The COVID-19 pandemic has been especially devastating for healthcare providers. The virus has killed many people, and technology is one of the few things that can help healthcare providers fight back.
One of the most critical technology tools in this battle is electronic health records (EHRs). EHRs are a technology that allows healthcare providers to have accurate pictures of their patients’ medical history. Through the use of EHRs, healthcare providers have been able to more easily recognize co-morbidities in patients, which have improved treatment for them.
Innovations in Technology
There are other innovations in technology that have helped healthcare providers in their battle against COVID-19. However, most of these innovative inventions were only introduced after the pandemic started. This is because the whole world was unprepared for a pandemic like the ongoing one. As a result, many people suffer alongside healthcare providers who risk their lives every day as they fight against the virus.
Examples of how innovations in technology have helped healthcare providers fight the pandemic include the introduction of the COVID-19 T-cell diagnostic test, blood tests for COVID-19, and swab tests. These things have all helped healthcare providers in their battle against COVID-19. The technology that has created these tests has helped them fight the pandemic by telling if a person is infected with the virus. This way, they can quarantine a patient to prevent the virus from spreading.
The Role of Technology in the COVID-19 Battle
At present, healthcare providers are leaning on healthcare technology to help them fight the COVID-19 pandemic. New and existing technologies have proven to be helpful in this battle. Below are examples of how technology has helped healthcare providers fight the ongoing pandemic:
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Making reliable personal protective equipment (PPE)
Wearing PPE is very important in preventing healthcare providers from contracting COVID-19 while treating patients who are already infected. The design for PPE has already existed before the COVID-19 pandemic. After all, there have been other virus outbreaks that have required healthcare providers to protect themselves so as not to contract deadly diseases.
However, technology in the modern world has helped redesign PPE to make them more efficient for healthcare professionals to wear. For example, technology has helped develop disposable PPE suits that are more affordable and easier to use than the traditional reusable ones. The COVID-19 pandemic has discouraged healthcare providers from using reusable PPE suits because they need to be sanitized after every use, which can take up a lot of time.
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New ways of administering vaccines
Technology has allowed healthcare providers to develop new ways of administering vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic instead of requiring healthcare providers to go from patient to patient in search of those who have not been vaccinated yet. For example, technology has paved the way to integrate vaccine history into patients’ medical records. Therefore, when healthcare providers access a patient’s records online, they can easily tell if the patient has been vaccinated or not.
This technology allows healthcare providers to treat and vaccinate patients faster than ever before, which is crucial during a pandemic when the number of ill people outpaces the number of vaccines available. In addition to this, healthcare providers can determine if a patient has contracted the virus sometime in the past, which might be relevant when treating current health problems.
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Updating contact tracing measures
It is essential for healthcare providers to know about patients’ medical histories so that they can easily do contact tracing. Contact tracing helps healthcare providers identify where the pandemic has spread and how it is propagating. In addition, they can determine if a patient contracted COVID-19 from another patient or if they had been vaccinated already.
Another technology-based innovation in helping protect healthcare providers is providing them with accurate information about where COVID-19 outbreaks have occurred so that they can be aware of possible threats. Because COVID-19 had already spread to different regions globally, technology has allowed healthcare providers to quickly develop pandemic response plans.
It is also crucial for healthcare providers to know where patients are within hospitals so that they can be easily identified and isolated if necessary. With technology like radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags on patient wristbands or barcodes, it has become easier for healthcare providers to quickly respond to emergencies, especially those triggered by the COVID-19 virus.
The Role of Technology
Technology has played a critical role in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. When technology is implemented into healthcare processes, organizations can reduce costs and increase productivity while maintaining or improving the quality of care at the same time.
Implementing technology within hospitals has also helped improve patient safety by speeding up access to information that helps with quick decision-making during emergencies like pandemics. Therefore, healthcare providers have been able to benefit from technology during the COVID-19 pandemic.
