Question

How does technology impact public health practices?

What are the different ways that technology has improved public health?

List and discuss 3 ways.

Answer 1

Impact of technology on public health practice.

Digital technology affords tremendous opportunities to develop precision public health interventions which deliver the right intervention, at the right time, for the right person.

Before digital technology was ubiquitous, public health interventions had to reach large numbers of people, and to do so they needed to be universal and less customized. Digital technology has changed that. We develop computer algorithms to deliver highly prescriptive, personalized interventions – ones that people can access on their smartphones – and we can change the recommendations and messages instantaneously to adapt to the user’s progress.

We know that not everyone responds to an intervention the same way, much the same as one blood-pressure medicine, or one dosage level, is not right for everyone. It has been hard to make public health interventions highly customized and yet still able to reach large populations. Wearable technology and smartphones with GPS now make it possible to develop algorithms that predict behavior better – and collect more data with less burden on the user.

It helps in many ways to improve public health practice:

* Easily accessible medical information.

* A larger presence on social media.

*Better treatment, equipment and medicine.

* Faster results.

* Improved relationship with patients.

* Helps to predict outbreak.

1.Easily Accessible Medical Information.

Technology transferred patient's information into electronic health record(EHR). Electronic medical records allow all patient histories, test results, diagnoses and relevant information to be stored centrally in an online location. The data allows for more focused and accurate care as well as the ability to see health trends for each individual. Medical billing systems allow hospitals, clinics and medical practices to run much more smoothly. It has become increasingly common for people suffering from questionable symptoms to immediately consult the internet for an answer to their ailments. This is great for easing worries or providing answers when your medical provider may not be readily available. It can also save you money by avoiding unnecessary doctor visits. However, looking up your symptoms online can lead to anxiety and panic over a simple illness, as your symptoms may be present for a number of different sicknesses. In these instances, it is important to consult your doctor for a professional diagnosis.

2.Better treatments, equipment, and medicine

It is no secret that as we move further into the age of technology, a number of benefits emerging. Many would consider that improved healthcare is the greatest result to come from technology. Better equipment has allowed doctors to provide more comprehensive care. Better treatments have increased the quality of life of a number of different people suffering from long-term illnesses. And better medicine has completely wiped out the fear of some life-threatening illnesses of the past. It has also helped speed up research, as well as connect medical researchers from around the world. This has allowed the focus to be narrowed and the manpower to multiplied in finding answers to certain medical mysteries. Procedures have been improved as well. Telemedicine/Telehealth services such as video-conferencing are becoming cost effective ways to complement local health services. It is particularly beneficial to those living in rural, regional and remote communities and requiring regular access to medical specialists who live several kms away. Generally you have a GP, other medical practitioners, nurse practitioners, midwives, health workers and practice nurses providing face-to-face clinical services to the patient during the teleconsultation with the specialist to ensure the correct procedures are carried out. Teleconsultation is also beneficial to health care workers on location, as specialist can provide education and training virtually.

3. Predicting outbreaks.

Surveillance of emerging infectious diseases is vital for the early identification of public health threats. Emergence of novel infections is linked to human factors such as population density, travel and trade and ecological factors like climate change and agricultural practices. A wealth of new technologies is becoming increasingly available for the rapid molecular identification of pathogens but also for the more accurate monitoring of infectious disease activity. Web-based surveillance tools and epidemic intelligence methods, used by all major public health institutions, are intended to facilitate risk assessment and timely outbreak detection. Technological progress has facilitated efforts of disease monitoring and it has made possible to construct mathematical models for the study of disease dynamics and epidemic prediction.