U3: Technology in healthcare L1: The role of technology in healthcare

Medical technology

Developments/
When to use medical Latest advances in
Aims improvements in
technology? medical technology
healthcare

*Increase care for patients

-Artificial intelligence -Patients are diagnosed quicker
*Increase productivity of staff Medical technology is used
from the moment you enter -Augmented reality and virtual reality -Patients have quicker recovery times
*Reduce the chance of mistakes -3-D printing
a healthcare facility until -People are living longer
*Reduce the overall cost of when you leave. -5G network
providing healthcare -Better healthcare facilities
-Robotic surgery
-Modernised hospitals and equipment
-Artificial organs
-Medical wearables
-Prevent illnesses from happening
-Telemedicine services
-Diagnose illnesses before symptoms
show
-Produce medicine and vaccines
-Treat and help with patient recovery

Health-care stages:

29
U3: Technology in healthcare Latest advanced technology in healthcare

Smart medical Augmented reality

Mobile applications Artificial
devices & (AR) & virtual Telemedicine
& e-services intelligence (AI)
wearables reality (VR)

E-services (portals/
Fitness trackers & Healing from a
Apps websites/ Medical training Keeping well
smart watches distance
platforms)

Alhosn Robotic surgery Early detection of

Smart hearing aids
Shefaa using vr technology disease
DHA
MoHAP e-services
COVID-19 UAE

Wearable ECG
Physiotherapy Decision making
monitors

Wearable Mental health

Treatment
biosensors treatment

Emergency
Sleep monitors End of life care
treatment

Personalized
Medical training
treatment
30
U3: Technology in healthcare L2: Smart medical devices and wearables
Features include:
• Tracking workouts
• Stress monitoring
Fitness trackers • Mental health tracking
and smart • Movement reminders
watches • Sleep tracking
(wristbands that • Measuring step-count
have sensors and • Measuring heart rate
can sync to mobile • Measuring blood oxygen level
applications )
• Come in the form of a soft headband • Taking ECG
• Help people learn their sleep needs and can provide
clinical solutions (e.g., playing music)
Filter out background
Smart hearing noise such as wind
Sleep monitors
aids and focus on specific
Smart medical sound sources such as
devices and
speech.
wearables
(electronic devices
that people can wear)
Can measure the following:
• Heart rate
• Respiratory rate
• Skin temperature
• Body temperature
• Posture • Electrocardiograms track
• Falls Wearable Wearable ECG heart rhythm and rate
• Step count biosensors monitors
• Can detect and alert the
user when their heartrate
is abnormal
• Portable sensors that come in the form of patches and bandages.
• Create a two-way communication between the user and their
doctor

31
U3: Technology in healthcare L3: Mobile applications and e-services
Mobile applications and e-services

Mobile applications E-services

(mobile apps that can be downloaded) (electronic services that are provided using the internet)

DHA MoHAP e-services

Sefaa
Alhosn (Dubai Health COVID-19 UAE (Ministry of Health And
(smart portal) Prevention website)
Authority)

Created by MoHAP to manage Available services:

The UAE’s most popular health- Provides all DHA services in one COVID-19
related app of 2021 Available services: #Acessess copies of birth
application.
#Access to medical records certificate
Features include:
Created by the Ministry of Health #Patients can request screening
DHA’s Smart Services such as: #Daily COVID-19 cases in the UAE #Questionnaires for certain types of cancers
and Prevention, Dubai Health
Authority and the Department of #Book appointments #Self-assessment survey #Opinion polls #Residents can request
Health Abu Dhabi #Digital channels for mental vaccinations for travel
#Access Lab results #E-payment options
health support
#Medical fitness applications #Nurses can register to practice
Features: Official app for COVID- #Live video calls with health #Home-based healthcare their profession
19 testing results, vaccine #Register & volunteer for blood professionals
certification and contact tracing donation services #Hotlines & locations of MoHAP’s
#Lab results and reports #Doctors can obtain their
testing centre license to practice

Contact tracing: The process of

identifying people who have been in The benefits of health-related apps & e-services:
contact with an infected person  Available to use 24/7
using GPS & Bluetooth.  Users do not have to plan a trip to a healthcare facility in order to receive test results
 Access services from anywhere in the country or world
 Can carry out functions like contact tracing to help lower the spread of infectious diseases
32
33
U3: Technology in healthcare L4: Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR)
AR = Surroundings “reality” + computer program Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR)
VR = 100% computer program = digital environment

AR: ‫الواقع المعزز‬ VR: ‫الواقع االفتراضي‬

Changing the real world by adding A simulated reality created by computer
additional data (such as videos & technology when a person completely
graphics) over reality enters a digital environment and cannot
‫ فلتر السناب (يدمج محيط الشخص ببرامج‬:‫مثال‬ see the real environment around them
)‫الكمبيوتر‬ )‫ األلعاب (يفصل الشخص عن محيطه‬:‫مثال‬

34
 Medical training:
Medical students, doctors or surgeons can learn how to treat patients better or perform complex operations without the
risk of making real-life surgery mistakes

Robotic surgery:
When robotic devices perform high-precision operations they are usually controlled by a human surgeon using VR
technology

Physiotherapy:
VR helps patients to overcome high levels of pain and have faster recovery through active therapy
How are they used in
healthcare?
Mental health treatment:
Anxiety, stress, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be treated using AR and VR by placing the patient
in a safe and calm environment where they can carry out meditations and other relaxation activities

Emergency treatment:
AR can be used on maps to help people to find healthcare facilities or medical equipment

AR & VR

Personalized treatment:
VR and AR can help doctors to explain medical treatments to their colleagues and patients in a clear and visual way.

@It makes patients more aware of what exactly is happening to their bodies before, during and after treatment
@Doctors can show patients what their surgery will look like and what the results should look like
How are they improving the @Self-guided treatments such as mediation and physiotherapy can make the recovery process more enjoyable for patients
patient experience? when received in the form of an AR or VR game
@VR can be used as a distraction tool for patients who are in pain
@Some women use VR while in labour to help distract them from any pain and discomfort
35
U3: Technology in healthcare L5: Artificial intelligence (AI)
 AI allows those in training to experience realistic  AI is used to develop apps that encourage healthy

simulations in a way that simple computers cannot behaviours and help people to manage a healthy lifestyle

 An AI computer can instantly provide learners with a  AI allows healthcare professionals to understand the day-

scenario from a large database

Keeping to-day patterns of the people they care for
well
 Robots can use natural speech to explain their
problems as if they are a human. The learner’s  AI can detect diseases, such as cancer, more accurately
Early
responses and decisions can be challenged by the robot Medical and in the early stages.
detection
training  AI is used to review and read mammograms 30 times
of disease
faster than humans, with 99% accuracy

 Robots can help people to be independent for Uses of AI  The rise of medical wearables and other devices can be

longer, reducing the need for hospitalisation. in used to detect heart disease in the early stages

 Robots can have conversations and carry out other

healthcare
social interactions with people to keep aging minds
sharp and reduce loneliness End of life Decision
care making
 AI can recognise patterns which are consistent among
patients with a certain disease
 AI helps doctors to manage patients with chronic diseases based on their
Treatment
 AI can make predictions based on certain factors
individual needs, as compared to all patients with the same disease and
AI can help to create individual care plans
 AI robots have been used for more than 30 years in healthcare – robots
AI ‫الذكاء االصطناعي‬: A computer’s ability to
can complete operations alone or help a human surgeon
36 think, behave and learn like a human
37
U3: Technology in healthcare L6: Telemedicine

Telemedicine
‫العالج عن بعد‬

Conditions that can be Reasons why Benefits/ advantages of

What is telemedicine? Forms
treated via telemedicine telemedicine is used telemedicine

Convenience – less time and

*Useful for conditions that do money spent going to hospital
Defined by the WHO as, Uses technology such as: not require laboratory tests or and waiting to see a doctor.
‘healing from a distance’ non-emergency cases such as:
a physical exam
*Computers *Coughs and colds *Increased risk of spreading or
*Video calls *Mild allergies contracting an infectious Better access to care – people
disease who cannot access a doctor
*Phone calls *Headache and fever alone can receive care from
*Muscle pain, joint and back *A patient lives far away from home.
*Messaging a medical facility, such as a
pain
hospital
*Skin problems Reduced chance of spreading
*A patient cannot get
*Obesity transport to a medical facility infections – going to hospital
*Mental illness means being around people
who are sick.

38