Healthcare is both built upon and resistant to change. On the one hand, doctors, nurses, and researchers lean on trusted solutions to old problems. On the other hand, technological innovations are rapidly improving the way that healthcare providers are able to administer care. Very recently news broke about a blood test, that could take the place of colonoscopies. This is just one example of the way that healthcare is constantly evolving.

Another way? Digital technology. Tech professionals play an important role in improving patient outcomes. In this article, we take a look at the various ways that tech professionals are shaping and influencing the healthcare industry.

Cyber Security

Hospitals are targets for cybercriminals. Hackers know that they can sell private health information on the dark web.

Why would someone want to buy your medical history? It’s not necessarily so that they can learn about your body mass index. More likely it’s because health records contain important identifying information that can be used and credit card or even medical fraud.

Historically, records were kept in physical locations, sealed away in file cabinets. This made them difficult to steal. It also made them difficult to use.

Electronic health records changed all of that. Now anyone with a smartphone can pull up their entire medical history within a few minutes.

This is convenient, particularly if you need medical care in a location that otherwise would not have had access to your health history. It’s also a hazard.

Phones and computers make it much easier for bad actors to access private health information.

Cybersecurity professionals, make electronic records, safe and efficient.

How? It’s partially a matter of how the apps are built. Healthcare applications are required to utilize several layers of encryption to protect patient data. They are also built with features that maximize safety.

Unfortunately these are features you probably don’t enjoy. Multifactor identification. Timed logouts. These features can make pulling up test results a real drag. They also keep you safe.

You can thank cyber security specialists for the headache.

Training

Technology is also used in the classroom. Healthcare professionals now have many different ways that they can experience the pressures of hospital life.

Where all experiences once came in the form of clinical rotations, now medical students and future nurses have the option to participate in virtual simulations.

These applications— developed by software engineers— allow medical students to replicate hospital scenarios in the safety of a virtual space.

Naturally, simulations cannot fully replicate the stress of an actual medical emergency. However, they can introduce doctors or nursing students to situations that might not organically occur during the rotations.

And these aren’t the only software programs that are helping future doctors and nurses cope with the responsibilities of their work.

There are also communication applications that make it easier for students to collaborate and share their thoughts and feelings about their classwork. There are reference guides that condense entire medical libraries into phone apps.

There are study guides that allow you to learn in a format that is most comfortable to your learning style.

All of these programs are helping people prepare for the complexities of a medical career. They are also all designed by people in the tech industry.

Data

Data processing modules are making a big splash in the world of healthcare. Hospitals are now able to take an extremely strategic approach, creating bespoke medical solutions for the communities that they are serving.

Complex data algorithms allow healthcare providers to understand the unique risk factors that their patients are exposed to.

This makes it easier for hospitals to optimize towards greater efficiency. In the world of medical shortages, efficiency is particularly important. It helps hospitals staff floors strategically and generally make the most of limited resources.

Data processing software is also being used to create more solutions for individual patients. Not only does this have the potential to speed up the diagnostic process, but it could also potentially produce better solutions that produce favorable patient outcomes.

AI

Artificial intelligence is being used in the diagnostic process. While the extent to which this is the case varies based on the specific area of medicine, radiology has been particularly influenced. Artificial intelligence can process X-rays faster than humans and with almost the same level of accuracy.

Does this mean that the machines will be replacing doctors?

Not quite. There are currently no applications that can replace medical professionals. Currently, these tools simply make it easier for doctors and nurses to do their jobs. Remember that time can save lives in medical scenarios. For many patients, a faster diagnosis can be the difference between life and death.

Internet of Things

Internet of Things devices are physical objects that are in some way attached to the Internet. In the context of healthcare, this often involves wearable patient monitoring devices. Heart monitors. Glucose monitors. Smart hospital beds. Devices that make it much easier for doctors and nurses to keep tabs on their patients.

Naturally, like all of the other technologies described on this list, Internet of Things devices are developed by tech professionals under the supervision of people in the medical industry.

How Do People in the Tech Industry Make These Tools?

It does seem strange, doesn’t it? While the technological influence is obvious. It seems like you would need a medical degree to make software that teaches medical students.

Of course, that’s not exactly the case. Application developers work closely with professionals in the medical industry to develop tools that can aid in instruction and professional applications. Naturally, because healthcare is such a sensitive industry, these tools are also closely regulated.

Any application that will use patient information in any form must pass strict HIPAA guidelines.

These requirements are an important way to make sure that everyone’s information remains safe even in a digital age.

Interested in giving healthcare technology a shot? There are tons of exciting careers that allow you to develop applications and other forms of technology that will play a role in saving people’s lives.

With a Bachelor’s in Health Science along with an MBA, Sarah Daren has a wealth of knowledge within both the health and business sectors. Her expertise in scaling and identifying ways tech can improve the lives of others has led Sarah to be a consultant for a number of startup businesses, most prominently in the wellness industry, wearable technology and health education. She implements her health knowledge into every aspect of her life with a focus on making America a healthier and safer place for future generations to come.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.