Digital
Digital refers to any system based on discontinuous data or events. In the context of medicine and healthcare, digital technologies have revolutionized the way healthcare is delivered, with digital tools being used for everything from patient records to telemedicine.
Overview[edit | edit source]
Digital technology in healthcare includes electronic health records (EHRs), telemedicine, mobile health (mHealth), wearable devices, and health information technology (IT). These technologies have the potential to improve patient outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and increase access to healthcare services.
Digital Health[edit | edit source]
Digital health is a broad term that encompasses all the ways digital technologies are used in healthcare. This includes telemedicine, mHealth, health IT, wearable devices, and EHRs. Digital health technologies can help patients manage their health and wellness, enable healthcare providers to improve patient care, and increase the efficiency of the healthcare system.
Electronic Health Records[edit | edit source]
Electronic Health Records (EHRs) are digital versions of patients' paper charts. EHRs can contain a patient's medical history, diagnoses, medications, treatment plans, immunization dates, allergies, radiology images, and laboratory and test results. EHRs can be accessed by authorized healthcare providers across different healthcare settings, which can improve the coordination of care.
Telemedicine[edit | edit source]
Telemedicine is the use of digital technologies to deliver medical care remotely. This can include video consultations, remote patient monitoring, and mobile health apps. Telemedicine can increase access to healthcare services, particularly for people living in rural or underserved areas.
Mobile Health[edit | edit source]
Mobile health (mHealth) involves the use of mobile devices and apps to deliver healthcare services. This can include health tracking apps, medication reminders, and telemedicine apps. mHealth can empower patients to manage their health and wellness, and provide healthcare providers with real-time patient data.
Health Information Technology[edit | edit source]
Health Information Technology (Health IT) involves the use of digital technologies to store, retrieve, share, and use health information. This can include EHRs, health information exchanges (HIEs), and health IT systems. Health IT can improve the quality of healthcare, reduce medical errors, and increase the efficiency of the healthcare system.
Wearable Devices[edit | edit source]
Wearable devices in healthcare can include fitness trackers, smartwatches, and wearable monitors. These devices can track a variety of health data, including heart rate, sleep patterns, and physical activity levels. Wearable devices can help individuals monitor their health and wellness, and provide healthcare providers with valuable patient data.
See Also[edit | edit source]
- Healthcare Technology
- Digital Health
- Telemedicine
- Mobile Health
- Health Information Technology
- Wearable Devices
Digital Resources | ||
---|---|---|
|
|
|
Find a healthcare provider anywhere in the world quickly and easily!
Translate to: East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski
WikiMD is the world's largest, free medical and wellness encyclopedia edited only by professionals. Advertise!
Navigation: Wellness - Encyclopedia - Health topics - Disease Index - Drugs - World Directory - Gray's Anatomy - Keto diet - Recipes
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Admin, Prab R. Tumpati, MD