Medical technology advances in the last 50 years may have changed the practice of medicine, but they have also saved lives, increased access to care and improved quality of life. A brief look back to medicine in the 1960s may render a more realistic picture of the past — and point the way to a more hopeful future.

How has medicine changed in the last 100 years?

In the past 100 years, social and technological changes have drastically changed the way in which patients are treated in hospitals for the better. ... The length of stay for recovery from procedures has declined substantially thanks to technological advances that have also allowed for an increase in outpatient surgeries.

How has medicine changed our lives?

Advances in medicine have enriched the quality and prolonged the lives of humankind. These medical advances have come in the form increased basic medical knowledge, diagnostic abilities, and treatment options including medicinal and surgical approaches.