The internet has changed the face of a great many industries and sectors, some for the better and some would argue that it has changed some for the worse. One area which the internet has without question helped to improve is that of medicine and we have now more tools at our disposal as a result than ever before. I was at a medical conference last week and I had the great privilege to speak to John Kang Liquidmetal supporter and a wonderful surgical oncologist who is known for his professionalism and for his strong code of ethics. During our chat we spoke at length about what the internet can do for us.
Online Information
Under his username John Kang WebMD, Dr Kang regularly contributes to the medical website WebMD which seeks to give patients as much information as possible about a wide range of medical conditions. The information on this website is always given by medical professionals which means that it comes fraught from the horse’s mouth. John Kang MC claims that he believes this is the best way that patients can get information about any diseases or disorders which are affecting them.
Implant Technology
Probably one of the most exciting developments which we will see in the field of medicine is that of implants, placing a tiny chip into the body which will relay back information through the internet, and on to a device such as a tablet. Currently there are some very smart implants that are in production which can help diabetes sufferers for example. The most recent implant which we have seen is given to diabetes sufferers which monitors blood sugar levels and then can administer insulin when necessary. Users can control this implant and the dispensing of insulin straight from their smartphone. This is just the very beginning of what implant technology can give but in the future there is no reason why you can’t monitor almost all of your bodily functions straight from your smartphone, and react when things are not as they should be.
Virtual Doctor
The virtual doctor is another exciting breakthrough for medicine and it could greatly help hospitals to reduce wait times, and help patients to get diagnosed without even leaving their home. Basically what will happen here is that a doctor will be sat in their surgery with a tablet, and they will be able to see their patient with minor problems via video call. The doctor can take a look at the patient and work out whether or not they believe that they should go to the hospital or not. This first port of call will greatly alleviate the pressure on hospitals to meet their targets on waiting time, and patients will wait less time for an appointment too as the doctor will be able to see more people in a shorter space of time.
