Computers in Medicine uses, advantages and disadvantages

The computers can store huge amounts of medical data , You can use computers in many applications such as Medical images , Digital x-ray images , Digital microscope image , Electronic medical records , Clinical decision support systems , Hospital administration and Video games to hone laparoscopic surgeons , The computer technology has revolutionized the field of medicine .

Computers in medicine

The computers can be used to store the information about the medicines determined to the patient as well as those which cannot be prescribed to him , They facilitate storage of huge amounts of data , They enable speedy processing of information , They can compile the information into large databases & access shared information from all over the world .

The computers help the scientists to access the Internet , which has become a main source of medical information in today’s society , The computer store can serve as the best ways of housing medicine information , Medical journals , research and diagnosis papers , grand medical documents and quotation books can be stored in the electronic format .

The computers are a superb way to store the patient linked data , Big hospitals utilize the computer systems to sustain patient records , It is essential to hold detailed records of the medical history of patients , Doctors want the information about a patient’s family history , physical ailments , already diagnosed diseases & prescribed medicinal drugs , This information can be stored in the computer database .

A lot of contemporary medical equipment have small , programmed computers , They work on pre-programmed directions , The functional of hospital-bed beeping systems , emergency alarm systems , X-ray machines and different medical conveniences is based on computer logic .

Computer software can be utilized for the examination of internal organs of the physical structure , It is used for diagnosis of diseases , Advanced computer-based systems are used to analyze delicate organs of the body , Some of the complex surgeries can be executed with the aid of computers , Many types of monitoring equipment in the hospitals are based on the computer programming .

Medical imaging conducts with the techniques to produce the images of the human body for medical purposes , Many of the modern methods of scanning & imaging are based on the computer technology , The infrared cameras & sophisticated computers are used for obtaining high-resolution images .

The computers are used for the generation of 3-D images in medicine , Magnetic resonance imaging employs computer software , Computed tomography makes function of digital geometry processing techniques to get 3-D images .

The computers offer quicker communication between the patient & the doctor , They can collaborate better over the Internet , The doctors can obtain the experts’ opinions within seconds by the Internet , They can discuss medical issues in medical forums , They can exchange the images & the messages in seconds and derive conclusions rapidly , They can seek advice & share knowledge in a favorable way over the Internet .

The computer has an important role in the medical field , It can conduct medical tests & simulating complex surgical procedures , Doctors use X-rays & CT scans to acquire more information about the patients before diagnosing them , X-rays & CT scans produce images of the body’s internal structure through the use of radiation , So , The doctors search for abnormalities that can explain problems at hand .

X-rays helps the doctors to look at a patient’s internal structure from one , two-dimensional angle , CT scans use the computer to compile X-rays and create a multidimensional view , Computer programs are used to assemble the X-rays in a way that reflects the structure within the patient’s body .

The doctors use Magnetic Resonance Imaging to assess the condition of soft tissue within the body , MRIs use powerful magnetic fields to scan & reproduce an image of the internal body structure , The machine used for MRIs feeds activity detected internally back to the computer that recreates the picture of a particular region .

The computer can map out a three-dimensional image of activity within the area being scanned , The image created by the computer allows doctors to analyze the activity within a patient’s body and effectively diagnose them , Without computers , doctors would need to perform invasive surgery in to find physical and operational defects within the body as a form of diagnosis .

Online databases are helping researchers more accurately predict trends in illnesses , outbreaks & treatments , The computer helps the scientists make more informed estimations on disease activity & take preventative measures in controlling disease outbreak .

The Internet is a resource where the people can look up common symptoms before coming into a doctor’s office , Instead of making the doctor’s appointment for slight symptoms , patients can better understand the problem through their own basic Internet research , The patient can research treatment options and different medicines on the Internet  , The research on the web allows the patients to make a well-informed , independent decision .

The computer can help regulate the fluctuations in the body , They are programmed to alert nurses & doctors of fluctuations that present a danger to the patient’s health , They help the doctors to monitor more patients without being physically present when it’s not necessary , They can detect & record the changes such as Blood pressure , Pulse and Oxygen Levels .

Apnea monitors detect the pauses in breathing & prevent oxygen desaturation , Blood pressure monitors keep track of systolic and diastolic numbers , that keep track of the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats & between the heartbeats , EKG machines check for the problems with the electrical activity in the patient’s heart & translates this activity onto the screen with waves comprised of spikes & dips .

The Internet helps the patients , doctors & nurses to have quicker communication , The medications , The medical bill , meal times & medication times are stored by the computers , The medical device data system offers the electronic stowing & recovery of medical data such as the patient medical history , research , prescriptions , healthcare provider information & diagnostic test results .

There is a computer-assisted surgical procedures that are referred to as Robotic Surgical Systems , More complex & involved surgeries not only utilize the computers , but rely on them to give faster and more precise products in any given medical procedure .

The computers are used for many tasks such as viewing internal organs , examining them & moving surgical utensils around accurately in small incisions , Most surgeons use many different instruments with the robotic surgical system , these include Robotic-assisted surgical systems that help the surgeon to use the computer technology to control & maneuver these surgical instruments during minimally invasive surgical procedures .

The computer-assisted surgical systems contain these three components which are the console , the bedside cart and a separate cart that contains supporting hardware & software , The first of these is the regulation center of the system and allows the surgeon to view his area of surgery and physically control his instruments .

The second of these is the portion of the robot that holds the cameras & the instruments that the surgeon is controlling , And the third contains equipment such as the electrical surgical unit (ESU) , a light source for the endoscope and suction/irrigation pumps , As made evident , The computers become an important piece in all types of surgical procedures & have increased the quality as well .

The hospital is a superb organization , You can use the computer for the administration of the hospital , You can computerize the accounting , payroll & stock system of the hospital , different medicines can be recorded , their distribution and use in different wards etc .

Life support systems are used to help the disabled persons , Many devices are used to help deaf person to hear , Many computerized devices are used to monitor the blood pressure , the heartbeat & brain of the patients , The computers can expedite the intent probing & analysis of cells and microorganisms that may elucidate better understanding of the human body .

There are different software’s that are available to store different diseases & their symptoms , The diagnosis of disease is possible by entering the symptoms of the patient , different computerized devices are used in the laboratories for different tests of blood etc . 

Hospital monitoring equipment is based on the computer programming , Emergency alarms , bed beeping systems and X-ray machines are all examples of equipment using computer technology , Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computer tomography (CT) employ computer software , High-resolution images are achieved with the use of sophisticated computers & infrared cameras .

Some surgical procedures are computer guided , An example is laparoscopic surgery , where the surgeon inserts the medical tools and a small camera , and conducts the operation with the help of computers and monitors .

The computers monitor the heart rates , pulse rates & brain readings , The computer networking facilitates fast communication , The images & messages can be exchanged in seconds and conclusions can be reached speedily , The computers are used in the medical field in the manufacture of medications and the computer applications help in research studies .

Disadvantages of Computers in Medicine

The main disadvantage to computer-based medical records is privacy concerns , They can be hacked , illegally downloaded , lost in a crash , etc , The providers of online records go to great lengths to assure security and confidentiality .

When you add the computers in the hospitals , They can make everything from billing to keeping track of patient records quicker , but the computers also offer drawbacks to the hospital environment , As technology & computers become more advanced , additional elements will appear in the hospital setting , but whether the advances are really improvements is open for some debate .

Adding the computers to the hospitals is very expensive , The computers cost the money and a large hospital needs many computers to keep the system running smoothly , Creating the network to transfer medical records or keep track of billing is an additional initial cost .

Electronic record keeping needs constant upkeep of computers , The computer software & the other electronic elements , which can cost more , Unlike paper records , which simply require a few more copies , One of the biggest disadvantages of adding computers & electronic records to a hospital is the lack of standardization through the medical field .

When the medical record is transferred from the hospital or the system becomes open , so , the hospitals can share the information , the lack of standardization in the hospital notes & records could cause problems when it comes to a medical professional’s understanding of the medical record .

When your doctor or hospital is switching to the computers or the electronic record keeping , you’re worried about the security of your medical records , Paper records are kept in the doctor’s office or the warehouse , but when the computers are added to the hospital , The electronic record keeping typically follows .

When the electronic record keeping is begun , The medical information is added to a closed computer network , but as long as an Internet connection comes into the network , the system is vulnerable to outside sources , opening the debate to questions about patient privacy & medical record security .

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