Posted: March 12th, 2022

Research on Medical Treatment in a Highly Technological Setting

Research on Medical Treatment in a Highly Technological Setting

Medical treatment is the process of providing care and intervention to patients who suffer from various diseases or conditions. Medical treatment can be delivered in different settings, such as hospitals, clinics, homes, or remote locations. However, in recent years, medical treatment has been increasingly influenced by the development and adoption of advanced technologies that enable new possibilities and challenges for both patients and providers.

In this blog post, we will explore some of the main aspects of medical treatment in a highly technological setting, such as:

– The types and benefits of technology-enabled care (TEC) solutions
– The patient experiences and outcomes with TEC solutions
– The ethical and social implications of TEC solutions
– The future trends and directions of TEC solutions

Technology-Enabled Care Solutions

Technology-enabled care (TEC) is a collective term for telecare, telehealth, telemedicine, mobile (m)-, digital- and electronic (e) health services. TEC solutions use various devices, software, platforms, and networks to deliver health-related services remotely or digitally. TEC solutions can be classified into three main categories:

– Monitoring: These solutions involve collecting and transmitting health data from patients to providers or caregivers, such as vital signs, blood glucose levels, medication adherence, etc. Monitoring solutions can help detect abnormalities, prevent complications, and provide feedback to patients.
– Consultation: These solutions involve providing diagnosis, treatment, or advice to patients via video, audio, or text communication. Consultation solutions can help increase access to care, reduce costs and travel time, and improve patient satisfaction.
– Intervention: These solutions involve delivering therapeutic or preventive interventions to patients via devices or software, such as virtual reality, gaming, wearable sensors, etc. Intervention solutions can help improve patient engagement, motivation, and outcomes.

Benefits of Technology-Enabled Care Solutions

TEC solutions offer several benefits for both patients and providers in terms of quality, efficiency, and convenience of care. Some of the benefits include:

– Improving health outcomes: TEC solutions can help improve health outcomes by enabling early detection and treatment of diseases , enhancing patient self-management and education , and providing personalized and tailored interventions .
– Reducing healthcare costs: TEC solutions can help reduce healthcare costs by decreasing hospital admissions and readmissions , reducing unnecessary tests and procedures , and optimizing resource utilization .
– Increasing patient satisfaction: TEC solutions can help increase patient satisfaction by providing more choice and control over their care , reducing waiting times and travel distances , and improving communication and trust with providers .

Patient Experiences and Outcomes with Technology-Enabled Care Solutions

Patient experiences with TEC solutions are influenced by various factors, such as the technological features, the patient characteristics, the provider-patient relationship, and the organizational context. A systematic review by Leonardsen et al. identified two main themes that emerged from the literature on patient experiences with TEC solutions:

– Technological features: These refer to the functionality and appearance of the TEC solution. Patients reported positive experiences when the solution was easy to use, reliable, accurate, secure, and compatible with their needs and preferences. Patients reported negative experiences when the solution was complex, malfunctioning, inaccurate, insecure, or stigmatizing.
– Evolving independence: These refer to the changes in the patient’s sense of empowerment, autonomy, and security as a result of using the TEC solution. Patients reported positive experiences when they felt more empowered to learn about their condition, more aware of their symptoms and treatment options,
more confident in their self-care abilities,
and more safe in case of emergencies. Patients reported negative experiences when they felt less empowered due to lack of information or feedback,
less autonomous due to dependence on technology or providers,
and less secure due to privacy or safety concerns.

The impact of TEC solutions on patient outcomes is also dependent on multiple factors,
such as the type and quality of the TEC solution,
the patient’s engagement and adherence,
the provider’s support and feedback,
and the integration with other healthcare services.
A meta-analysis by Flodgren et al. found that TEC solutions had a positive effect on mortality,
hospitalization,
quality of life,
and satisfaction outcomes compared to usual care.
However,
the effect sizes were small to moderate,
and varied across different types of TEC solutions,
diseases,
and settings.

Ethical and Social Implications of Technology-Enabled Care Solutions

TEC solutions pose several ethical and social challenges that need to be addressed by policymakers,
providers,
patients,
and society at large.
Some of the challenges include:

– Privacy and confidentiality: TEC solutions involve collecting,
storing,
and sharing sensitive health information that may be vulnerable to unauthorized access,
misuse,
or breach.
Patients and providers need to be informed and consent to the data collection and sharing practices,
and the data need to be protected by appropriate encryption,
authentication,
and authorization mechanisms.
– Equity and access: TEC solutions may create or exacerbate health disparities among different groups of patients,
such as those who have low income,
low literacy,
low digital skills,
or limited access to technology or internet.
Patients and providers need to be aware of and address the potential barriers and facilitators to the adoption and use of TEC solutions,
and the solutions need to be designed and delivered in a way that is accessible,
affordable,
and acceptable for diverse populations.
– Accountability and responsibility: TEC solutions may raise questions about who is accountable and responsible for the quality and safety of the care delivered via technology,
such as the device manufacturers,
the software developers,
the service providers,
or the patients themselves.
Patients and providers need to be clear about their roles and expectations when using TEC solutions,
and the solutions need to be regulated and evaluated by appropriate standards and guidelines.

Future Trends and Directions of Technology-Enabled Care Solutions

TEC solutions are constantly evolving and innovating in response to the changing needs and demands of patients and providers. Some of the future trends and directions of TEC solutions include:

– Artificial intelligence (AI): AI is the ability of machines or software to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as reasoning, learning, decision making, etc. AI can enhance TEC solutions by providing more accurate diagnosis, more effective treatment, more efficient workflow, more personalized feedback, etc. AI can also pose ethical and social risks, such as bias, error, transparency, accountability, etc.
– Gene editing: Gene editing is the ability to alter or modify the DNA of living organisms, such as humans, animals, or plants. Gene editing can enable TEC solutions by providing more precise prevention, more targeted therapy, more customized enhancement, etc. Gene editing can also pose ethical and social risks, such as safety, consent, regulation, equity, etc.
– 3D printing: 3D printing is the ability to create physical objects from digital models by depositing layers of material on top of each other. 3D printing can enable TEC solutions by providing more customized devices, more accessible prosthetics, more innovative implants, etc. 3D printing can also pose ethical and social risks, such as quality, safety, ownership, liability, etc.

Conclusion

Medical treatment in a highly technological setting is a complex and dynamic phenomenon that offers many opportunities and challenges for patients and providers. TEC solutions can improve the quality, efficiency, and convenience of care, but also raise ethical and social issues that need to be addressed. TEC solutions are constantly evolving and innovating in response to the changing needs and demands of patients and providers.

References

: How Advanced Medical Technologies Are Changing The Healthcare Landscape – Forbes https://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2021/07/08/how-advanced-medical-technologies-are-changing-the-healthcare-landscape/
: Patient experiences with technology enabled care across healthcare settings- a systematic review | BMC Health Services Research | Full Text https://bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12913-020-05633-4
: 5 innovations that are revolutionizing global healthcare https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/02/health-future-innovation-technology/
: Technology’s Vital Role in Healthcare and Society | HIMSS https://www.himss.org/resources/technologys-vital-role-healthcare-and-society
: 6 Groundbreaking Medical Device Innovations Impacting Healthcare Today … https://www.ahu.edu/blog/medical-device-innovations
: Flodgren G., Rachas A., Farmer A.J., Inzitari M., Shepperd S. Interactive telemedicine: effects on professional practice and health care outcomes. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015;(9):CD002098.
: Leonardsen A.C., Hardeland C., Helgesen A.K., Grøndahl V.A. Patient experiences with technology enabled care across healthcare settings- a systematic review. BMC Health Serv Res. 2020;20(1):779.
: Flodgren G., Rachas A., Farmer A.J., Inzitari M., Shepperd S. Interactive telemedicine: effects on professional practice and health care outcomes. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015;(9):CD002098.
: Leonardsen A.C., Hardeland C., Helgesen A.K., Grøndahl V.A. Patient experiences with technology enabled care across healthcare settings- a systematic review. BMC Health Serv Res. 2020;

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