Role of Technology in the Medical Field By: Rodney Miranda

INTRO Technology began its path into medicine when tools and instruments were needed in the world of healing people. The first ever tools to start the evolution of technology in medicine were the thermometer, microscope, and kymograph.

In 1816, French doctor Rene Laevrec invented the stethoscope. This enabled the doctor to hear what could not be easily heard before. Other objects such as the ophthalmoscope, oesophagus, and the sphygmograph. These instruments allowed doctors to get information about organs deep in the body.

Also during the 1800’s, electronic machines such as the electrotherapy machine used electricity to treat patients. It gave Electro static currents to patients bodies. Other machines produced light or heat for heliotherapy and diathermy therapies. Many uses are ineffective but some are used to treat pain spasms, brain, such as epilepsy.

In 1895 Wilhelm Roentgen discovered the X-ray. This changed the way doctors diagnosed and treated disease. This allowed doctors to examine the body without using exploratory surgery. While the x-ray machine was used to diagnosed cancer, it was and still is the cause of cancer (to unprotected body parts) due to the radiation the machine produces.

The CT, MRI, PET, scanners were developed in the 1920’s. These machines offered detailed views of the body's complex structures such as the brain. Though x-rays give off harmful radiation, the radiologists are taught and trained to use the lowest radiation levels needed to have a clear image used for diagnosing.

Development Technology to Assist the Body Advances in science, English, and manufacturing aided in “Assistive Technology” Technology such as hearing aids, artificial limbs, mobility aids, ventilators, pacemakers, and other machines.

Specialists The rise in machines gave birth to specialists to run machines ex) radiologists, radiographers, etc. Even doctors became physicians with a specialty. Not just a general practitioner. Specialists in certain organs become more of what our doctors are today. For ex) ophthalmologists (eye doctor) etc.

Gradual Acceptance of Tech. Many machines at first were viewed as suspicious. X-ray machines and their images were doubted in the 1930’s. Patients and doctors themselves preferred the “doctors touch” and therefore didn’t like machines over a human doctor. Doctors preferred to have their knowledge and expertise used rather then a machine produced information.

Machines caused problems with the doctors and how they faced their patient. They were noted as for only caring for the injured area and not the patient as a whole. Doctors would feel less responsible to the patient knowing and finally trusting that a machine can help a patient.

Computer Revolution in Medicine Computers was one of the most important technological changes in the 20 th century. They became central to the care of the patient from the 1950’s. Computers allow hospitals to monitor patients continuously. They allow insures and state run health services to track patients records on a massive scale.

Information Technology Information technology has made contributions to the medical industry by the use of electronic medical records (EMR), telehealth services, and mobile technologies like tablets and smart phones. This allowed doctors, specialists, to hold meeting world wide. This also allows doctors to access drug info, research on diseases, patients history and access records.

Conclusion Technology has started in the 1800’s with simple tools to evaluate a patient and now it has evolved to aid in patients lives long after they leave the hospital. It also aids the efforts doctors, nurses, and medical personal do and that is to help a patient. Technology will keep evolving to assist in people who are sick and even to prevent people from becoming ill.