Chronic diseases are equally expensive and difficult to live with. The seemingly never-ending cycle of appointments and medical bills is enough to make anyone feel hopeless. However, the ever-changing landscape of healthcare technology has made navigating chronic diseases much easier.
Now, many patients can access health information at home that they could previously only get from an appointment. This saves many people time and money, and it also provides peace of mind. However, that doesn’t mean that healthcare technology has reached its peak.
The healthcare industry constantly introduces new technologies that affect people with chronic diseases. Follow along as we explore the profound impact of cost-effective disease management technologies.
Wearable Devices
Living with a chronic disease means that you must constantly monitor your levels and health. This was equally difficult and expensive for years, prohibiting some people from getting the care they needed. For example, you can now find affordable heart rate monitors.
Diabetics can more easily access affordable glucose monitors. Such devices reduce the need to visit the emergency room when you suspect that your levels are off. Of course, it’s still worth seeking medical help if you are concerned about your safety.
Even still, the ability to keep track of your vitals and blood sugar levels at home or work can save time, money, and stress. Living with a chronic disease is expensive enough without routinely making unexpected hospital visits.
Telehealth Services
Telehealth has made disease management much easier for many people. Unfortunately, many chronic diseases make it hard for some people to leave the house. This paired with the busy schedules that many people juggle makes it hard to find time to make appointments.
Telehealth services let people receive medical care without leaving their homes. Today, you can speak to a doctor or nurse practitioner via a video chat or phone call. Such appointments are perfect for routine visits or follow-ups that aren’t necessarily worth leaving the house for.
This can save on transportation costs and reduce the need to undergo unnecessary stress, physically and mentally. After all, many people find doctor appointments inconvenient, and others cannot justify the time and travel commitments.
Tailored Care
No two people are the same, and that applies to how their chronic diseases affect them. Some people show different systems and respond better to different types of care. The rise of artificial intelligence has impacted the way that healthcare institutions create patient care plans.
Now, it’s much easier to log and compare data for any given patient. Hospitals and clinics can cross-reference a patient’s chart and data with data compiled from other patients who have the same disease. AI technology makes this process much faster, which ultimately saves money.
Physicians can use such information to tailor treatment plans to even the most specific nuances of their patients’ conditions. They can also use this data to get an idea of how their patients’ conditions will change over time. In doing so, they can make efforts to prevent their patients’ conditions from worsening if possible.
Health Management Apps
Today, many hospitals, clinics, and medical practices offer smartphone applications. For example, apps like MyChart let patients schedule appointments and communicate with nurses and physicians. Such apps also let patients easily access their medical records, which were previously harder to access.
The ability to access electronic health records, test results, and prescription information is invaluable. This makes it easier to manage chronic diseases without constantly calling medical offices. For example, you can cross-reference your blood pressure from your last appointment with how high it is today.
Health management apps remove a lot of the uncertainty that accompanies living with many chronic diseases. Modern health management apps occupy a happy medium in the health informatics vs health information management conversation. That’s because they make important information available to patients and caregivers alike, ensuring transparency, organization, and efficiency.
Self-Sustainability
Patients with chronic diseases often rely on a network of people to help them. While professional help is often necessary, it’s easier than ever to monitor and treat your condition at home. Biometric devices, implants, and telehealth services make it easier to achieve self-sustainability.
It also helps that it’s much easier to connect with others who share the same condition as you. Online communities let people connect with others who suffer from the same chronic disease. The ability to communicate with others in the same situation works wonders in making disease management easier.
Whether it be medical record applications, biometric devices, or AI-curated care plans, the world of disease management has changed a lot. Don’t hesitate to ask your physician about which disease management technologies are available to you. They are more cost-effective than ever, and they can improve your quality of life in many cases.
