What Exactly Is a Digital Health Application?
Digital health involves the integration of information technology into healthcare. This includes the use of gadgets such as phones and computers among other devices to provide healthcare services. Digital health services entail a wide variety of services such as booking appointments online, patient portal dashboard, analysis of the patients’ records, and administration of medication.
Digital healthcare has a lot of advantages such as:
- Improved access to healthcare services. For example, patients can buy devices such as a digital watch that can measure the blood pressure and heart rate of the owner.
- Easy to do follow-ups where the doctor can just make a call to see how you are progressing. This applies to cases that do not apply physical contact eg monitoring a surgical wound.
- It is cost-effective to use digital apps to monitor your health. The cost of transportation to go see a doctor is saved.
- More effective when it comes to diagnosis in a patient. For example a computerized tomography (CT) scan.
- Can be used to monitor new disease characters where it becomes stronger or weaker and used to develop vaccines.
- Digital health gives personalized care where the doctor can monitor the progress of a patient with ease.
Areas where digital health is applicable
- Virtual reality
Used to create real-life images in a 3D form that can be used in medical concerts to bring the image of a real body. Are also used to assist patients with mobile difficulties and create a way of improving body movement.
- Telemedicine
Entails keeping the patient’s medical records on a patient portal dashboard. This covers the appointments made, the medication administered, and the recovery progress of the patient.
- Wearable technology
You have probably noticed people wearing digital watches when doing workouts. The device function by calculating the heart rate through contact with the skin. Some devices are used to monitor blood pressure and the functioning of internal organs such as the kidneys.
- Study of disease
When an infection is being analyzed, the data is collected and the analysis data used to predict its future traits. This helps when coming up with medication and restraining the infection.
- Imaging
Doctors at times need to diagnose a patient’s inner structures and this is achievable through imaging devices such as MRI.
Frequently asked questions on digital health
What is the difference between telehealth and digital health?
Telehealth involves monitoring a patient visually through the internet while digital health entails all the gadgets used in the hospital.
How secure is my health information online?
All personal applications can be encrypted with a password. If you do not feel secure with your information, consider using strong passwords.
Should I trust google doctor?
Self-diagnosis is not wrong because it could mean you need medical attention. However, self-treatment is much adverse and can have negative effects on your health. If symptoms persist, seek a real doctor.
In conclusion, digital healthcare should be embraced as it provides better healthcare services. Doctors gain much confidence with digital equipment hence provide efficient services.