A pacemaker was half the size of a hockey stick fifty years ago. Today it is smaller than an AAA battery. The commitment to improving medical care is a driving force behind the development of new technologies.
The National Center for Health Statistics reports that medical technology has reduced the number of stroke-related deaths by more than half since 1980. The average American life expectancy has increased by more than five years in that time period.
Medical technology advances are dramatically improving patient outcomes, reducing costs and allowing people to live longer, healthier lives. In fact, medical technology has improved patient outcomes and health system savings since 1976. St. Jude MedicalIt has saved the lives of over 70 million people with its life-saving technology.
Connecting with doctors via smart technology is one way patients can benefit today from medical tech innovation. Many medical devices can be used to remotely monitor patients. These transmitters transmit data to doctors and allow them to see their condition without having to travel. Telemedicine can help people with chronic illnesses or vulnerable people access health care.
Innovative partnerships are being explored by medical technology companies to increase patient awareness and improve patient outcomes. Mended Hearts is an example of a group that supports heart-failure patients with an LVAD (left ventricular assistance device). Thanks to an LVAD contest (www.thankslvad.com), the patient advocacy group and global medical device manufacturer, St. Jude Medical, teamed up to educate and inspire people living with heart failure and increase awareness of LVADs as a potentially life-saving treatment.
Companies like St. Jude Medical lead the way in solving some of the most difficult health-care problems around the globe today. New medical-technology innovations allow physicians to diagnose patients earlier, perform less invasive procedures, and manage their diseases better. Scientists, engineers, and inventors come up with innovative ways to save lives and improve the treatment of costly epidemic diseases.
