Choose Technology Assignment / Health Insurance

Technology and its impact on health care systems: Telemedicine
Name:
Institution:
Course Title:
Instructor:
Date:
Technology and its impact on health care systems: Telemedicine
Introduction
Technology has been conceived as both the ‘boon and bane’ of medicine. Medical technology has on one hand been of significant benefits of contemporary civilization by enabling delicate diagnostic procedures which have minimized medical complications and associated disabilities, while increasing life spans by managing chronic disorders. On the other hand, nonetheless, most novel technology elicits a burden that society must eventually bear. Such burden come in a form of a strenuous amount of costly research associated with contemporary medical revolutions (Shi & Singh, 2012). Upon establishment of such technological innovations, extra costs are even perceived in a form of professional training, the elated need for professional expertise, facility renovations, as well as eventual demand from patients and health providers to utilize the novel innovations. Much debate has been raised as to whether uncontrolled establishment and utilization of novel technology is worth the cost, especially with the continued rise in cumulative health care costs (Shi & Singh, 2012).
Thesis: The advancement of telecommunication technology has led to the emergence of telemedicine as one of the best ways of providing quality care, improving the quality of life, reducing health care costs and increasing access to care across wide geographical areas.
Impact on Quality Care
With the advancement of technology, precise medical diagnoses, quick and complete treatment for diseases and a reduction in risks have been made possible, thus improving the quality of care (Shi & Singh, 2012). Technology offers novel treatment modalities that never existed before in the past and continues to provide less invasive, effective and safer treatment for health conditions. For instance, in the United States, coronary angioplasty is a common treatment for opening up narrowed and blocked arteries. Before the introduction of this procedure, patients were put on morphine and nitroglycerine and recommended long days of bed rest (Shi & Singh, 2012). Total artificial heart (TAH) was also approved by the FDA in 2005 for patients suffering from end-stage heart failure (Shi & Singh, 2012). Today, the device has saved numerous patients awaiting heart transplantation. Surgeries can now be performed with the assistance of robots that have improved both precision and dexterity. Laser technology allows surgery to be conducted with minimal trauma and shortens recovery time following the procedure. According to Shi and Singh (2012), modern imaging techniques such as CT scan and MRI have made it possible to visualize the inner functioning of body organs and significantly minimized invasive methods that were hitherto used. The advancement of cell and molecular biology has also opened new possibilities for gene therapy and the discovery of powerful novel drugs for heart disease and cancer.
Impact on Quality of Life
Scientific developments have seen people leading normal lives that would not be possible without technology. For instance, people suffe...