Medicine and Health
Definition
Medicine
The equipment, tools, and processes used by medical professionals to observe a patient's health and determine appropriate treatments.
- Digital technologies have transformed medical diagnostics, providing more accurate and efficient tools.
- These technologies include, but are not limited to, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, wearable devices, and robotic systems.
AI in Predictive Medicine: The US Department of Justice used AI to track prescription drug misuse, assigning risk scores to patients. However, this led to issues like patients being denied necessary treatment.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
- AI and machine learning are used to analyze and monitor medical data, such as images and scans.
- These technologies can identify patterns and suggest diagnoses, often with greater accuracy than human professionals.
- However, issues like false positives require human verification.
A false positive is a test result that incorrectly indicates the presence of a condition.
Wearable Medical Devices
- A device worn by individuals to provide continuous, real-time data for improving treatment, diagnosis, and monitoring.
- Wearable devices offer real-time data on vital signs, activity levels, and more.
- They enable continuous monitoring and can alert medical professionals to potential issues.
Telemedicine
- The remote treatment of patients using digital technologies.
- Telemedicine uses video conferencing and IoT devices to provide remote healthcare.
- This approach reduces costs and improves accessibility, especially for remote or underserved areas.
