Medical Technology - Modern Radiology - Research Paper Example

Medical technology - Modern Radiology Introduction Technology is the common denominator in everything done in the twenty first century. Man has become so reliant on technology that every action performed daily can be mapped as the use of different technologies. Technology has allowed man to perform various duties accurately, in large quantities and reliably. The field of health care is arguably one of the major beneficiaries of technology. The use of technology in the field of medicine has promoted better health. Technology has allowed medical practitioners to diagnose, come up with the right cure for various ailments, and provide vaccination to prevent diseases. The research paper evaluates the history, medical technology with a keen focus on modern radiology. Medical Technology The definition of the term covers the use of any technology in the field of healthcare. The effective use of technology to safely prevent, treat, or control any ailment is the main purpose of medical technologies. Medical technologies are intended to ensure that the quality of health care is improved from the use of conventional evasive treatment to less evasive treatment. The initial cost plus the cost of maintenance of medical technologies contributes greatly to the high cost of health care. Improving health care depends on decreasing the cost of medical technologies, this is what stakeholders are focusing on today. The medical technology products available in the market include health services, devices, information technology and biotechnology (Muller 213). History of medical technology The history of medical technology is very broad, the use of medical technologies dates as far as 950 BC. This dating is based on the discovery of a prosthetic toes. The devices were discovered in Egypt and is believed to be the oldest to be collected. They were made from leather and wood. The early medical technologies were a foundation for some of the sophisticated technologies used in the field of healthcare today. Flash forward to the nineteenth century, the first stethoscope was developed by Rene Laennec. The French doctor developed a device whose improved versions are still being used in the field of medicine today. The X-ray was also an important diagnostic tool discovered in this century. A German physicist discovered the use of the rays from a cathode tube to be used in diagnosis of broken limbs. The X-ray is still an effective medical technology used today due to its low cost. The opening half of the twentieth century resulted in an increase in medical technologies that improved health care. One of the notable inventions is the transistor developed in the 1940’s. The transistor is the basic component of computers developed later (Berkowitz and Chris 122). Medication in technology Technology is used broadly in the health sector. The first use in medication is collection of information. Information is crucial in ensuring quality health care. Collection of patient information enables researchers to develop the best medication to deal with common ailments. Collection of patient information also ensures that the doctors understand the patient’s medical history and prescribe medication that best treats a patient’s ailment. The use of computer software and hardware is used in the collection of information. Medical technologies are widely used in diagnosis of ailments. Their use has allowed medical practitioners to accurately diagnose the ailment affecting a patient. The accurate diagnosis of ailments ensures that the patients enjoy better healthcare at reduced cost. Some of the technologies used include scanners like the MRI scan, The CT scan and the X-ray scan. Analysers ensure that the medical practitioners analyse tissue samples from patients. Hematology systems are some of the common sample Analyzers used to check for abnormalities in the blood tissues. Simple technologies such as thermometers, stethoscopes and blood pressure monitors are some of the popular technologies used globally. The devises help the doctors in the process of diagnosis through abnormalities presented in the results. The digital monitors are available in the market and can be bought for home use. The help in early detection of abnormal symptoms and quick treatment. Technology used in the treatment of ailment takes the largest share in the technology in healthcare. Most of the medication used is manufactured using computerized machines. The machines are computerized to ensure consistency and accuracy of the final product. Therapeutic medication has been on the increase in the twenty first century. Massage equipment and electronic muscle stimulation are some of the machines used in pain management. Heart pacemakers, life support machine and dialysis machines are examples of machines used to sustain life. These machines are designed as temporary solutions to life threatening ailments. This ensures that the patients have some time to spend with family members and if lucky get a donor. Cancer and HIV are some of the diseases that have no cure. The use of medical technologies has given patients of terminal ailments a chance to fight the diseases if they are discovered before they spread. In the hospitals, signs monitors are used to check the patient’s vital signs. This technology is vital to monitor the condition of the patient and ensure that quick response saves patient's life. Modern Radiology Diagnosis of a disease is the first step to finding the right cure or management protocol. Medical technologies can observe the images of some body organs and compare their condition to normal organs. The symptoms plus this comparison will allow the doctors come up with an accurate diagnosis. The branch of medical specialists that deal with imaging is radiology. The earliest form of the Specialty is X-ray, which is in use in nearly all the medical facilities. Exposure to X-rays has negative effects, thus the development of modern radiology (Spekowius and Thomas 132). The ultrasound, Magnetic resonance imaging, CT scan and Mammography are some of the common imaging techniques used. The imaging techniques provide images of the scanned body parts. The method is used to detect abnormalities, allowing doctors to decide the right course of action. Any tumours and broken bones are some of the defects that can be detected through radiology. Modern radiology is expensive compared to the use of X-rays, the risks, however, are lower with modern radiology. The cost of using modern technology will drop with time, allowing patients to access quality health care. Advantages of using technology with medication The use of technology in the healthcare sector will allow the practitioners to keep accurate records. Accurate medical records can be used by the government for national planning. Accurate records ensure that medication errors are avoided. Medical errors may have a fatal outcome for the patient and a legal suit to the medical practitioner. Technology plays a vital role in record keeping of health records (Ciampa and Mark 129). The work of the medical practitioners is to determine the cause of the suffering and prescribe the right medication. Technology in the field of medicine is used to improve the accurateness and speed of diagnosis and treatment. Timely diagnosis and treatment will reduce the time a patient spends suffering. Accurate diagnosis and treatment is also economically beneficial. The money spent on medication from a wrong diagnosis can be used in other expenses. The internet provides a vast database of medical information. Medical practitioners have access to a database that they can use to diagnose ailments. Some doctors have websites where they share information about the changing trends in healthcare. The internet also allows the medical professionals to consult globally. A specialist in the U.S can consult on a case in a developing nation such as Uganda if they both have access to a fast internet connection (Gedeon 69). Technology has been used to control and eradicate some of the diseases that were considered fatal. Genetic modification has allowed researchers to produce some strains of organisms that are less harmful to man and necessary to the environment. Through intensive research, scientists have produced vaccines for ailments such as polio and small pox that were responsible for major casualties in the twentieth century. Statistics for Medical Technologies The number of patients cured by medical technologies may be as big as the global population. This is because the populace in the developing nations has used medical technologies at some point in their lives. In America, Healthcare economists estimate that about 50% of health care spending is attributed to new technologies. The cost of health care increased from 255 billion dollars in 1980 to 1.9 trillion dollars in 2004. In the U.S, the figure of children conceived through artificial reproductive technologies is composed of 1% of the total (CMS). Major Hospitals using technology Johns Hopkins Hospital is one of the main medical institutions in America that specializes in various fields. The hospital uses technology from management to treatment of ailments. University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center specializes in cancer treatment and uses technology to conduct research on new ways to treat cancer. Mayo Clinic is a top gastroenterology and the GI surgery centre. The Institution also specializes in other areas that use technology intensively. Medical records are kept using technology to ensure accuracy, mobility, and safety. The medical practitioners in the institution make a diagnosis by observing the symptoms and using technology to aid in making an accurate diagnosis. Technology is also used in therapy to relieve pain and train the disabled. Works cited Berkowitz, Lyle, and Chris McCarthy. Innovation with Information Technologies in Healthcare. London: Springer, 2013. Internet resource. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Office of the Actuary: Table 1. National Health Expenses Aggregate and Per Capita Amounts, Percent Distribution, and Average Annual Percent Growth, by Source of Funds: Selected Calendar Years 1980-2003. Web site: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/NationalHealthExpendData Ciampa, Mark D, and Mark Revels. Introduction to Healthcare Information Technology. Boston, MA: Course Technology, 2013. Print. Gedeon, Andras. Science and Technology in Medicine: An Illustrated Account Based on Ninety-Nine Landmark Publications from Five Centuries. New York: Springer, 2006. Internet resource. Muller, Scholz W. K. Managing Technology in Healthcare. S.l.: Springer, 2012. Print. Spekowius, Gerhard, and Thomas Wendler. Advances in Healthcare Technology: Shaping the Future of Medical Care. Dordrecht: Springer, 2007. Print. Read More