Medical Science and Technology in Society Report

Introduction for Medical in Society

The accelerating pace of development of modern society accentuates the problem of the preservation of man as a species. The solution to this problem largely depends on the development of the technological capabilities of man. For this purpose, it is necessary not only to treat already existing diseases and to maintain the state of health but also to prevent them and determine their genetic predispositions. Successful preventive activity in many respects depends on the attitude to public health, specifically human health, and enlightenment propaganda of a healthy way of life by the state. It turns out that the solution to the problem of health preservation depends not least on the formation of the correct attitude to human health as on the value.

Relationships between medicine and society can be considered from different angles. However, all of these views are aimed at the fact that both sides oppose each other. The first one indicates that an uneducated, poorly informed society has a negative effect on the progress of medicine. Suffice it to recall the direction of people who think vaccination is wrong. Despite the variety of reasons that has led parents to give up treatments for their children, the result is always the same.

Viruses and bacteria, which at some point no longer posed a threat to humanity, have now become more active again (Dubé, Vivion, & MacDonald, 2015). Thus, medical laboratories are forced to postpone research projects and look for new alternative medicines for already outdated infections.

At the same time, supporters of the other idea are convinced that the development of medicine violates the harmonious unity of nature and man, is the main reason for the weakening of humanity as a whole, and may even lead to its degeneration. Medicines and vaccines have destroyed natural selection, and the body no longer fights diseases on its own.

The truth lies in the fact that medicine and society are not enemies, but instead they continuously complement each other. If there were no opposition among patients, modern medicines would not appear with regular consistency. At the same time, if doctors did not interfere in the natural process of life, most diseases would not be detected, and a person would live happily in ignorance.

Meaning of Medical Technology

Medical technology is a section of social technology, the subject of which is medical technological processes. These include diagnostic and counseling methods, drug and non-drug treatment, prevention and rehabilitation, and health promotion and protection systems used in health care (Laal, 2013). Thus, medical technology refers to systemic areas in science and management as an interdisciplinary field in medicine.

To create a specific medical technology, it is necessary to take into account the social, medical, and economic importance of a particular disease, syndrome, or clinical situation. Any medical technology, such as vaccination, is based on the principle of safety and non-existence of negative consequences (Dubé et al., 2015). In addition, any medical technology solution must pass through a filter of several vital postulates.

First, medical technology must be objective and can only be based on data obtained through scientific methods. Secondly, the technology should be examined through the prism of “the technological process – man,” reflecting the relationship between the object and the subject. In addition, the medical solution should be multivariant. This means that any technological task cannot have only one answer, since, for instance, there is no single way to treat an oncological disease. Fourth, each medical technology must have a specific purpose and criteria for evaluating its achievement. Finally, medical technology must comply with the principle of openness: it must be able to make rational clarifications and additions.

A health-conscious society needs the evolution of medical technology. Already today, diseases that used to be branded incurable are routinely treated and do not require highly qualified knowledge. For example, people with diabetes mellitus live till old age in the same way as healthy people, because they actively take insulin (Laal, 2013). It used to seem surprising that scientists could make bacteria produce animal hormones. Still, now, thanks to medical progress, even more seemingly incredible technologies are available to a wide range of consumers.

Medical Technology in Medical Science That Help Society

Over the past hundred of years, the science of saving lives has taken a huge step forward, penetrating the mysteries of the human body and psyche. It has learned to fight infectious diseases, developed plastic surgery, mastered new means of surgical intervention, and has kept abreast of the latest achievements of miniaturization. There is no longer smallpox, plague has long been forgotten, and a heart can be transplanted. All this has led to an increase in the average life expectancy of people on the planet during the last century.

Medicine has come a long way in solving various problems related to human health, but, alas, it has not answered all questions. Today, it faces challenges of no smaller scale than a century ago. Cancer is still not conquered, previously unknown viruses appear with enviable regularity, antibiotics lose their power, new habits and lifestyle bring new diseases. At the same time, we are in the epicenter of the genetic revolution, intensively studying the brain structure, hoping for big data and robots, and waiting for breakthroughs in the fight against aging (Laal, 2013). Humanity stands at the border of medicine in the classical interpretation and what it can become in 10-15 years.

One example of the use of computer technology is the CT scanner. Individual programs process the results obtained by irradiating the patient, and 3D images of the examined organs and tissues are created. They are used by physicians to make accurate diagnoses, assess disease progression, and postoperative recovery (Song & Tang, 2017). Another example is radiovisiograph in dentistry. They allow one to display dental pictures on a computer, not on film. The accuracy of the image is much higher; the problem can be studied in detail from different angles by enlarging the image. At the same time, the radiation load on the patient is repeatedly reduced.

It is not news that the leading supplier of new technologies and professions in all areas of human labor today are information technologies. New speeds and volumes will require specialists with advanced IT knowledge, who can manage and support vast amounts of data. Probably, in the future, IT-medics and analysts will be in demand in medicine as much as nurses or dentists.

Development of Medical Technology as per Time

It is difficult to date the development of medical technologies unambiguously: at all times of its existence, people have sought to find a way to improve their health and become resistant to various kinds of infections. The development of critical areas of medicine, such as surgery and hygiene, has spurred a sharp rise in the quality of life. The first rudiments of medical technology date back several millennia BC. It is well known that Egyptians performed surgical operations, and artificial ventilation had been available even earlier.

Medical science has continued to evolve, and in the 19th century, a major industrial revolution took place, which launched critical technological and scientific discoveries of the time. One hundred years later, by the middle of the 20th century, medical technology was built on the integration of several areas, including physical (Song & Tang, 2017). Essential breakthroughs in nuclear power, quantum chemistry, and polymer chemistry have served as keys to expanding medical diagnosis and treatment capabilities for patients.

Referring to one of the most innovative sections of medical technology, nanomedicine, we emphasize that the majority of English-language sources associate the first mention of what will be called “nanotechnology” in the future with the speech of Richard Feynman “There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom” at the annual meeting of the American Physical Society in 1959. Since the early 1980s, electronic medical records have been recognized as a successful and innovative technology.

The Western market is filled with a large number of medical information systems, not only covering more and more aspects of local clinics but also having the ability to interact among hospitals. The process of informatization of the health care system is still fraught with many challenges, but many of the obstacles that had stood in its way in previous decades are becoming a thing of the past. The expansion of Internet technologies continues, and the availability and security of wireless networks increases.

Why We Need Medical in Society

In the modern environment, the importance of health is significantly rethought in light of understanding it as an inalienable human right, in terms of existing threats and challenges, growing demands on the quality of health, and technological and financial capacity to provide it (Song & Tang, 2017). It is a fact that medicine is in open conflict with nature. It is unnatural because it disrupts the course of events under the laws of nature. People have invented drugs to realize their desire to live longer, live better, and more comfortably, recover faster from injuries, and improve their bodies. Society believes that if medical professionals had more options in their hands, no disease would be a severe problem (Callahan, 2018).

Medical culture gives a person warmth, shelter, communication, transport, and energy. It frees a person’s creative essence from the problems of survival in everyday life. The average person no longer has to worry about plague or smallpox, which creates much free time for self-realization.

Statistics is unnecessary to understand that the length of a person’s life has increased significantly. Quality has also proliferated: previously, a visually impaired person was doomed to lose a clear visual connection to the world. Today, contact lenses are the everyday solution for a large number of people, not to mention prosthetics, dental restorations, orthopedic manipulations, and rejuvenation procedures.

For example, in the past, diseases with unexplained genesis were called idiopathic, but then the reasons for diseases began to be explained by the patient’s genetics. After some successful operations on DNA sequencing, it turned out that the sequence of nucleotides hides a large number of codes responsible for the development of diseases. This helped doctors and geneticists not only to fight the symptoms and consequences of diseases but also to carry out preventive measures.

Advantages of Medical Technology in Society

Modern technologies are driving medicine to discoveries and quality service to the population. Advanced techniques in medicine are not only the latest medical equipment but also industry-specific software that automates all work processes. The latest technologies allow us to perform the most complex operations, examinations, accelerate the processing of laboratory tests, consult, and examine patients at a distance and much more (Callahan, 2018). Special programs for medical centers help build customer relationships, keep records of their health status, and ensure interaction between departments.

The processing of laboratory tests with modern technological equipment has become faster and more accurate, which affects the speed of diagnosis, treatment efficiency, and the handling of large amounts of biomaterials. What once seemed fantastic today is available to almost anyone. With the help of computerized medical technologies, it has become possible to help patients at a distance, and this makes medical services more accessible (Laal, 2013).

Online consultations are needed in remote areas, in emergencies, for patients with disabilities, or in confined spaces. The physician can conduct a virtual check-up, review examination and test results, prescribe treatment, and monitor health status regularly (Mehrotra et al., 2016). Furthermore, telemedicine includes online conferences, meetings, training, the rapid exchange of scientific discoveries, and emergency patient committees.

Another achievement of the technological world of medicine is applications for smartphones and computers. Profile programs for medical institutions automate the work of clinics – from registration to settlements with insurance companies. With their help, one can make an appointment on their own, find out information about the hospital, doctors, and ongoing promotions, leave feedback, and keep a schedule for taking medicines.

With the help of the software, it is possible to create an electronic book of feedback and suggestions, where patients can evaluate the quality of services, leave comments, and fill out questionnaires. These functions significantly simplify the life of not only the patient but also of attending physicians.

Disadvantages of Medical Technology in Society

Clinical practice shows that the use of such technologies in medicine improves not only the efficiency of medical personnel but also the quality of services provided to patients, meets the growing demands of the population, and increases the profitability of medical institutions (Mehrotra et al., 2016). However, there are also severe shortcomings in the implementation of regularly improved methods.

These include people struggling to maintain the confidentiality of each patient’s health status. In the area of bioethics and medical morality, the personal secrecy of diagnosis and treatment between patients and physicians is one of the essential aspects. However, the confidentiality of information relating to the description of diseases and the results of tests due to the theft of databases through hackers’ activities is in serious danger. No one is now fully protected from the harmful effects of viruses.

Another significant disadvantage of the introduction of computerized medical technology in the medical field is the human factor, which manifests itself in data entry errors. It is possible to refer to the lack of demand for people with specialized skills to maintain efficiency and effectiveness in medicine, which requires some financial costs (Callahan, 2018). Another disadvantage of the implementation of medical computer technologies in the modern healthcare system is the disrupted structuration.

Each clinic has its database, which may not work with the database of other clinics. In addition, in the case of electronic recording as a tool of medical technology, it is necessary to create a database as all-encompassing as possible. That is, it should have a complete history of patients’ illnesses, not just the latest data. Accordingly, this history should be included in the database, and it is much manual work, which requires not only time but also financial costs.

Analysis of Important for Medical Science in Society

Sometimes, public opinion about medical science, types of medical care, and health professionals is somewhat stereotyped. These notions combine knowledge of what modern medicine should be, who is a medical worker through the prism of an ideal image, and the understanding of what qualities real people working as doctors possess. These perceptions of the personalities of health professionals often influence the seeking or refusal to look for medical care, the implementation or neglect of medical recommendations, and other actions by individuals to restore and maintain their health.

In the current socio-political environment, one of the most important social functions of the state is health care. Among socially-oriented professions, the profession of doctor has individual humanity, as it is connected not only with the socio-psychological sphere of the person but also with the physical state. The understanding of physicians and medicine as a science, in general, is aimed at restoring, preserving, and strengthening the social well-being of individuals (Song & Tang, 2017). It is advisable to emphasize once again that the fundamental knowledge of medicine is rather massive.

Conclusion

Medicine and medical technology are entirely aimed at protecting public health and treating various human diseases at different stages. Despite all its development, medical science, unfortunately, is still at the beginning of its evolution. So far, the human body can be compared to space; that is, it has not yet been possible to study all the subtleties of the human body in medicine. For the most detailed study of the human body, as well as for the full exploration of space, time, effort, high-tech equipment, devices, as well as scientists and financial means are required.

Just as information technology is developing rapidly, so is the medical field, which is not in one place, but develops over time. In some cases, medicine has also achieved unprecedented heights. For example, in the field of plastic surgery, organ transplants, pharmaceuticals, surgery (laser surgery) and diagnostics (modern ultrasound equipment, X-rays). However, after that, new problems, difficulties, and riddles related to diseases, illnesses, and ailments of human health have appeared.

In this regard, medicine in today’s world needs support from the government more than ever. It is necessary to support the medical sphere, professors who conduct scientific work in the medical field, as well as grants to medical scientists for a detailed study of all the subtleties of certain diseases and the identification of effective methods of prevention and treatment of diseases. Thanks to such medical discoveries, it is possible to timely and effectively identify various conditions in early stages, to prescribe effective methods of treatment, and, most importantly, to learn about effective ways of prevention of the most dangerous diseases at the moment.

References

Callahan, D. (2018). Taming the beloved beast: How medical technology costs are destroying our health care system. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

Dubé, E., Vivion, M., & MacDonald, N. E. (2015). Vaccine hesitancy, vaccine refusal and the anti-vaccine movement: Influence, impact and implications. Expert Review of Vaccines, 14(1), 99-117.

Laal, M. (2013). Technology in medical science. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 81(1), 384-388.

Mehrotra, A., Jena, A. B., Busch, A. B., Souza, J., Uscher-Pines, L., & Landon, B. E. (2016). Utilization of telemedicine among rural Medicare beneficiaries. Jama, 315(18), 2015-2016.

Song, P., & Tang, W. (2017). Emphasizing humanities in medical education: Promoting the integration of medical scientific spirit and medical humanistic spirit. Bioscience Trends, 11(2), 128-133.