Emerging technologies slowly infiltrate into all industries, even the most traditional ones. Even now, people continue rejecting innovations in healthcare because they're afraid of inanimate machines, complex algorithms, and changes. But it's pointless to stand against progress. According to Statista, the global MedTech revenue was $405 billion in 2017, and this number is growing yearly by 4% on average!
Medical and healthcare technologies simplify daily operations, improve customer service, help physicians to handle various tasks, and, most importantly, save the lives of patients. Without new tech, millions of people couldn't use a hearing aid, artificial limbs, or pacemakers. Without progress, we'd never see futuristic operating rooms or neonatal departments. Finally, it'd be impossible to cure or prevent dangerous diseases such as HIV/AIDS.
That's why we want to show you other examples of innovations that can change healthcare in 2020 and beyond. Meet the leaders!
Examples of Cutting-Edge Technologies
1. 3D Heart Models for Research
The majority of correct heart diagnoses require invasions. Obviously, such an approach is dangerous as it features high risk for patients. Charles Taylor from Stanford launched a project called HeartFlow to solve the case. The company creates 3D hearts, detailed models based on ultrasound scanning, and other non-invasive methods. Using these fully-rotatable and scalable hearts, doctors can diagnose diseases and suggest treatment.
2. AI that Detects Cancer
Lung cancer is a dangerous disease because its symptoms appear in the late stages when it's more difficult to cure. Moreover, early diagnoses aren't 100% correct. The US NIH reports that 2.5% of early scans led to false positives and even fatal results of non-required treatment! To solve the issues, a Google Health project headed by Shravya Shetty has completed an AI tool that detected 5% more lung cancer cases and featured 11% less false positives.
3. Big Data for Studies
Imagine a database that stores anonymous and protected health-related information of all people in the world. With it, researchers would be able to develop better drugs, study lifestyles, and suggest treatments. Evidation, a startup founded by Christine Lemke, tries to create such a database. It got the info from 3 million volunteers, anonymized data, and shared it with healthcare institutions. As for now, there are dozens of studies based on these insights.
4. Drones to Deliver Med Supplies
In this field, several companies are working actively. Most of all cases are experiments that focus on local areas where drones may be less efficient than human couriers. However, these successful projects open ways to broader coverage. On a national or even worldwide basis, drones can deliver blood, tissues, and drugs much faster than other transport means.
The mentioned companies are as follows:
- UPC Flight Forward- tested locally in hospitals in Raleigh, NC.
- Wing- an Alphabet-backed team that plans to partner with FedEx.
- Zipline- a startup that already delivers supplies to villages in Ghana and Rwanda.
5. Healthcare in Hypermarkets
A Walmart-based ground-breaking project started in September 2019. Known as Walmart Health, a massive 10,000 square-foot center opened its doors in Dallas, Georgia. It offers nearly everything in the field of healthcare: first aid, tests, exams, labs, training, etc. This approach is based on traditional retail mall services but focused on health and medical tasks. Apart from this first center, Walmart also has 19 smaller care clinics across the USA.
6. Machines to Scan All Documents
It's clear that humans just can't read all the scientific papers ever published. But machines definitely can. Joanna Shields, BenevolentAI CEO, aims at applying tech revolution principles to drug research. The startup features AI solutions that review various research docs, lab test results, and other papers to find how genes, health issues, and drugs correlate. After analysis of this data, experts hope to create more effective medicine.
7. Mind-Reading Wearables
Here's another futuristic case that is already possible. Designed by Thomas Reardon, a wristwatch called CTRL-kit allows people to send neuron impulses to the target machine directly, without using intermediaries - our muscles. The bracelet literally detects our thoughts. CTRL-kit has numerous potential use cases, from innovative rehabilitation for patients after amputation to people who have sclerosis or Parkinson's.
8. Stem Cells that Cure Diabetes
Needless to say that diabetes is one of the most widespread diseases. There are dozens of ways to cure symptoms or help patients to live a healthy life. However, Doug Melton from Semma Therapeutics decided to discover another innovation. For over ten years, he studies stem cells that can create replacement cells. Now, the company offers a small implantable gadget for tests. It contains millions of specific cells that remove the need for traditional treatment.
9. Ultrasound Scanning in Your Pocket
Medical imaging is a vital part of almost any diagnostics. But millions of people still don't have access to it because they can't afford these procedures or local clinics don't have the required equipment. Butterfly iQ, led by Jonathan Rothberg, packed the basic ultrasound scanning functionality in a small pocket gadget. Surely, it can't provide the same quality as large machines, but it's a viable first step for early diagnostics.
10. VR-Based Rehabs
Rehabilitation is often as complicated and challenging as the treatment itself. For patients with neurological problems, this is especially true. Trying to make rehabs more effective and less frustrating, Isabel Van der Keere launched Immersive Rehab - a startup that applies VR technologies. According to the idea, VR can speed up recovery, deliver more data, and make the processes more entertaining. Now, the company is preparing clinical trials.
Non-Tech Innovations in Healthcare
Apart from pure tech ideas for medical software development, there are other promising things. Mostly, they relate to management, human resources, business models, and customers. Proper strategies focused on all these fields can generate additional value for any health/med-related business.
The most intriguing ideas shared by prominent industry experts are as follows:
- Attract community resourcesby communicating with locals.
- Cooperate with startupsthat will disrupt the healthcare industry soon.
- Enable membershipsin innovative developments to expand the talent pool.
- Integrate simpler and more efficient paymentsto facilitate operations.
- Make regular venture investmentsinto healthcare studies, push them to get results.
- Switch the focus from physicians to patients, enable the customer-first approach.
Conclusions
While digital technologies change different industries, healthcare remains slightly old-fashioned. Partially, it's because of strict regulatory and compliance standards that prevent innovators from launching new solutions immediately. In other cases, traditional companies prevent startups from delivering next-gen diagnostics and treatments because they don't want to lose their control over the market.
Still, the progress is unstoppable. We're sure that new technologies will reshape the industry entirely soon. And we will watch for these changes.
