Technology enabled care (TEC) is an umbrella term used to describe and refer to telemedicine, telecare, telehealth, as well as mobile, electronic, and digital health care services. Through these services and platforms, providing care for patients with chronic and long term conditions can be made convenient, effective, and efficient for both the patient and the provider. The use of technology, especially in today’s rapidly advancing landscape, grants health care professionals with new and constantly developing options in providing care for their patients, especially for the the elderly.
In today’s technological landscape, it is much easier to integrate technology-enabled care both to those who need it as well as to those who would greatly benefit from it. Especially since most people these days own or have used mobile devices and computers. Furthermore, technology enabled care also allows family and friends, caring for their loved ones, to easily cope.
Meeting the needs of patients through technology enabled care
While there is still apprehension in relying on technology for health care, it’s important to note that proper and ideal utilisation of TEC is beneficial for all parties involved. Making use of technological advancements and innovations in home care, point to quality improvements in the life of the patients, as well as much more efficient and effective solutions for the health care providers.
The use of technology at home can provide better care accessibility, enhance the quality of care and potentially reduce medical errors. Through mobile devices and computers, aspects of home care such as constant monitoring of patients can now be done remotely instead of having to use outdated, high-cost, and time-consuming solutions. These are just some examples, as telecare has many aspects and the rapid developments in technology will provide even more opportunities in the near future.
Forms of technology enabled healthcare:
Sensor-enabled technology
In the context of telecare, sensors are used to monitor the patients remotely and alert the health care providers in case of an emergency. Monitoring devices in the form of bracelets, shoes, and pendants can reliably track the activities of the patient and trigger an alarm to alert the health care provider in case a problem arises or even in emergency situations. Telecare providers can also monitor the devices and be alerted if there is a malfunction.
Telemedicine
Technology enabled healthcare can assist patients in tasks such as monitoring their medicine intake and reminding patients to take their prescribed medication. While this may seem simple, this process can be of great help to patients since it is easy to lose track of the schedule of medicine intake, especially when the patient has multiple prescriptions that need to be taken during different times of the day. Moreover, these systems can be tailored to the specific needs of the individual patient.
Telemonitoring
This aspect of telecare utilises technologies to remotely and consistently monitor the condition of the patient. Some examples of this include monitoring the patient’s temperature, pulse, and respiration. The information is then sent to health care providers, possibly eliminating the need for some visits, and by doing so saving time for both patients and health care professionals. This can all be done through mobile phones and devices that can easily and intuitively be used by the patients thanks to technological advancements.
Get the most out of technology enabled care with Skyresponse
With the rapidly changing and developing technological landscape, making use of the latest innovations and technology enabled health care, can be quite challenging and tedious for a provider, especially one that is just starting to transition from analogue solutions. These technological advancements and innovations however, can greatly benefit patients and health care providers when implemented properly. Furthermore, these solutions can be tailored specifically to the needs of both the provider and the patient, resulting in a much more efficient and effective health care process.
By partnering with a solution provider that uses the Skyresponse platform, the implementation of such services and the transition to digital healthcare solutions can be done seamlessly. Among the solutions offered by Skyresponse is an alarm management platform for elderly care —a service that utilises technology to ensure action on alarms in family care or in professional care. The flexibility of the platform also allows the support of both ordinary living as well as nursing homes. Moreover, this solution can be supplemented with a mobile app that turns the process into a more coherent experience.
