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Dylan Thrift
Eng-112-204
March 7, 2019
How Medical Technology Affects Society
The technological advancements in the medical field has saved an immeasurable amount

of lives and helped better the life of numerous others. The improvement in technology looks like

it only brings benefits. Although it seems like there are only positives about technology

advancing, there are several disadvantages that comes with it.

The history of medical technology has been traced back to the Ancient Egyptians, and at

that time, the only technology they had to diagnose people with were there selves. The

technology we interact with today would be overwhelming to people in the mid 1800’s. The

stethoscope was invented in the early 1800’s and people were astonished by how it worked. In

today’s time, we have access to so much technology and equipment that it is almost impossible

to not find a diagnostic on the patient. Doctors and Scientists now can experiment new

technology on animals that have similar characteristics as a human to decrease the risk of

casualties on civilians.

“New innovations in radiology have sparked public criticism as to its safety and cost-

effectiveness" (Guy 9). The x-ray was discovered in 1895 by Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen. The

invention brought many concerns to the public regarding their health and how it would be

affected by the radiation. The x-ray, when first invented, took two hours to perform a scan. A

patient who just recently had a bicycle accident was recommended an x-ray, so she did two

periods of two hours for scanning and waited twenty days in-between. The injured spot became

far more severe and eventually killed her due to the exposure of radiation. The amount of time it

takes to scan now only takes thirty seconds and the exposure to radiation is limited to almost
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none. Also, the result of the scan can be developed six times as fast and the accuracy is far more

precise than before.

“Numerous studies and statistics show that people heal faster and better when they are in

familiar, comfortable surroundings (Weber 9).” Doctors have a wide variety of devices they can

recommend to a patient to take home to use. These devices range from remote patient monitoring

systems and respiratory therapy devices to advanced wound care products and dialysis systems.

“[These] technologies have been shown to be effective in helping to manage chronic disease,

post-acute care and monitoring the safety of older adults," says David Lindeman, director of the

Center for Technology and Aging, a nonprofit organization that aims to improve the quality and

cost-effectiveness of long-term care services. "[They] can help slow the progression of chronic

disease, speed recovery after discharge from an acute care setting and help vulnerable adults

avoid injuries.” (Weber 9). The global home medical equipment market in 2010 was $18 billion

and grew to $24 billion by 2015. The devices patients are using at home are easy to use, they

weigh less than the machines used in the doctor's office and can have the ability to travel with

you.

Of 300 participants, 212 (71%) owned smartphones, 201 (95%) had apps, and 94 (44%)

had health apps. The most frequently downloaded health apps categories were exercise 46

(49%), brain teasers 30 (32%), and diet 23 (24%) (VonHoltz 6). This statistic was taken in 2015

and since then, the percentages have grown 10%. Applications that can be downloaded on your

phone can play a big part on your daily health. Apps on health are designed for several thigs such

as exercise, weight loss, meditation, sleep, and reminders you can set tell you it's time to take

your medication. Apps for medical issues are designed for mental health, emergency response,

and dermatological treatment. The major applications downloaded on mobile devices are fitness-

wellness and patient monitoring. Patients who download these apps need to focus on the
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directions the applications provide as well as making sure they fully understand the whole

meaning of it before significantly messing up in the future. Knowledge Management and E-Learning

provides improved training to help patient safety. This can be used so the doctor and patient can keep in

touch day to day from an application therefor it eliminates the process of driving and waiting to see your

doctor.

The history of medical technology has changed dramatically over the past hundreds of

years. Some changes are very beneficial to society while others can be harmful. Some examples

of how the technology can be beneficial are x-ray machines, MRI scanners, blood pressure cuffs,

etc. These all are helpful when determining if something is wrong with someone or not. One

major disadvantage is how scientists test to see if new technology could possibly be harmful to

us. Nowadays scientists can use animals with similar genetics as people to test on, but someone

still must be the first to try out a new piece of equipment to see if it is successful or not. This

could be harmful and cause a potential fatality. Some people disagree with the advancement in

technology and feel as if there are more downfalls than benefits. Well, these people have no

choice but to find a way to cope with these changes because technology is only going to

improve, and scientists are always going to find new ways to try and better people.
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Works Cited

1. Guy, J. (1995, 11). The X factor in X-rays. History Today, 45, 9. Retrieved from

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202810954?accountid=10163

2. Weber, A. (2010). There's no place like home. Assembly, 53(9), 30-33. Retrieved

from

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751606950?accountid=10163

3. “Medical Technology.” Healthcare News & Insights, 21 Oct. 2011,

www.healthcarebusinesstech.com/medical-technology-2/.

4. VonHoltz, L. A. H., Hypolite, K. A., Carr, Brendan G, MD, M.A., M.S.H.P.,

Shofer, F. S., PhD., Winston, Flaura K,M.D., PhD., Hanson, C. W., & Merchant,

Raina M,M.D., M.S.H.P. (2015). Use of mobile apps: A patient-centered

approach. Academic Emergency Medicine, 22(6), 765. Retrieved from

https://login.proxy039.nclive.org/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/

1690002700?accountid=10163

5. Research and markets offer report: Global mHealth apps & solutions market to

2018: Connected devices, health apps & medical apps. (2013). Professional

Services Close - Up, Retrieved from

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1461792852?accountid=10163

6. Lupton, Deborah. "The Digitally Engaged Patient: Self-Monitoring and Self-Care in the

Digital Health Era." Social Theory & Health, vol. 11, no. 3, 2013, pp. 256-270.

ProQuest, https://login.proxy039.nclive.org/login
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doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/sth.2013.10.

7. Borycki, E. M. (2015). Editorial: Advances in healthcare provider and patient training to

improve the quality and safety of patient care. Knowledge Management & E-Learning,

7(3), 348. Retrieved from

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