Transformative Impact of Modern Technology on Healthcare: Advancements, Challenges, and Opportunities

Technological advancement has been tremendous in recent years and cuts across every aspect of human activities, and it has changed the way we do certain things in everyday life and industrial activities including healthcare. Hospitals and healthcare facilities have introduced the use of technology to make their systems easier to access and provide more diagnosis and accurate results thereby making treatment options for patients more precise based on the individuality of their health challenges. Use of modern technologies in healthcare encouraged virtual consultation with healthcare professionals while the availability of smart mobile devices and applications have gained grounds as standards for ease of access to quality healthcare services irrespective of location or social status. Most medical laboratory and diagnostic equipment are technologically improved for global sharing such as microscopes, various analysers, MRI, X-Ray, CT scans, ECMO, PET, dialysis machines, heart–lung machines, among others. The chapter reviewed various literatures in relation to technology as currently applied in healthcare with its associated challenges. The challenges includes but not limited to: cybersecurity challenges, ownership and sharing of data, data breaches, cyber-attacks, data security and privacy, outdated technologies and equipment, poor messaging systems and communication among professionals, poor knowledge of ICT and emerging technologies by health professionals, inefficiency of healthcare systems, poor structures to install new technologies, cost and accessibility, interoperability and standardisation, technology integration and usability, and ethical considerations. This paper provides and encouragement that though, the challenges are noted, the same technology can be applied to solve the lingering challenges for better healthcare improvement at the resource limited certain. The application of ICT has improved healthcare delivery in the twenty-first century better than it was in the past. Modern technologies have made it possible for healthcare professionals to perform tests and or monitor patients and equally generate data that play an important role in identifying and treating illnesses and diseases and as well aids disease surveillance. Remote monitoring systems give rooms for patients to track and monitor their medical conditions without regular visit to doctors as noted in the case of diabetic and cardiac patients.