We’re lucky to live in a modern world where almost anything you could think of is possible. Our approach to all manner of things has been greatly improved by the introduction of new inventions. One of the areas where we can see the biggest benefits of today’s technology is healthcare.
Logically, we don’t want to say that there is no additional space for further improvements. We believe that the healthcare industry is going to be even better in the next 10 years. The new inventions in all fields allowed people to get the new ones more quickly. Because of that, scientists might find solutions that will solve health issues that seem unsolvable in today’s world.
Unfortunately, it seems that people don’t truly understand how lucky they are for living in the 21st century. In the last 50 years, we got some incredible healthcare inventions that changed science completely. Because of that, we would want to talk more about them. In this article, you will find out the best healthcare inventions of the past 5 decades.
1. Internet
No, the internet wasn’t invented solely for the purpose of making the jobs of healthcare professionals easier, but it certainly does this to great effect. The internet allows doctors and nurses to store and access patients’ medical records online, preventing the time and hassle of having to flick back through a paper document. It also allows for online consultations, eliminating the need for the patient to visit their doctor’s office or hospital in person.
2. Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy
In the US alone, AIDS is thought to have killed more than 700,000 people, based on figures from 2018. AIDS was once incurable, but highly active antiretroviral therapy changed everything. This combination of three medicines has been scientifically proven to delay the progression of AIDS, helping to prolong the lives of patients who are affected by the disease.
3. Oxygen Sensors
With 2023’s novel Coronavirus pandemic still raging, there’s no arguing that oxygen sensors are one of the most underappreciated medical inventions of all time. These tiny devices are essential components of respirators, which detect patients’ blood oxygen levels and provide them with the correct amount of supplementary oxygen to help them overcome respiratory disorders. You can find out more about oxygen sensors by clicking here.
4. Robotic surgeries
When AI was first invented, there were plenty of skeptics that feared the day that the world would be “taken over by robots”. But you only have to look at the advantages of robots in the healthcare sphere to realize that they are much more of a help than something to be feared. Robotic surgeries are almost completely non-invasive and allow for much more accuracy during the surgery itself, as well as quicker recovery time for the patient.
5. MRI machines and CT scanners
It seems bizarre to think that, not so long ago, when somebody fell ill, there was no way to understand what was wrong with them without carrying out surgery to physically locate the issue. Nowadays, diagnosis of a broad range of complex illnesses and disorders, both physical and mental, is much simpler, thanks to the invention of MRI machines and CT scanners. These machines produce a series of images of a patient’s body, allowing medical professionals to quickly and accurately diagnose a problem.
6. Telehealth
Telehealth has come a long way since its invention and is now essential for diagnosis, treatment, and care of a patient remotely. Telehealth can improve patient engagement by allowing for remote monitoring, and cuts costs for both the patient and the healthcare facility in question. It also reaches a broader range of patients, some of whom may struggle to attend a hospital or doctor’s appointment in person.
7. The Artificial Heart
There is no need to share different statistics and data about the health issue of this type. Look around you and you will see that heart diseases are the number one cause of death. The problem like this is common for all parts of the globe. For many years, most professional cardiologists were looking for ways to improve heart health. After years of stagnation, we got one incredible invention well-known under the name “The Artificial Heart“.
We believe that the name of this invention says most of the things. However, you should know as well that there are two different types of AI heart. Those two types are temporary and permanent. The purpose of both types of healthcare tools is to keep the patient healthy until the heart transplant. As you know, waiting for the heart transplant can sometimes last for a couple of months. No one guarantees that a patient is going to have “enough strength” to survive that period. Fortunately, Robert Jarvik invented the amazing machine back in 1982 and saved the lives of thousands of people.
8. Molecular Breast Imaging
Breast cancer is one of the common diseases that many women around the world experience. For a long time, the doctors were using mammography to detect cancer. However, it would be unfair not to say that method like that was not quite effective. Because of that, professionals from that field had to find new ways to detect breast cancer. Fortunately, thanks to their effort, we now have molecular breast imaging or MBI.
When you look closer, MBI is a more safer and powerful scan. It is the best possible encouraging alternative that mammography could get. Believe it or not, it is three times more effective compared to the method that was used for years.
9. Active Bionit Prosthesis
Don’t get confused if you hear the name “Wearable Roboti Device”. Both names refer to the same invention that we need to highlight. Fortunately, the prosthetic limbs are no longer non-functioning items. Thanks to the strong effort of specialists, we can now replate all the actions of human tendons and muscles. That opportunity allows us to mimic the natural human body motion. Believe it or not, you can all do that over Bluetooth. Despite that, the technology works thanks to battery-powered motors and microprocessors. All the necessary settings you can adjust via smartphone.
