The days of being at the mercy of medical professionals are over. Today, advancements in technology allow you to gain control over your health. You might be the patient. But you do not have to be a passive supplicant. One of the best things you can do for your health is to use technology as your personal advocate. Utilizing online software, apps and resources can reestablish the balance where your doctor works for you and you call the shots about your healthcare.
Believe it or not, you can fire your doctor and hire another anytime you like. Sure, your doctor likely makes more money than you. But the thing to remember is that it is your money and that of the insurance company. This is not a passive relationship. You are in control. Some doctors don’t want you to know that. But once you take that truth on board, you will take your healthcare to a whole other level – and technology is your best advantage for doing just that.
Once you discover your new power and explore medical technologies that advocate for your health, be sure to use it for the good. Your doctor is one of the most highly trained people you will ever meet. She is better at her job than your mechanic, your butcher, and your barber combined. If she prescribes exercise, diet, or medication, you need to have a very good reason to ignore the advice. When it comes to your health, your doctor is highly motivated to make the right call.
Essentially, your health depends upon smooth collaboration between you and your doctor. Here are a few suggestions on how you can attain that partnership by using technology to gain control over your health.
Use Technology When Choosing the Right Medical Experts
Even within the confines of insurance, you have a say as to which doctors and hospitals you choose. In an emergency, the EMT will often ask if you have a hospital preference. Use that preference wisely and choose a hospital that uses modern technology for both doctors and patients. A hospital that uses patient education technology is one that prioritizes patient care over administrative budget. You have a right to be treated with respect. And part of treating a patient with respect is giving them the proper informational tools that allow them to make the right decisions about their care.
It starts with your doctor. If your doctor’s office has patient rooms with beige boxes running Windows XP, keep looking, you don’t have the right doctor. They simply do not understand enough about technology to be on top of data security and other important aspects of patient care in the modern age. You wouldn’t accept service from a doctor that used stone knives. You shouldn’t accept care from a doctor that isn’t using the best available tech for patient education and treatment. If they don’t prioritize such things in their own practice, they are probably attached to hospitals that operate the same way.
Use Health Tech Wearables and Gadgets
The Apple Watch is #1 when it comes to consumer health wearables. But you don’t have to be an Apple fan to use one of the top health improvement gadgets. Lots of companies make competent devices for all kinds of people with a full range of prices. At this point, there is no excuse to walk around without something measuring your heart rate, blood oxygen, or the number of steps walked.
The world of continuous glucose monitoring is bigger than one company. When you read the reviews of the top devices, you will find that all of them have the potential to save your life if you happen to be a diabetic. At least one of the offerings will monitor your glucose for 14 days with one sensor. You can check your readings on a special receiver, or on your smartphone if you prefer. You can even set alerts in case your glucose exits the range that you have set. Whatever health metric you need to monitor, you will be in complete control with the right consumer tech.
There’s an App for That: Med-Tech Apps for Your Health
When it comes to keeping track of important health metrics, you guessed it: There’s an app for that. In fact, there are several. Both iOS and Android have built-in health tracking apps. These are repositories that keep all your health information so that you can easily share it with your doctor when it is time for a visit. You can show her your heart rate history, your workout history, your glucose and blood pressure history, and everything else that is relevant. The next time your doctor asks what your blood pressure has been running, you can do more than tell her. You can show her.
Be an active participant in your own healthcare by using technology to monitor your health and pick professionals who are up to date. Use the readily available medical gadgets that can literally save your life. And use health apps that help you share valuable information with your doctor. Utilizing medical technology is the best way to make savvy decisions about your care and gain control over your health.