"Cool" Digital Health Will Change American Healthcare Forever

Digital health technology companies are making an amazing impact on our health directly and indirectly, today. What was once considered "Star Trek" gadgetry will not only be seen in medical ICUs, but in everyday usage. The potential impact on changing what and how we consider normal use of health tools could be seen as a paradigm shift of monumental proportions. So, much of an impact is it that accounting firms such as Price-Waterhouse & Cooper has done extensive research on its growth. It has found that digital health funding went up by 45 % in 2012 to 1.4 Billion USD from only 898 Million USD in 2011. A new type of Population health is about to emerge on the horizon if the gadgets become a common market item and even more so if the demand goes up by health groups, HMOs , medical doctors and medical facilities requiring them as medical regular policy. Some of these gadgets are about the size of a wrist watch and some , yet even smaller at the size of a microchip. Tele-health gadegets will allow a medical doctor or any clinician the ability to remotely "track" their patients health in virtualy real time with the device. On a larger scale health groups and government health research agencies in public health could retrieve mountains of materials on populations to conduct demographic trends in record time. Numerous statistics on the rates, prevelances and outcomes on trends or habits could possibly be predicted at a faster time to prevent disease or steer the (food/beverage/pharmaceutical) markets. Think about it everytime a commercial retail store asks for your email, phone number or asks for your retail savings card. These data will input your consumer based habit and file it to the databank. Millions of population studies can be done from this treasure trove of information. As these currently help banks, credit card companies and retailers in tracking you , it can also help insurance copanies and public health agencies to implement health measures. These gadgets will contain an instant feedback mechanism as well to allow patients to communicate to their healthcare provider about their treatment and how they are feeling almost immediately. Many of these types of applications exist already that allow patients to give opinions , but rather on a certain doctors care. Companies such as ZocDoc, Health Top, Health Grades, Vitals and RateMD are social media -like applications that do just this. If these apps are on more mobile and smaller devices with wi-fi, incredible feedback and monitoring can check a consumers decision in chosing a clinic to go to. We already see how biometrics has been used to scan in Airports, but be prepared for more of it being utilized with wi-fi. A company called Fitbits(Jawbone and Axon as well) uses this now. Healthrageous and Keas are nother companies that gives tech to allow tracking of a patient use health incentives and promote health. Surgeons are already using robotic arms in the OR(operating room) with computers that allow nearly flawless incisions. The ability of Tele-surgery by performing surgery remotely by a doctor who gives a computer instructions so that the robotic arm the actual cutting is conceivable at this time as well. You can be in Rome , Italy and the surgeon in Japan and have the surgery by vitrual operations. So, what does all this mean in general? It means that medicine and healthcare are about to introduce a newer "brave new world" that may be the starting point of accepting these types of devices into society. It will be another "giant leap for mankind" Are there any moral, ethical, legal and bio-technical issues to be concerned about? "You bet ya", but the ends justifies the means and the cost- benefits ratio of this type of tech in the the general public is great.They can allow a health support by being used either as a mandatory tool or provide a person with health credits to a spas of your choice are too good to pass up by the health corporations, government agencies and "YOU" - the consumer who loves gadgetry.