21st century medical care promises to be not only innovative and exciting but will empower you as the patient.  Thanks to new monitoring and diagnostic  breakthroughs you will be able manage your own condition as easily as you manage your bank account.  These advances will not only help you stay healthier and most likely out of the hospital, but they  may prove to be the  most important  reasons why you may never enter a nursing home.

1. The Medipod

This is a small enclosed kiosk where you can receive a diagnosis  for simple illnesses without ever seeing a doctor in person.  You will be virtually examined, most likely by a doctor who is not even in your city.  Medipods will be very important for busy people in malls, at work, on college campuses or who live many miles away from the closest doctor.    It will also be more user-friendly for people who may be tempted to neglect a doctor's visit.  Everything can be conducted in a familiar place where the person feels the most comfortable.

No more long waits in a doctor's office.  After all, your time is valuable too.

2. Telemedicine

You will be spending less time in the hospital in the future  thanks to  home monitoring devices which have improved tremendously since LifeAlert was first offered in 1987.

Your heart rate, blood pressure, weight, oxygen and temperature information will be sent to clinical professionals who will be keeping an eye on any changes in your condition.   Not only will you be able to take better care of yourself, but you will be able to stay in your own home much longer.  

3. The PillCam

Wireless cameras the size  and shape of a pill are proving to be very useful as diagnostic tools.  These tiny cameras , which you swallow, can give doctors plenty of information as they travel through your system and will help  you avoid unnecessary surgery  and difficult tests. 

Plus you can go about your daily activities without having to miss work while the pillcam sends images back to your doctor.  Later, the pillcam will be eliminated naturally through a bowel movement.

4. The VeriChip

Although this advancement still remains controversial, it does show promise for getting your medical information to your treating physician fast.  This could greatly aid in saving your life during an emergency,especially if you are unconscious and unable to speak.

A microchip, no larger than a grain of rice, is implanted inside your skin and it can be scanned by your doctor.  He will instantly know all about your medical condition and  and any prescriptions you may be taking.   The VeriChip will also help in avoiding medical errors.

5. MD-2 Personal Medication System

This device will help solve one of the biggest problems for the elderly, which is   taking medications properly.

The MD-2 Personal Medication System dispenses your medications on schedule so you won't have to remember.  Plus, if you don't take your meds or neglect them, it will contact up to three people by signaling that you could be in danger.

6. Portable Ultrasound Devices and CT Scanners

Diagnostic equipment of the future will be smaller and more compact.  This is very important because the ailing patient will no longer have to be transported to a hospital or doctor's office for imaging. 

CT Scanners that used to take up an entire room will get smaller and smaller until they may one day fit inside your nurse's car trunk.

Plus CT Scans will be providing clearer imaging  while exposing the patient to less radiation.

7. Easy Diabetic Screening without fasting, needles or body fluid workups

Scout is the new diabetes testing instrument that will instantly screen you for type 2 and pre-diabetes.  It is very similar to a blood pressure test.

All the patient has to do is lay his forearm on the Scout cradle and the optical probe will give the clinician instant results.    This is done with a fluorescence spectroscopy which measure advanced glycation  end products in the skin of the forearm.

The test quickly eliminates people who do not have diabetes and do not need further diagnostic work-ups.

21^st century medical care is being influenced as much by technology as chemistry.

Thanks to new, exciting and user-friendly tools, you will be in charge of your own medical care, which will give you the ability and confidence to live independently for much longer.   

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