Latest Technological Advancements in Medicine and Healthcare

Updated on January 14, 2021

The twenty-first century has gifted us with a lot of new technology involving medicinal care. It is no secret that until the industrial revolution, most doctors practiced a mix of ancient and traditional medicine to treat their ailing patients. Without the industrial revolution, modern medicine would not be available. Sicknesses such as smallpox would continue to eradicate a percentage of the population every year. People will still try to have as many children as possible because of the high mortality rate of infants.

The new age has truly come upon us. People can now sleep in peace without fearing diseases such as rabies, smallpox, or even typhoid. Hospitals and specialist doctors now have potent ways to remove tumors and cancers in ways that could not be imagined before. Advancements have become so effective and efficient that the next big issue that our world faces today is overpopulation (and that too many people are consuming every available resource on the planet). What are the advancements made available to us by modern science?

Telemedicine

Telemedicine is highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Telemedicine or tele-consultancy is one of the most important advancements achieved over the past few decades. If the doctor or other medical workers have a hard time reaching or accommodating the patient, they have introduced and integrated video calls and telephone consultancies in their daily work. A patient can access medical care without going to a hospital in another location. It is one of the greatest inventions to be made to get over geographical boundaries.

Self Monitoring Tools

Self-monitoring tools such as personal blood pressure monitors, smartwatches with sleep monitors, and smartwatches with step counters are a few of the greatest medical advancements introduced in the 21st century. These monitoring tools collect and display data to help you keep track of all aspects of your body. Some of these devices even monitor your calorie consumption and burn to monitor your weight gains and losses.

The emergence of smart mobile phones helped most of these devices be more accessible. Most of these technologies are wearable and fashionable, so most do not have a problem accessorizing around them. Sudden changes and spikes in your health monitors will also warn the user against an incoming medical problem. Your entire health information is readily available with just a press of a button.

Non-Invasive Treatment

Non-invasive or non-surgical treatments are a few of the advancements that integrated traditional medicine with modern ones. Non-invasive treatments are procedures that do not involve surgery or wounding the body. While treatments like body casts and splints have been there for ages, treatments like chemotherapy and radiation have effectively cured many cancers.

Before, cancers can only be treated through the physical removal of the tumor. Now, however, most malignant and deadly abnormalities can be shrunk down via radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Scoliosis, a known condition that affects the spine, can only be treated through surgery before. Now, however, non-invasive scoliosis correction is made available to long time sufferers of the disorder. This treatment will save patients a lifetime of back pains and medical bills.

Nanorobotics

Nanorobotics is the next big technological advancement that everyone is waiting for. Nanobots, much like those featured in different movies, are mini robots that carry out specific instructions. Medical nanobots, in theory, will deliver the treatment the patients need. Based on the latest news regarding nanobots, these mini-machines are projected to be as little as 50 nanometers wide. Patent applications right now only include drug delivery to a specific body part. However, as technology advances and processing units get even smaller, nanobots are projected to be used against tumors and other terminal diseases. In a few years, we can be seeing the product of decades’ worth of research and development of nanorobotics.

Remote Surgery

Online (distant) remote surgery or telesurgery is a medical advancement recently celebrated in the medical world. Only recently, with the help of fiber technology and robotics, a grape was operated on with such precision by a surgical doctor who is thousands of kilometers away. In Canada, a surgeon controlled a robot equipped with tools 400 kilometers away. He operated on more than 20 patients this way. This advancement is expected to have some real-world applications in the next few decades. Because of connectivity and varying medical expertise, a lot more people would be willing to undergo such procedures.

Technological advancements in medicine are the fortunate byproducts of the capitalist society. For the betterment of humanity, these advancements should continue for modern science.

The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.