Four Types of Medical Technology You Should Know About
Suppose you’re considering a career in mechanical technology after qualifying from the top courses for mechanical engineers or another engineering/technical domains. In that case, we’d like to tell you a bit about what medical technology entails. According to the World Health Organisation, health technology can be defined as “the application of science to develop solutions to health problems or issues such as the prevention or delay of onset of diseases or the promotion and monitoring of good health.”
To put it simply, medical technology is where technology and medicine meet to find solutions for human pathologies and increase the overall standard of healthcare people receive throughout the world. We have seen that telecommunications have brought the world much closer, and medical technology intends to put forth technologically forward ideas and mechanisms to bridge the gap between healthcare and people in a similar way.
With a projected growth of 5 per cent for the year 2022, getting a master’s in medical technology to develop your career in this domain is one of the best decisions you could make. Depending on your interests, skills, and specializations, you would be directed towards a specific part of this industry.
Broadly, medical technology can be distinguished into a few types according to its application:
Diagnostic/monitoring tools and techniques – Physicians have been using diagnostic and monitoring tools to detect abnormalities and ailments in their patients for a while now. From the humble stethoscope and thermometer to advanced medical imaging technologies, medical science keeps improving diagnostic tools and providing better results. We are all familiar with EEG, MRI, sonography, and other medical imaging techniques. Sphygmomanometers and glucometers are also used to monitor blood pressure and blood glucose levels periodically.
Health technology for prevention and treatment – There has been a lot of medical research regarding genetic engineering and tissue engineering in the past few years. Scientists have successfully created artificial human tissues, organelles, and human embryos in-vitro. These technologies have made way for more precise drug delivery through mechanobiology and almost eliminated the need for animal testing due to ethical and precision issues. Gene editing technologies like CRISPR have made it possible to edit faulty DNA and prevent its gene expression altogether. Also, stem cell research has made significant strides in preventing and treating life-threatening diseases like cancer.
Assistive Technologies – Therapeutic and assistive technologies like hearing machines and prosthetics have come a long way from simple devices and crutches. The hearing aids keep getting smaller, and cochlear implants can help people with profound hearing loss to listen to the voice of their loved ones. Similarly, prosthetics and orthotics are getting more efficient at emulating the movement of biological limbs and organs. Pacemakers can also increase the life expectancy of heart patients by replacing the conduction mechanism of the heart.
Health Informatics – Physicians and pathologists deal with a humongous amount of patient data daily. Having sophisticated information systems and data analysis systems in place is crucial so that mistakes are not repeated, redundancies are removed, and insights are preserved within large patient data sets. The improvement in predictive analytics and information systems of advanced healthcare technologies makes all the difference.
In conclusion, medical technology is a thriving field, and it will only get better at providing healthcare to the deepest and darkest corners of the world shortly. So, if you want to lend your mind to a career that’s beneficial for both you and the people, your search ends here.
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Four Types of Medical Technology You Should Know About
