Medical Devices Changing Patient/Doctor Communication

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Mobile technology is part of our day-to-day lives now; it’s no longer an alien concept but rather integral to our business and social communications. Medical technology and development (mHealth) is taking off at record speeds, with many believing that it will completely revolutionize the healthcare industry by changing the way patients and doctors, and medical professionals communicate.

Healthcare professionals are already utilising technology to communicate with one another via social media channels, Electronic Health Records (EHR) and tailored applications, however digital communication between patients and doctors is just beginning to take hold.

At Healthcare Global we have been taking a look at some of the most innovative tech solutions in the pipeline, which could be changing the face of patient/doctor communication for good.

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Healthspot Station

Healthspot Station is probably best described as a ‘medical pod’ where patients can conveniently go to get a virtual appointment with a physician. The station would be placed in locations such as pharmacies, supermarkets and shopping malls and will be constantly monitored by a member of staff.

The station offers patients a private, secure and spacious experience, where they can interact via video with a qualified physician. They can discuss symptoms, input data through specially designed apps and even measure their own heart rate and blood pressure. Patients can also schedule follow up appointments from the pod at a time that is convenient for them. The pod also has built in software which allows doctors and patients to seamlessly share medical reports, so patients can see any doctor, at any location, at any time.

iRobot

iRobot has just received FDA clearance to operate in hospitals. In a nutshell, the iRobot will allow doctors to visit hospital patients remotely and communicate with them via a high-tech iPad application. The robot, which can move independently, will be accompanied by a staff nurse, who will be able to follow instructions from the doctor, for example, take blood pressure, monitor heart rate and take temperature. All the data collected is fed back to the doctor immediately, who can analyse and diagnose from afar. This technology will allow doctors to visit a far greater number of patients per day. It also means that electronic data for each patient is collected and stored immediately reducing room for human error.