We’ve not quite reached the point of using the kind of body scan technology Dr. ‘Bones’ McCoy loved to show off on Star Trek.
However, we have boldly gone where no other medics have gone before – by harnessing the almost limitless power of the Internet of Things we’re starting to relieve the pressures being put on the NHS by our growing ageing population.
It’s estimated the number of people over the age of 75 in Scotland will increase by 82 per cent by 2035, making up 13 per cent of the total population, meaning the country’s health service, staff and care resources will be stretched to their limits.
In June of this year alone, 1,159 patient discharges from hospitals were delayed due to a lack of necessary care, support or accommodation being available, even though they were technically fit to leave.
That’s why Scotland’s NHS initiative of technology-enabled care, or ‘telecare’, is so important.
This is where state-of-the-art technology and the IoT are used together to monitor and support older people at home.
Patients can be monitored remotely, with sensors helping to notify carers of potential risks, personal alarms signalling actual danger and fast response units able to jump into action immediately.
The impact of these IT and Telecommunication systems goes beyond caring for the elderly – vulnerable people, those with special care needs or folks suffering from chronic illness can all be helped at home and on the move by super-smart and intuitive systems.
Some systems can even give the person immediate feedback so that memory problems in particular can be accommodated and the person’s dignity and independence maintained.
It’s not surprising that this is a fast growing sector for ITC recruitment.
Just ask healthcare software firm EMIS Health, who’ve landed a £15 million contract for the provision of secondary care clinical systems across Scotland.
Their software helps to manage GP prescriptions and makes the entire process easier for doctors, helping to save the NHS millions.
It also helps EMIS Health to maintain 1,200 jobs and has seen them take a 51.5% share of Scotland’s GP market.
If you’re a software specialist, systems developer or an expert in telecommunication technology, this is a sector in need of your skills and passion.
Find roles in healthcare IT and Telecommunications with s1jobs