With the world fighting against the deadly coronavirus, health tech has proved to be the need of the hour. The already available tools are helping the doctors and clinicians diagnose and treat more and more patients. The tools are also helping provide virtual care to corona positive patients so that the disease doesn’t spread among the masses.
The nations where the disease has hit the hardest have accelerated the development and adoption of new technologies to combat the virus. In the old days, the identification of an epidemic alone used to take months. Thanks to the advanced technologies, now we are able to do this in just a few days.
Here are some of the great ways of how healthcare techs have come forward to help the world tackle the corona outbreak.
- Remote Care via Videoconferencing
The Supreme Court of India has issued guidelines for all district courts in the country to adopt videoconferencing for important meetings. The authorized presiding officers have the control to adjourn any proceeding if the court is unable to maintain the crowd in the courtroom.
Videoconferencing is an excellent way to stay connected along with maintaining social distancing. Many Chinese and Indian employees under government or self-imposed quarantines have switched to remote work tools such as Zoom video conferencing.
Even schools and colleges are progressing with their academic syllabus using digital technologies such as Zoom and Google Classroom. This reduces the risk significantly and thus the extra pressure on the healthcare industry is reduced.
- Robots taking care of infected patients
Technology has greatly contributed to this fight by enabling us to limit our number of close interactions. The health professionals at Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett, Washington took help from a robot to aid an infected person.
The robot, equipped with a stethoscope, is helping the doctors to communicate and treat the patient via a built-in screen. The robot is essentially a remote-controlled telehealth cart. It is capable of taking the person’s blood pressure and temperature that allows the doctors to carry on the treatment.
China is making use of robots for food delivery and removal of the wastes. They are equipped with ultraviolet C light that can kill the virus or at least reduce the intensity. These robots are sterilizing the rooms at facilities that are suspected to have corona positive cases. Even the interiors of some planes flying from China to Los Angeles are being sterilized similarly.
- Software Identifies coronavirus patterns in health records
Some of the healthcare vendors have modified their software in order to track disease patterns and potential signals of danger. PharmEasy, India’s most trusted online medical supply store has updated its screening questionnaire to proactively engage with users. PharmEasy has collaborated with experts and disease specialists to develop its coronavirus assessment.
From enquiring about your recent international travels to any corona symptoms, the aim is to estimate your chances of being infected. During this challenging time, PharmEasy has provided a brilliant self-assessment tool for corona infection.
- Chatbots help relieve patients of unnecessary fears about COVID-19
There are many healthcare companies that have developed chatbots that help patients know more about the symptoms of coronavirus. The main aim is to assist the users to identify their symptoms beforehand. This will significantly help in cutting down the number of unnecessary hospital visits.
Healthians, a doorstep health test provider has launched a chatbot to help in raising awareness about the disease. It provides a platform where people with doubts can put up their questions and receive verified answers.
The chatbot will help in spreading accurate and reliable information about the disease among masses. This will also help in eliminating the false alarms raised due to misinformation.
- Wearables provide remote patient monitoring
The Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center is using a continuous temperature sensor to help restrain coronavirus in China. The sensors are applied directly to the patients. The Sensor transmits information and health readings to the health professionals which enables the real-time monitoring of the patients.
Four other hospitals in China are also making use of the same technology. The Shanghai hospital has also announced that they will use the same technology to monitor heart and respiratory rates of their patients. These sensors have proved to be a blessing as they allow the doctors to carry on treating patients from afar.
- Social media platforms help in raising funds
No list can be completed without including social media in it. Facebook has set up a Fundraisers Initiative in India. Through this platform, the local users can directly give their contribution to the COVID-19 relief funds.
Over 70 ‘verified’ non-profits including HelpAge India, Goonj and Akshaya Patra Foundation have engaged in fundraising activities via Facebook. Facebook has joined hands with GiveIndia to verify the charities. It has also partnered with Razorpay to facilitate transactions.
With the help of collaborations and advanced technologies, we are no longer unarmed in this battle. The healthcare techs have given a boost to patient care and public safety. These initiatives at the time of this outbreak are truly praiseworthy.
