I have always been amazed by how far medical science and technology has advanced in the space of the last decades and wrote
a piece back in August illustrating how far medical technologies have progressed since the turn of the last century. Training for a career serving the healthcare field is really exciting because it is a field that will definitely be home to continuing innovation and technological breakthroughs. Take for instance the latest device dreamed up by the engineers at General Electric.
GE CEO Jeff Immelt unveiled the handheld ultrasound machine recently at the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco. Dubbed the Vscan, Immelt claimed the new device is destined to be the “stethoscope of the 21st century”.
According to one report filed by the Huffington Post,
“The device folds open clamshell-style to reveal a small screen on the top half and a circular button pad on the bottom. A small attached wand can be used to generate a noninvasive scan of a patient’s organs or of a fetus.
The Vscan is aimed in part at primary care doctors, who could use it instead of sending patients to get an ultrasound at a specialist’s office. It could also be used by doctors in remote regions without access to hospital equipment.
Immelt said that the device, which will be available sometime next year, will be “very digitally capable” but that it will not have Wi-Fi access to wirelessly transmit ultrasound images.”
It is absolutely amazing to consider how far medical technologies have come since the turn of the 20th century. One can only marvel at the changes each of you will witness during the span of your careers in the healthcare field. One can only imagine what technologies will be coming to the market by the time you reach retirement age.
Read more at:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/21/vscan-handheld-ultrasound_n_328355.html
Anything technological usually grabs my interest, and this is not exception! How amazing and useful. I would imagine the use of this device in the field where the Doctor has to carry his or her equipment with them will be a valuable diagnostic tool. Organizations such as Doctors without Borders is going to love it. Much of their work is with indigenous populations who have great needs, but little or no technological advances. I was talking with my mother in law just today about how far medicine has come in the last 100 years. While the body is so complex and we are still learning a lot about it, we know so much more than we used to. We were talking about her brother who has type I Diabetes and at age 62 is still alive because of the technological and medicinal advances that have been made. He would not have survived so long with out those things. I am excited to see what is in works as we become more and more knowledgeable about the body and our technology keeps expanding and getting more advanced.
I find medical technology advancements are facinating. It will sure help some with this new ultra sound technology. But it may also make it so that the untrasound technisions may loose there jobs. Electronic handheld note pads have also make it so that Doctor can keep track of their appointments nad make important notes.
Thanks, Tammy Ford
Electronic Medical Technology: I like the way the new electronic technology works in the medical office. It saves time and it seems that you do not have to wait as long for an appointment. What I really like about it is that you don’t have to wait for a written prescription and then take it to the pharmacy to be filled. With the new technology your doctor can write the prescription into the computer and send it electronically to your pharmacy, and when you get to the pharmacy it;s ready for pick up. This make for a much more convenient trip to the doctor.