2014 has passed in a flash.  Healthcare continues to develop in amazing ways.

What are 5 medical breakthroughs that happened in 2014?

1.  Wearable Technology Used in Surgery:  AMAZING!  Dr. Rafael Grossman was the first surgeon to use Google Glass  in surgery.   While operating, Dr. Grossman and others like him can pull up the patient’s medical history, view specific medical texts, or stream a live feed from the operating room to his or her students.  Google Glass and other wearable technology will continue to advance, allowing doctors to interact with patients in new and different ways.

2.  Telemedicine:  Telemedicine continues to grow throughout the world.  This technology allows patients who live far away from specialists to be seen by those doctors via the Internet.  Since good patient results tend to depend on seeing the right doctor at the right time, this growing technology will greatly help improve patient outcomes.

3.  3 D Printing:  You might not know that 3D printing is being increasingly used in medicine.  Healthcare providers are using 3D printers to print skin for burn patients, blood vessels for cardiac patients, and patching holes in patients.  This technology will help solve many healthcare problems over time.

4.  Bionic Eye:  In the past, very little could be done for blindness.  Now, for some types of blindness, surgeons have successfully implanted a bionic eye that allows patients to detect light and dark and see movement.

5.  Seniors at Home:  With all the technological advances in medicine, more and more seniors are able to live independently longer. For example, health conditions can be monitored with special wrist monitors and tablets, which allow healthcare providers to track their care while allowing the patient to stay comfortably at home.

As 2014 comes to a close, we continue to watch healthcare grow and develop in exciting ways.  I will continue to keep you updated on the healthcare issues that affect you the most.  Happy Holidays!

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