6 Technologies That Will Change Healthcare

By Kayla Matthews, Productivity Bytes

The World Health Organization more than 70 years ago declared healthcare a fundamental human right. Many developed nations have since ratified this declaration by implementing universal healthcare programs. This is considered a controversial issue in the U.S., but public sentiment is on the cusp of catching up.

With the application of emerging technologies, this moment could turn into a perfect storm for healthcare. Technology is forcing the hand of insurance companies and healthcare conglomerates by driving down prices, improving efficiency and helping us achieve better health outcomes.

Here are six technologies we can expect to bring huge changes in the healthcare market for 2020 and beyond.

1. AI And Advanced Analytics

We’re only just getting started tapping the potential of AI. That includes the various healthcare fields. But it all has to start with data.

A study from 2017 sought to find out whether hospitals are adopting electronic health records (EHRs) and, if so, whether they’re using EHRs for patient engagement and to more proactively treat health complications.

The researchers found that more than 80 percent of hospitals in the U.S. had adopted EHRs, while only 37.5 percent of hospitals are currently using eight or more of the study’s identified “performance and patient engagement functions.”

These functions include the ability to automatically screen patients for the likelihood of developing chronic or serious conditions based on data gathered during each interaction. Proactivity in medicine is huge for achieving positive outcomes, and AI makes it possible through Big Data and advanced analytics.

2. Personalized Medications

As of 2017, the 3D printing market in the healthcare sector was worth $578 million. Between now and 2024, researchers say, it could reach a compound annual growth rate of 20 percent or more. The production of highly effective and personalized medications is one of the first ways 3D printing will manifest in healthcare.

For children especially, dialing in dosages while medicating for life-impacting conditions is difficult. But 3D printers produce the right dosages and formulations for every patient, every time, while simultaneously moving the means of production closer to the end user.

Parents involved with trial runs are already reporting how much easier life is when dosage isn’t a concern and they know every prescription was bespoke-manufactured for their child’s unique condition.

3. 3D-Printed Prostheses, Organs, Bones And Tissues

The concept of 3D printing is decades old, but we’re only now realizing the manifold ways it’s likely to disrupt manufacturing — including prostheses, care devices and even skin, tissue, bone and organ transplants.

For patients who rely on prostheses for manipulation or mobility, achieving the correct fit is paramount. 3D printing helps these patients by allowing doctors to create prostheses that more fully conform to the patient’s body and work with their other limbs more harmoniously. Prostheses produced this way are cheaper, too.

Then, there’s the likelihood of 3D-printing functional human tissues and organs. Some groups have reported success grafting 3D-printed bone into dogs and other animals. Interestingly, the human heart is one of the likeliest candidates for organ transplants using 3D printing.

4. Compressed Air

Compressed air is maturing rapidly as a reliable way to power, clean and dry important equipment, tools and other assets in the healthcare field.

Compressed air has been a staple in the pharmaceutical industry, dentistry and general healthcare for years. But it’s become steadily more relevant as healthcare has grown into a “staple” industry across the world with ever-more-stringent quality and cleanliness regulations.

According to the most recent pharmaceutical product recalls requiring FDA intervention, a considerable number carry notes like, “microbial contamination,” “lack of sterility assurance” and “potential for nonsterility.” Other reasons include the presence of glass particulates and other contaminants.

We’ll never nip 100 percent of these recalls in the bud, but compressed air can get us much closer. Manufacturers that maintain ISO-certified facilities are in a prime position to supply compressed air systems to clinics, hospitals and manufacturing entities that need reassurance that they can clean and dry their equipment in between patients or batches without fear of contamination and spreading illness to other patients and customers.

5. Virtual Care And Telemedicine

Telemedicine is one of the next healthcare technologies that’s likely to achieve widespread adoption. One study found that 38 percent of physicians and 36 percent of consumers see “virtual presence” tools as an inevitable addition to healthcare markets. A slightly smaller cohort believes “virtual hospitals” are inevitable.

We can see the pieces coming together. Smartphone application developers are actively chasing FDA approval for apps that can identify skin and respiratory conditions in the patient using their smartphone microphones, cameras and other hardware.

Some publishing doctors have given apps like these tentative endorsements, but they also admit that further study is needed to fully judge their effectiveness.

Telemedicine is likely to have a more immediate impact. Veterans, senior citizens and those with mobility problems are already using secure patient video portals to check in with doctors or provide status updates. As these systems mature, they will greatly cut down on congestion in doctors’ offices and, potentially, help avoid unnecessary clinic visits.

6. Blockchain

Not every company is on the same page about cybersecurity and not every patient understands why medical information is so highly sought on the black market. When shady people want to file false insurance claims, use your identity to order prescriptions or engage in other predatory practices, one way they do so is through compromised health data.

Applying blockchain to healthcare cybersecurity will help in two ways:

• First, it ensures that any information on the blockchain cannot be altered or removed by third parties.
• Second, “permissioned blockchains” improve in-house security in healthcare facilities by imposing access restrictions on blockchain systems.

Blockchain-based access controls and patient data verification could take a bite out of Medicaid fraud. In 2019, the FBI dismantled the biggest healthcare fraud scheme in U.S. history, valued at $1.2 billion.

The Future Of Effective Healthcare

The conclusion here is that, even if some healthcare markets in the world have a lot of maturing to do, the technological pieces of the puzzle are coming together. Patients are ready for better outcomes and lower prices — and technology is increasingly able to deliver it.

About The Author

Kayla Matthews is a MedTech writer whose work has appeared on HIT Consultant, Medical Economics and HITECH Answers, among other industry publications. To read more from Kayla, please connect with her on LinkedIn, or visit her personal tech blog at https://productivitybytes.com.