There’s no denying that sensors are underrated in the world we live in today. We don’t really give them the credit they deserve, despite the fact that they’re used in almost every aspect of daily life, from temperate and distance sensors to electrical voltage, gas, light, and sound sensors. Sensors can help us to stay safe and live easier lives – but they’re a lot more important than that in the medical world.
Sensors are being used increasingly in and out of the hospital setting to monitor and improve patient health. Here are just a few of the reasons why sensors are essential for tracking health today:
They monitor patients inside hospitals
Sensors in hospitals have been around for quite a while now, but they’re equally as important today as when they were first invented. Healthcare professionals rely on sensors like the ones supplied by Sensoronics to monitor a patient consistently, keeping track of things like heart rate and blood oxygen levels. This information is collected and stored in the device’s memory, so that a doctor can keep track of the stats without having to be at the patient’s bedside 24/7, which wouldn’t be feasible.
They can even monitor patients outside of hospitals
Technology continues to develop at a rapid pace, and it’s thanks to recent advancements that we’ve seen the invention of wearable sensors. This type of sensor would be portable, so there’d be no need for a patient to stay hooked up to a device in a hospital to provide the information to a doctor. This saves both time and money, allowing patients to get on with their lives, doctors to get on with their jobs, and reducing the cost of repeat patient hospital visits. While sensors will always have their place in hospitals, patients who have chronic diseases like stroke or heart disease may benefit more from wearing a portable sensor.
They may soon be able to track mental health
As it currently stands, sensors are really good at tracking physical health, and not so good at the mental health side of things. This could all soon be about to change, though; already, studies have looked into how sensors might be used in the future for tracking mental health. These may be able to detect signs of mental illness and help doctors to come to the right diagnosis.
They’re the future of healthcare
Sensors are only improving with time, and they’re set to become cleverer than ever in the future. It’s thought that skin sensors in particular, which will collect data used to spot abnormalities and track treatments, will be the next big thing in healthcare. Many scientists predict that in only a few years from now, we’ll all wear skin sensors to help us to keep track of our health and be alerted to any issues as they arise. Skin sensors will help medical problems to be revealed by doctors earlier and enable doctors to monitor a patient’s recovery remotely.
Mandy X
Photo by Andres Urena on Unsplash
Author: Mandy Kloppers
Mandy is a qualified therapist who treats depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, trauma, and many other types of mental health issues. She provides online therapy around the world for those needing support and also provides relationship counselling.
