemotherapy. It helps our immune system fight cancer. Perhaps the greatest contribution of medical innovations is in the field of genetics and research. Gene sequencing is used in molecular biology to study genomes and the proteins they encode. The information obtained through this allows us to identify changes in genes, associations with genetic disorders, identify potential drug targets as well as the population at risk. There are many other such innovations and their contribution to diagnosis and treatment is enormous. Another medical innovation that has recently gained popularity is..