This is how treatment changed in 25 years
There have been major changes in the health sector in the last 25 years. Around the year 2000, medical facilities were not so good. But now the picture is completely different. Now for every problem one does not have to go to the doctor, stand in long queues and wait for days for the report. Be it telemedicine (prescribing medicines online) or AI, today’s treatment has become much easier than before. Diseases are being identified on time and everything from surgery to organ transplant is being done easily.
If we go back 25 years, then CT Scan and MRI facilities were available only in big cities. But now it is in small cities. Now 3T Tesla MRI machines are also being used in many places. These machines scan the inside of the body so well that hidden diseases of the heart and brain and other organs can be easily detected.
At that time, there was no better facility for PET Scan, but now it is there and its report also comes within a few days, due to which the identification of diseases like cancer is becoming easier. Decades ago, it used to take 4 to 5 days for blood test results to arrive. Now it comes even in a few hours. Now surgery neither requires a big incision nor one has to stay in the hospital for many days. Now with robotic surgery, the operation is done in a few minutes and recovery also takes place on the same day.
(Robotic Surgery and AI)
Now treatment also means personalized care
Professor Dr. Subhash Giri, Director, Department of Medicine, RML Hospital, Delhi. It is said that treatment has changed so much in the last 25 years that now the patient does not need to go to the hospital every time. Telemedicine has made things easier. This trend started increasing during the Corona epidemic, which has now become a necessity. The biggest benefit of this is being given to those patients for whom it is a bit difficult to come to the hospital. Telemedicine is proving to be very beneficial for everyone from the elderly to pregnant women.
Now people have become very aware about mental health also. Telemedicine has also become a boon for patients suffering from mental illnesses.
Dr. Subhash says that now the identification of the disease has become much easier than before. From minor problems to serious diseases like cancer, they are being identified quickly. Now AI is catching cancer. CT Scan and MRI machines are also helping. Earlier CT Scan machines had more radiation and less clarity, but now 3D and 4D imaging has come in it. It is so much better that now even the heartbeat is clearly visible.
Dr. Giri says that now treatment has become personalized. This means that now treatment is done keeping in mind the patient’s age, genetics and lifestyle. Patients have also become more aware than before. Now he also takes second opinion. He is more aware about diseases and is also getting treatment on time. Now with the help of AI, diseases are also being identified easily. The health sector has changed completely in 25 years.
(Treatment changed like this in 25 years)
Treatment of women’s diseases became easier
Dr. Saloni Chaddha, Associate Professor in the Department of Gynecology at RML Hospital, Delhi. She says that till 25 years ago, women were not as aware about their diseases as they are now. Awareness has increased and so have the methods of treatment. Earlier, problems like period pain, not getting periods on time and lump in the breast were also avoided, but now it is not so. Now women are aware about these diseases and are also getting tested.
At that time, there were less ultrasound and blood tests for women and risk pregnancy was identified late, but now it is not so. Now women can deliver easily even in high risk pregnancies. Now it takes only 15 to 20 minutes from operation to delivery. Now facilities like NIPT test and digital fetal monitoring have come for the child.
Dr Saloni says that now the tests have also changed so much that the report comes in a few hours. Those diseases are also being identified which were not detected earlier.
(Test facilities)
Improved facilities for children
Dr. Pinaki Debnath, in the Department of Pediatric Surgery at RML Hospital, Delhi, says that in the last 25 years, different medicines and different treatment protocols have been made for the treatment of children. Till 25 to 30 years ago, such medicines were given to children which were used by adults also, only their dosage was reduced, but now separate medicines are made for children. There is a large range of medicines in the market ranging from syrups to medicines. Now vaccines are available to prevent many serious diseases. Earlier, special ICUs for newborns and critical children were not available in every hospital, but now almost every good hospital has this facility.
Dr. Pinaki explains that now the dosage of medicines is according to the age and weight of the children. Now vaccines like Hepatitis-B, Pneumococcal, Rotavirus are available in vaccination, due to which serious diseases have reduced significantly. Till 25 years ago, if a newborn baby was born prematurely, saving its life was a challenge. But now special care centers have been built for premature babies. Now the survival rate of prematurely born children has increased manifold. This is a big change in the last 25 years.