By Jason Scott

COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY IN THE

MEDICAL FIELD IN 2025

3D Printing of biocompatible organsVirtual doctors’ appointmentsDigital Records

FUTURE OF MEDICINE

3D printed ear (Ledford, 2015)

3D printing of organs is already in use in the medical fi eld Nature.com states that “the business is currently focused

on titanium replacement hip joints, which can be tailored to fi t individual people, and made-to-order polymer bones to reconstruct damaged skulls and fi ngers” (Ledford, 2015).

In the future, technologies may use live cells as ‘ink’ for the printer in order to assemble tissues for the organs (Ledford, 2015). Jennifer Lewis, a bioengineer at Harvard University, says that unfortunately printed whole organs to help with the liver and kidney transplant shortage may not be possible because of their “complicated architectures” (Ledford 2015).

3D PRINTING

(Ledford, 2015)

With the internet and all of the devices, patients and doctors can have faster communication regarding the patients health

Instead of going to the doctor’s offi ce, a patient could video chat with the doctor

A virtual doctor’s appointment does however limit the doctor’s ability to perform a physical exam

Scienceroll.com suggests that social media will also help “store medical pieces of information either for e-patients or medical professionals” (Mesko 2013).

VIRTUAL APPOINTMENTS

(Mesko 2013)

Completely digital records with no paper trailThe medical field has already begun to limit the use

of paper records In 2025, we will have only laptops or tablets in the doctor’s offi ces where all information will be sent to you via email or AirDrop, e.g. prescriptions or vaccination records.

DIGITAL RECORDS

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Critical Mass TheorySocial Learning Theory/Social Cognitive TheoryPrinciple of Relative Constancy

COMMUNICATION THEORIES

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The Critical Mass Theory is defi ned as: when users known as the critical mass (innovators and early adopters) are “a small segment of the population that chooses to make big contributions to the public good” (Grant & Meadows, 2014).

Also, “technologies become more useful if everyone in the system is using the technology, a goal known as ‘universal access’” (Grant & Meadows, 2014).

This is important for medical technology because a small number of

doctors and their staff will start using the new technology before others will, most likely younger individuals.

CRITICAL MASS THEORY

https://technologytheorieswiki.wikispaces.com

Social Learning Theory/Social Cognitive Theory is defined as “how people learn by modeling others” i.e. when “observational learning occurs when watching another person model the behavior” (Grant & Meadows, 2014).

In 2025, medical conferences will be held to educate doctors and their staff about new technology that can be implemented in their own offi ces and hospitals

SOCIAL LEARNING/SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORY

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The Principle of Relative Constancy is defi ned as when “people spend a constant fraction of their disposable income on mass media over time” (Grant & Meadows, 2014).

Also, “if new technology is introduced, in order for adoption to happen, the new technology has to be compelling enough for the adopter to give up something else” (Grant & Meadows, 2014).

In 2025, the more doctors and staff that are willing to contribute to the wave of new technology, the more the new technology will be compelling to the rest of the medical professionals. For example, 3D printing can be a better option for the shortage of transplant organs.

THE PRINCIPLE OF RELATIVE CONSTANCY

(Ledford, 2015)

Grant, A. E., & Meadows, J. H. (2014). Communication Technology Update and Fundamentals. New York:

Focal Press.Ledford, H. (2015). The printing of organs coming to a body near you. Nature, 520(7547), 1-7. doi:10.1038/520273a.Mesko, B. (2013). 20 potential technological advances in the future of medicine: part I. ScienceRoll. Retrieved from http://scienceroll.com/2013/08/01/20-potential-technological-advances-in-the-future-of-medicine-part-i/

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REFERENCES