Healthcare in a digital world…
Over the past few decades we have seen a breakthrough in the use of technology in nearly every aspect of our lives. Take a moment to count how many screens there are around you… have you included the one you’re using to read this?
Technology has impacted our lives to such an extent that it would be difficult to imagine life without it. Literally. The use of technology for the healthcare system has played a major role in improving our health and the quality of our lives.
The rapid development of technologies in the past two decades has led to the average lifespan increasing to 81, compared to 50 in the 1900s, and scientists believe that an advancement in medical technology is a significant reason for this increase. However, usually whenever technology is associated with health, the harmful effects come to mind first, but has the progression of technology over the past few years not brought about any advantages?
Can technology benefit our health?
Technology is found everywhere in the healthcare system, including:
- x-ray and MRI scanners
- medical research equipment
- healthcare apps
and the impact it has created means our health could suffer greatly without it.
Technology has improved communication:
Through the internet there are now many websites available that give health advice such as the NHS which is monitored by doctors, and it also allows you to check your symptoms. This is beneficial as it prevents worry and anxiety in patients that do not need immediate attention and also advises those patients that do need to be seen by a doctor.
However, there is also a risk in using these websites because many websites exist that don’t provide the correct medical information, often making an issue be more serious than it actually is. Even if we do stick to a reliable source such as the NHS, we are still not qualified enough to diagnose ourselves, yet 1 in 4 people rely on the internet instead of going to the doctor, and they do this because as Jacob Nelson mentioned in 2017, the unprecedented convenience created by the internet allows us to access whatever information we want.
This can also lead to our mental health being affected as it can cause the development of health anxiety. Therefore, do we really want to live in a digital world where we become our own doctors, and instead of communicating our symptoms with professionals, we communicate them through unreliable faceless sources on the internet?
Advancement in medical research and treatments:
Technology has revolutionised medical research, and with its help we are able to prevent diseases through early diagnosis such as the use of x-rays and MRI scanners, and also help cure problems such as poor vision through the use of laser eye surgery. The use of health apps has also encouraged people to be more productive and keep a track of daily fitness targets. The benefits of these technologies mean that not only are we able to prolong our lifespan, but we are also able to lead a better quality of life.
However, evidence has shown that these apps are only beneficial if there is a sustained use, but how many people actually use these apps on a regular basis, or enough to make a positive impact on their health? And… what about the cost? As new technology for healthcare are being introduced the cost for treatments also increase as it provides solutions that were not previously available, therefore, not everyone may be able to afford the treatments and benefit from them.
So is technology harmful for our health?
It has been found that UK adults spend an average of eight hours and 41 minutes a day on media devices, which is more than the recommended 8 hours of sleep!
Technology has made us lazy
We spend so much time relying on technology for everything, from work to entertainment, that we don’t spend time doing enough physical activity. Studies have shown that an overuse of digital devices have led to a major decrease in fitness levels. However, this may not apply to everyone as there are many apps and games such as wii-fit that allow us to indulge in physical exercise, and social media has also allowed for the advertisement of different fitness classes so individuals can easily access information to improve their physical activity.
Therefore, it all comes down to how technology is being used by the individual, as technology may be a cause of reduced fitness, but it can also be an advantage for increased activity for those who want it to be.
The risks of storing patient data:
Technology has allowed a patients whole medical history to be stored, which is beneficial in the case of an emergency where doctors can access important information they may need to give the suitable treatment. However, there are ethical concerns surrounded by the use of electronic records, as there is not only a risk of patient data being hacked, but many clinicians argue that patient data belongs to them and not the patient as it is stored on their system. Although this makes sense as it protects patient data, some people may find this unfair as it reduces an individuals right to access their own health information.
A simple solution for these problems is to reduce the use of technology, but is this really possible today when our whole life revolves around using digital devices? And we also cannot ignore the benefits that using technology has brought to our healthcare. So can we find a way to make the positives outweigh the negatives by using technology more efficiently to improve our health?
Next steps for health and technology:
New technologies will continue to develop, but to maximise our benefits from these technologies, it is necessary to educate people how to effectively use technology for healthcare. As Kamil McCabe mentioned in 2017, we live in a world where our lives revolve around social media, therefore medical professionals can use this to their advantage and reach out to millions of people to educate them about:
- using reliable sources to check symptoms
- ways to tackle digital addiction
- encourage more physical activity
Although technology is seen as the cause for many of our health problems, it CAN also be used as the solution, however it is upto the individual to use it in the right way.
Reflection:
As a Biochemistry student, choosing the digital society unit was very different to my usual units, but I was looking forward to stepping out of my comfort zone and broadening my understanding of the digital world. Before I started the course, my expectations of the word ‘digital society’ were limited to social media platforms and how we can remain connected through the internet.
However, I was surprised when I found myself being challenged every session, and realised how little I actually knew about living in a digital world. Throughout the course, not only have I developed an appreciation of the technological advancements that have occurred over the past few decades, I have also developed my communication skills in front of an audience, through the Pecha Kucha presentation, and behind the screen, through my medium posts!
Some of the struggles I faced during the course included being more critical with my opinions, and I believe this was partly due to my biased view towards technology before I started the course that it only brings us benefits!
However, the three assessments and discussions during the sessions helped me to develop and understand the importance of critically analysing not only other peoples opinions but also mine. The detailed insight this unit has taught me about the digital world has also made me more aware of the dangers that technological advancements can bring, and something that particularly stood out to me was learning how our online browsing data is used by marketing companies to target us in different ways. This made me realise how easily accessible our data actually is on the internet and made me more cautious when it comes to giving out my personal details.
The most enjoyable part of this unit for me was definitely the Pecha Kucha presentations.
Before digital society I had never heard of the word Pecha Kucha and was worried about what exactly this assessment would require me to do. However, once I finally understood what it was I realised how much I enjoyed preparing for it, and the best part was surprisingly, presenting it in front of my peers and sharing my passion for education through my presentation! Although it was a challenge ensuring each slide was exactly 20 seconds, in the end I was pleased with the final outcome and I knew I had gained a new skill for life.
Overall, digital society has given me new experiences and skills that I am sure will be useful in my remaining years of study and in my future career as a teacher.
Looking back if I was to change anything it would be to come in to the sessions with an open mind, ready to consider both negatives and positive outcomes of each of the themes we discussed. Each assignment and discussion has pushed me to gain an appreciation of how important technology is for us, and because of digital society, I now feel more connected with the digital world than ever before.
