Health technology for self-care from home

We’re living in an exciting time for health, as new innovations and technology are driving a myriad of ways we can look after ourselves, get better care, and create healthier lives, at the click of a button or the tap of a screen. Many of the innovations and technologies now available are things we can use and do ourselves, even from the comfort of our own homes.

Health Technology

Supporting traditional modes of medical care, there are now extremely convenient, compact and accessible devices to measure all sorts of health data in our lives. It’s not uncommon now to see portable blood pressure and heart rate monitors that can fit in a pocket or handbag, smartwatches that track these same metrics and apps that help us maintain our diet and daily activity. 

For those who are really serious, gluten-testing devices and handheld air quality monitors are also available.

You can do everything from tracking fertility cycles with a bracelet, to taking care of respiratory health by measuring the quality of your home’s air and environment and improving humidity through a device no bigger than a water bottle.

Even water bottles themselves have stepped up their game! It’s now possible to get self-cleaning and water-purifying drink bottles – just press a button and UV light gets to work on your water. 

Sleep Apnea Technology

We can use technology at home to help us sleep better, and to get up easier in the morning too. Often overlooked for other life priorities, quality sleep is widely touted as one of the best ways we can support better health throughout our lives.

At the more serious end of the spectrum, sleep apnea  (CPAP - or continuous positive airway pressure) machines are now readily used in many homes, making a hugely beneficial change in user’s lives.

Lifestyle Technology

On the lifestyle end of night-time technologies, circadian rhythm-boosting night-lights are now readily available, which help to gently awaken you with timer-controlled natural light that eases you into your day without the grogginess of a shock alarm. 

Many of us, particularly in the wake of gym closures due to Covid-19, have now taken to online health and fitness from home, from meditation and yoga, to wellness seminars, to gym-style exercise classes all now easily available online through subscription services and apps. 

So it just makes sense that general healthcare has followed suit, redesigning how services are offered to provide the convenience and accessibility we have come to expect from every aspect of our lives. Because no matter what health challenge you are looking to overcome, having a doctor to talk to about your health and who can guide you through all the possible solutions, is a vital part of your day-to-day care.

This is why we started Bettr – to help provide easy, affordable and convenient access to healthcare, for every Kiwi who needs it. Through Bettr, you can now see an experienced, registered New Zealand doctor from home for a large range of common health concerns. You can get prescriptions filled, get advice, diagnosis and care, and best of all, you can make it all fit in around the rest of your busy life, with appointments available, from virtually anywhere, 7 days a week, 8 am - 8 pm. 

While other health tech inventions may remain niche, good quality, convenient healthcare that makes use of technology is an innovation that we’re sure is here to stay.

You can book an appointment now to see one of our online doctors.