How New Hospital Technology is Improving the Patient Experience

From the 1956 debut of the clinical ultrasound to the 1978 release of the M.R.I., medical
technology has been improving the availability of health care for generations. Today, new
medical technology is regularly being unveiled that ultimately offers better care and increased
safety, as well as providing a higher level of physical or emotional comfort for patients. Below
are several new technologies that have emerged in the past few years, although they might not
currently be found in most hospitals.

Biplane Neuroangiography System
Capable of producing a highly detailed three-dimensional view of blood vessels that lead to the
brain, Biplane Neuroangiography greatly advances the ability to diagnose and treat strokes,
brain aneurysms and other neurological conditions. By producing images from two regions of
the head simultaneously, the system provides the surgeon with a better visualization of both the
problem and the solution—thereby increasing the accuracy, reducing the invasiveness and
shortening the recovery time of a therapeutic procedure.

Endobronchial Ultrasound (EBUS)  
Endoscopies have been used for decades to examine the inside of a patient’s body through the
use of a small camera. EBUS takes this a step further with a tiny, built-in ultrasound scanner in
addition to the camera. This scanner eliminates the “blind search” aspect of endoscopies and
helps doctors to locate and diagnose lung conditions such as cancer, infections, and
inflammation. Because of this, the procedure is more precise and the likelihood of needing
multiple biopsies decreases.

CardioMEMS
CardioMEMs is a heart failure sensor that patients can take home with them. After being
mounted on a patient’s pulmonary artery, the CardioMEMS collected data on their blood
pressure and heart rate and uploads it to medical professional. By collecting data on a regular
basis, CardioMEMS “has been clinically proven to reduce hospital admissions by 33 percent
over an average of 18 months” through its early detection of potential problems.

Emerging modern medicine offers many advantages to individuals today, often providing the
edge necessary to overcome debilitating or life-threatening conditions in a timely manner where
negative outcomes are reduced to a minimum. Whether such state-of-the-art advancements are
available in your situation or not, remember that there are never any guarantees. It’s always
advisable that you research your hospital, your surgeon and any new technologies before
submitting to a major medical treatment or surgical procedure.