The future of medical care has already arrived. Today, a combination of Millennials and technology are changing the landscape of medical care from both the perspectives of patients and their doctors. Medical care is becoming better, more accessible and more efficient. These improvements are changing outcomes, saving money and serving as catalysts for even more transformative changes to come in the distant future.
How Microelectronics Have Improved Medical Care
Since the early part of the 1990s, microelectronics have been in development with an eye toward advancing the electronics industry. Microelectronics technology has since been recognized as a viable way to improve connectivity between implants in patients and physicians. These tiny sensors are now included in the mechanisms for artificial limbs, knee joints, hips and pacemakers. Wearers of these implants can connect their devices to the implant and send data directly to their medical care providers as needed.
Artificial Intelligence That Serves Humanity
One of the biggest challenges that patients have always faced is remembering when to take what medications. Making this seemingly small task even more difficult is the fact that many medications — especially those for pain modification — impair memory. There is now at least one practical solution for this; a desktop “robot.” Similar in appearance to the Alexa devices that everyone is now accustomed to, this device verbally reminds patients when it’s time to take their medications, and at the proper time. The device also advises patients on dosages according to their prescription.
The Human Change in Medical Care
Of course, technology isn’t the only thing changing in the future of medical care. Due to advances in medical training practices around the world, the medical care provider community is becoming much more diverse than ever before. It’s now increasingly common to have a physician from far-away places like Ethiopia or Botswana. According to recent surveys, 44% of U.S. medical graduates are non-Caucasian. In addition, the number of female medical providers has consistently increased, and 61% of physicians under the age of 35 are females.
Personal Expectations Have Changed
Today’s patients have also undergone transformation in this new age of medical care. Patients young and old expect that their doctors be receptive to patient input. There’s a new expectation of being allowed into the decision-making process, be it a conversation about medications or a decision about treatment options. Patients are more tech-savvy than ever before, too. They aren’t content with being told what’s on the X-ray. They want to know where it is, what it means and how it got there. Finally, younger patients expect to have access to patient portals, where they can view information about upcoming visits, diagnostic results and even communicate with physician’s assistants about worrisome issues.
Today’s medical care has advanced beyond many dreams, and there are much more advances that will appear on the horizon in the coming years. As Millennial doctors take their place in history as the caregivers of tomorrow, patients will be better off than ever before.
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