As in other areas of life, technology has made traveling easier than ever. In the past, one often needed to rely on a travel agent’s wisdom to ensure smooth a smooth journey—and even then, any number of things might go wrong. Technology has enabled the modern traveler to take a more hands-on approach to travel. Millennials, unsurprisingly, have embraced the increased flexibility technology affords, but these developments will benefit anyone desiring both a less stressful and more adventurous journey. Here are just a few ways technology is making travel easier than ever before.

Ease of Research

Gone are the days of relying on a travel agent for the low-down on travel spots. Nowadays, all one needs is a browser. More importantly, the quantity and quality of available information are unprecedented. A multitude of websites feature testimonials and advice from seasoned trekkers about where to stay and what to do. Many sites cater to niche interests and are especially useful for those looking to avoid touristy destinations.

Choosing Where You Stay

Likewise, vacationers are spoiled for choice when it comes to places to stay. Booking your stay has never been easier. No longer tied to motels and hotels or staying with friends and relatives, with the help of apps like Airbnb, VRBO, and Couchsurfing, one can stay in off-the-grid places like hostels and private houses. Such options are perfect for those traveling on a budget, or who want the experience of staying in local neighborhoods, or who like the convenience of having amenities such as a kitchen or washing machine. Vacation rental earnings are expected to grow over the next few years, so one can expect no shortage of places to stay both nationally and internationally.

Getting Places

Web mapping services like Google Maps offer not just the maps of old but also real-time condition reports. They assist in navigating not just streets and terrain but also unpredictable local conditions such as traffic and weather. In the past, often one could end up stuck or even stranded in an unfamiliar setting. Now, the intrepid nomad can easily bypass potential misfortune with but a quick glance at their smartphone.

Translation

One of the most overlooked travel boons afforded by technology must be translation apps. In the past, when staying in a foreign locale for any substantial length of time, you might need a language course prior. Or at the very least, have a phrasebook at the ready. Neither option guaranteed being understood by the locals, particularly when encountering local dialects. Today, your smartphone can launch increasingly powerful translation apps. They do everything from translating street signs to real-time voice translations. Best of all, many are free.

Electronic Payments

Digital wallets and electronic payments are another overlooked advance. Granted, in the past, traveler’s checks ensured a degree of safety. They were refundable if lost or stolen. However, digital wallets provide an even greater measure of safety as the user’s credit card and other information are encrypted–thus useless to a would-be thief. It also provides convenience. An e-wallet can be linked to multiple funding sources, including credit cards, checking and online payment platforms like PayPal. Finally, e-wallet money transfer apps can handle currency conversions on the fly. No need to worry about obscure currency exchange rates that can fluctuate widely. Digital wallets offer a flexibility that traveler’s checks can never match.

Lighter Suitcase

When the iPod and smartphone arrived in the 2000s, they set off a revolution in how we consume media. Their small form factor played a sizable role in their immediate adoption, and nomads quickly grew to appreciate the extra space now present when packing for an extended trip. Instead of making room for a camera, MP3 player or books, today a single device stores all of this media and more. Packing may still be an art, but these devices free up a lot of space.

Digital Photography and the Cloud

Digital photography enabled novice shutterbugs to learn their craft without worrying about the cost of film. Today, even casual photographers can take great-looking photographs with their smartphones given recent hardware and software advances. A tourist can document an entire trip with their smartphone and not have to worry about expensive and delicate camera gear. As onboard memory becomes full, all one needs is an internet connection to back up these precious snaps. Cloud storage services have become ubiquitous and many are cheap or even free. Some, like Google Photo and Flickr, cater to amateur and professional photographers alike, offering vast storage plans and built-in filter apps. Best of all, the traveler can archive their photos throughout the journey.

Keeping in Touch

In years past, conferring with family and friends back home could be a frustrating proposition. Phone calls could be prohibitively expensive—if indeed a phone could even be found in some locales. Likewise, letters and postcards might take days and weeks to reach their intended recipients. Nowadays, communication is decidedly cheaper and easier. Social media sites like Facebook and Instagram allow for frequent, instantaneous status reports. Telecommunication applications such as Skype enable the traveler to call family at a far cheaper per-minute rate than previously. In fact, given a decent internet connection, Skype and other services allow the vacationer to view and hear far-away loved ones. Keeping in touch has never been more stress-free.

Technological advances have made travel undeniably easier. However, as these examples illustrate, tech has had another, perhaps more subtle effect. Explorers can now personalize their travel experience to an unprecedented degree. Thanks to the internet, off-the-beaten-track destinations are no longer tightly held secrets. Likewise, smart tech means that travelers can revise itineraries on the fly in the midst of their journey. If time and resources permit, a tourist might decide on a whim to travel to an unplanned locale, armed with a knowledge of what to expect. Meanwhile, the traveler can fully–and attractively–document the experience from beginning to end. Next-generation technology, in short, has provided unparalleled options for trekkers.

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Surgery continues to move further into the age of robotics and other technological methods of making surgery safer and with less risk for the patient. Noninvasive brain and other surgeries, as well as virtual surgery, are becoming more common with fewer lives lost. New inventions can be implanted into the body of a person who has cancer that will tell the doctor how the cancer-fighting medications are faring and which ones are actually doing the job they are meant to do, which is to kill the cancer cells. It is becoming more likely that the next time you have surgery you will not have to undergo invasive treatment to fight your disease.

Simulated Surgery

Many people like video games, but did you know that they are also being used to improve surgical procedures? Making a game of surgery has become increasingly popular and has been helping to save lives. With the use of graphics and virtual reality, surgeons are able to practice new and/or unfamiliar surgeries without fear of harming the patient. These methods are not unlike playing the games that the surgeon quite possibly grew up on or even play now. The surgery in question is programmed as closely as possible to the actual surgery along with mistakes that could happen programmed as well. If the surgeon does option one then this will be the outcome. It gives the surgeon a chance to learn before putting scalpel to the skin and therefore potentially saving a life before the surgery begins.

Someday simulated surgery could be used for all surgeries, but for now, it is most effective for those difficult or delicate procedures due to cost. Surgeries on the brain, eyes and facial reconstruction are some of the most widely tested surgeries via simulation. These are all very complex surgeries, so the fact that doctors can practice these surgeries beforehand is very helpful for their training.

Alternative Methods

Almost any alternative to going under the knife is preferred by both patient and physician. Laparoscopy has been found to perform surgery with safer results, less fear of infection, and faster recuperation. Not only that, but it is also less expensive to perform and for the patient in the long run. Orthopedists are finding that acupuncture and chiropractor visits for shoulder and other skeletal surgery can benefit the patient with less pain with often the same results. Stem cells are being used to restore delicate joint tissue in rotator cuffs and other areas with degenerative disease.

An alternative to weight loss surgery called CoolSculpting breaks down fat cells. Its spot freezes the fat in problem areas with cryolipolysis. CoolSculpting can be used in delicate areas such as chin and jawline as well as common areas of surgical reduction like tummy, hips, and thighs. This non-invasive method of killing fat cells can transform your body without surgery, and the dead cells will leave your system after several months’ time.

Huggable Robots for Kids

Gauging a child’s pain can be difficult, especially when they are too young to express what’s going on with them. Huggable is a cuddly bear with robot insides. This squeezable invention eases pain in children and adults, making hospital stays and illness easier to handle. Playing with Huggable can take a child’s mind off of pain or being away from home. When a child is hurting, the strength with which she hugs Huggable is captured and data translates into how much pain she is in. Kids can talk to Huggable and perhaps say things they wouldn’t say to their parents or the medical staff. Huggable can talk back, and the conversations are collected and help the doctor in further diagnosing and treating the child’s illness. Huggable is also available for use with a screen, and some kids might prefer that to the cuddly stuffed version.

Adults like to hug Huggable as well, but they also use him for company or for having someone to talk to when they’re lonely or for playing games. Adults often cannot express their fears and pain just as children cannot. Huggable can be used for patients with Alzheimer’s disease or other diseases that have caused speech and cognitive difficulties. Huggable can take them back to their childhood and, as with kids, can be a comfort in a scary place.

So much of technology seems to be from another world, and that is not apt to change. The more we learn about human beings and technology; the more inventions are being created to help bridge the gap between the two. Invasive surgery is not the only way. Patients heal better with less pain and less intrusion into their bodies. It is becoming possible for science and humanity to coexist.

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Telemedicine is becoming increasingly popular with doctors and patients. The convenient, easy-to-use technology has expanded patient access to important health services. This guide will explore several telemedicine benefits and how it has helped improve healthcare access for specific patient groups.

Helps Diagnosis

Getting an appointment at a doctor’s office can sometimes take a few weeks. With telemedicine services, patients are able to see a doctor from the comfort of their own home in just a few minutes. If a patient wakes up with a fever or notices a rash that has developed suddenly, he or she can get it checked out that same day with a virtual consultation. This could enable faster diagnosis and an easier treatment process.

Telemedicine also helps patients who are seeking a second opinion about a health issue. According to PinnacleCare, lack of access to doctors and medical centers is a major reason people don’t seek a second opinion. With telemedicine services, patients are able to have a doctor take a second look at their health concern, and this could give the patient peace of mind and guide him or her to new treatments. Telemedicine is particularly convenient for patients who need frequent follow-up care. They are able to have a follow-up appointment from their home, making it easier for them to attend and increasing their rapport with their physician.

Greater Rural Patient Coverage

Rural areas can have very limited access to medical care, and patients from these areas may have to travel hundreds of miles to attend a clinic appointment. According to ezTalks, telemedicine enables patients in rural areas to see a doctor much more easily and quickly than would otherwise be possible. Even in rural areas with primary care doctors, patients may only be able to choose from two or three different healthcare providers, and they might not have access to specialists. By using telemedicine, patients are able to choose from more doctors, and they can easily contact specialists for their particular health condition. These benefits could potentially improve the quality of the care they receive and provide a better treatment outcome.

Increased Access for Uninsured Patients

Patients without health insurance are often unable to see a doctor at all, and those who do may only be able to obtain medical care at community clinics or county health departments. This situation may have a negative impact on the patient’s quality of life, and it tends to make treatment outcomes worse. Even when uninsured patients are able to see a doctor, they may not have access to the highest quality care, and they might not receive the latest treatments.

Many telemedicine services accept uninsured patients, and according to Healthcare Innovation, they are much cheaper than a typical in-person consultation. They have a much wider range of doctors and specialists than most community clinics and health departments, and patients who use telemedicine may be able to receive updated advice on the latest treatments for their health concerns. Since many telemedicine services have evening and weekend availability, the patient won’t have to take time off of work to go to a doctor’s appointment.

As technology continues to improve, the field of telemedicine will continue to grow. Major health insurers and healthcare networks now provide their own telemedicine services, and telemedicine companies are developing as well. In the coming years, telemedicine may expand patient access even more, and more and more doctors will hopefully be inspired to participate in this important health service.

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