It should be no surprise that a global pandemic is causing a lot of people to think about their future. One of the top concerns is the future of health care innovation.
With over $26 billion invested in digital healthcare startups since 2008, we can expect change and progress for our health.
Check out these innovations that could change the course of modern medicine.
1. Stem Cell Cures
Stem cell research has raised eyebrows concerning ethical and moral issues in the medical community. In recent years, significant progress has been made with stem cells to cure diseases.
Type 1 diabetes creates a life of careful eating, doctor appointments, and insulin injections. Semma Therapeutics has developed groundbreaking technology to help mitigate some of these hassles by inventing an implant.
The implanted device uses stem cells to create beta cells that produce insulin.
So far, the technology has worked in animals. As they await human trials, millions of people hope for this small implant to change the way they eat and work. You can also check out meticore or peak bioboost.
2. Drone Delivery
The drone industry started out as an aviation hobby but is now a legitimate contender to revolutionize the logistics aspect of healthcare.
One advantage of drone delivery includes shorter wait times for medicine and important medical equipment. Hospitals and pharmacies can also save money by not hiring delivery people.
In the United States, the FAA has approved some logistics companies for beta testing with restrictions. Soon, you’ll be receiving your prescriptions minutes after seeing a doctor.
Remote parts of the world can also receive inoculations and medicine, extending lifespan and improving the quality of life for everyone.
3. Health Care Innovation With 3D Printing
Different 3D printers can make everything from small figurines to entire houses. The medical community affords new opportunities for 3D printing.
A patient who has suspected heart issues might need invasive procedures to determine the cause of problems. The risk of these procedures arises with complications.
A company called Heartflow uses 3D printed hearts to evaluate the risk and angles of surgery to perform diagnostics. The attending doctor can practice or simulate surgery as many times as needed before doing an actual procedure.
Other applications include printing prosthetics or replacing bones. The speed and ease of printing limbs and bones will lower the cost for doctors and patients. Additionally, labs can also upload their designs and print plans to share.
From a construction perspective, clinics and hospitals can be set up in just a few days for remote villages or areas. Forward operating clinics can quickly be built for disaster areas during the aftermath of hurricanes or terrorist attacks.
There may be a future when every physical aspect of the medical field is built and controlled by 3D printing.
4. Artificial Intelligence
Millions of scientific research papers are published every year. The peer-review process does as much as possible to limit repetitive efforts; however, humans have limitations. Many industries are embracing AI technology, to help consumers with everything from shopping for cars, obtaining real estate appraisals, and even to obtaining insurance coverage. As an example, AI technology can assist life insurance for type 1 diabetes obtain coverage using non medical exam underwriting.
It can be difficult to connect research and screen everything due to language barriers and the overwhelming number of papers. However, it’s possible for a computer to handle this huge task.
BenevolentAI uses artificial intelligence and algorithms to read every medical and scientific paper. This technology won’t be limited to just published work. The AI will read the research, clinical trial results, and anything related to science.
The purpose of the AI will be to link research, flag repetitive published works, and pursue relationships between fields that might have been missed.
Artificial intelligence has received some criticism in recent times with companies trying to automate censors and oversight. The results have produced concern among governments and consumers alike.
BenevolentAI will ease the tension and fears of the public by providing a service that will further medical innovation.
5. Tricorder
The Star Trek tricorder is a medical device of science fiction… for now.
The first step to treating any disease is being able to correctly and quickly identify the health complication. Imagine a device that could instantly tell a doctor if a patient was sick, what’s wrong, and the most effective treatment.
According to Dr. Peter Diamandis of the X Prize Foundation, this should happen in the next five years. His organization is offering a $10 million prize to anyone who can invent a working tricorder.
An invention of this magnitude will automate the medical industry. When this technology becomes widely accessible, you should see declines in hospital visits.
Physicians and nurses will have a higher rate of early diagnosis to start treatment sooner before things get worse. Doctors who are ready to get their feet wet with office automation should visit this website.
6. Telemedicine
Do you have a doctor that you love? If you move away or can’t make it into an appointment, telemedicine might be the best option.
Telemedicine is the practice of performing appointments and treatments between patients and medical professionals remotely. Both parties will use computer screens or smartphones to communicate and evaluate illness or injury.
You can avoid transportation issues, scheduling conflicts, and distance by utilizing telemedicine. People who are highly infectious can stay at home and receive help.
Medical professionals can also use remote technology to conduct meetings, work from home with their blaux portable ac, and share paperwork. Any medical work completed via screens or smart technology can be considered telehealth.
Convenience and cost will push more medical professionals to utilize remote options to conduct business.
7. Medical Imaging
Ultrasounds are used for more than just detecting and viewing babies. Ultrasounds also help find tissue damage not visible to the eye.
The Butterfly iQ is a handheld imaging device that plugs straight into a smartphone. Created by a Yale genetics researcher, this device shrinks normal ultrasound technology down to a single chip.
While the invention is constantly being improved, the quality isn’t as good as normal ultrasound machines, but it’s a step in the right direction.
Into the Future
The outlook of modern medicine is excellent. Current health care innovations will make our lives better and longer.
As we go into the future, the best and brightest minds will be working hard to ensure our safety and health.
Please keep scrolling if you’re interested in more unique health articles.
Daniel Casciato is a highly accomplished healthcare writer, publisher, and product reviewer with 20 years of experience in the industry. He is the proud owner and publisher of Healthcare Business Today, a leading source for the healthcare industry's latest news, trends, and analysis.
Daniel founded Healthcare Business Today in 2015 to provide healthcare professionals and enthusiasts with timely, well-researched content on the latest healthcare news, trends, and technologies. Since then, he has been at the forefront of healthcare writing, specializing in product reviews and featured stories.
His expertise in the healthcare industry is evident from the numerous publications he has written for, including Cleveland Clinic's Health Essentials, Health Union, EMS World, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Providence Journal, and The Tribune-Review. He has also written content for top-notch clients, such as The American Heart Association, Choice Hotels, Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America, Culver's Restaurants, Google Earth, and Southwest Airlines.
Daniel's work has been instrumental in educating the public and healthcare professionals about the latest industry innovations. In addition, his dedication and passion for healthcare writing have earned him a reputation as a trusted and reliable source of information in the industry.
Through Healthcare Business Today, Daniel is committed to sharing his knowledge and expertise with the world, contributing to the growth and development of the healthcare industry.
