In medical consultations it is increasingly rare, or almost impossible, to see the doctor writing a prescription by hand. Now doctors use the computer and, in most cases, we don’t even need them to print the prescription.
Thanks to technology, the information goes directly to the health card that we present at the pharmacy to receive the prescribed medicine. This is just one example of how technology has modernized the healthcare sector in recent decades, which means greater efficiency in this service but also implies a greater need for electrical safety.
Society evolves at the rate of technological development. And hospitals, of course, too. We see it, for example, in the use of online medical records instead of on paper. Or in the habitual use of computers and all kinds of technological machinery in the hospital. In this context, hospital modernization in recent decades not only aims to adapt to the new technological reality, but also serves, as reflected in this study, to:
- Improve the effectiveness and efficiency in the use of health sector resources.
- Increase coverage of basic health care.
- Improve the quality of life of the population.
Technology in hospitals
The implementation of new technologies is evident in all sectors and departments of a hospital: from the clinical, surgical or diagnostic areas to the administrative part.
In all these areas of hospitals, everything from the most basic information technologies to resources closer to artificial intelligence or machine learning is applied, although the latter two are not yet present in all hospitals.
This 2020, with the coronavirus, has shown that although hospitals are becoming more technological, there is still a long way to go to continue modernizing the health system and undertake a true renewal and technological transformation that converts health centers and hospitals . In this way, they will be able to offer better medical care and, in addition, do it much more efficiently.
Examples of modernization of hospitals
Previous appointment online
It is one of the most evident good practices on the use of technology in hospitals and health centers. Years ago, the only way to make an appointment with our GP was by phone or from the reception of the health center. At present, although these systems to make an appointment are still in force, more and more people do it electronically. With just a few clicks it is possible to arrange a medical visit on the day and time that best suits our routine.
Telemedicine applications and kits
Using artificial intelligence tools, doctors can make a diagnosis or medical examination of the patient remotely, without the need for them to be in the office. This type of technology is often used, for example, in nursing homes and schools or colleges.
Hybrid operating rooms
Thanks to this technology, surgeons and imaging specialists can work simultaneously, more safely and more easily. The Toledo University Hospital already has the two hybrid operating rooms that they announced two years ago.
Digital healthcare
In addition to telephone inquiries, there are hospitals such as Quirónsalud that is committed to web dialogue with a platform to answer urgent questions electronically. Thus, this hospital has a website so that parents can answer pediatric questions without having to go to the emergency room. In this way, care is much faster and the usual collapse of the ER is avoided.
The healthcare of the future: trends and future
Although in recent years we have seen a constant evolution of health systems, the reality is that the pandemic caused by COVID-19 has marked a before and after in the health of the future.
The coronavirus crisis has forced the health sector to accelerate its innovation and modernization to make it, even more if possible, accessible, digital, safe, efficient … In a context of confinement and social distance, telemedicine is presented as a fundamental pillar in the Systems of health. Thus, apps, smartphones and all kinds of devices provide us with connected health and greater control and monitoring of patients without having to go to the consultation, for example.
On the other hand, hospital management is also increasingly interactive. In fact, 6 out of 10 users believe that they can get a doctor’s appointment faster if they use telematic appointment services. And 44% choose this solution to request a medical visit.
The use of technology is not limited to hospital management and healthcare, but also to process the data and clinical information of each patient after a visit or operation, for example. In this sense, Big Data facilitates the treatment, storage and management of data related to the health of citizens.
Although big data is already applied in health systems today, this technology still has a long way to go. And we are facing a tool that allows hospitals and health centers to be more efficient, save costs and offer better patient care. In fact, according to 2011 data from the McKinsey Global Institute, if the European public sector were to use Big Data effectively, it could save around € 250 billion.
Electrical safety to guarantee hospital management and care
Technological innovation in the healthcare industry is accompanied by improvements in the effectiveness and efficiency of hospitals, but it also implies having guarantees of electrical safety. In other words, the health center needs to have access to electrical energy under any type of circumstance, even in adverse situations.
In this context, from ETKHO we value the use of hospital engineering machinery that is prepared for possible power outages. For this, there are equipment such as IT power supply systems, uninterruptible power supplies or batteries and transformers for medical use. In this sense, the best thing to do when incorporating electrical safety systems is to have a team of consultants in hospital engineering who know the sector and its needs.
