Seven Best technologies with potential to change the healthcare industry

Technological advancements in the healthcare industry have transformed the global healthcare extremely. Aspects like declining healthcare budgets, ever-increasing population, growth in chronic illnesses are forcing government and healthcare providers to adopt innovative technologies for proffering a solution to these challenges.

Subsequently, the worldwide healthcare industry is primarily in the position to be the key driver of new technological advancements like the Internet of Things [ IoT]. Devices such as the smart watch, smart phone and other emerging technologies will be a major driving force of this revolution.

1.       Digital Therapy

There are healthcare interventions given to the patients through devices like a laptop or smart phone. These devices combine medical therapy/practice into a digital form. Computerized cognitive behavioral therapy [ CBT] is a new collection of automated digital therapies whose objective is to proffer CBT at a scale with better engagement.

2.       Artificial Intelligence [ AI] & Machine learning

Machine learning is a type of Artificial Intelligence that provides learning capabilities to computers without being overtly programmed. Thus, the computers can adapt themselves and transform according to the requirement, i.e. when they are exposed to a new set of data. With Artificial Intelligence, there will be an enormous amount of information to explore. In fact, several technology conglomerates have already started investing in this technologies.

3.       Liquid Biopsies

Liquid biopsies is a technology programmed to detect liver and other kinds of cancer at a very initial stages, even before they symptoms show themselves. This is done by sequencing the DNA by few drops of blood collected from the person. As per many experts, the liquid biopsies rely on the gene sequencing machines, that could help scientists and researchers to detect specific patters of rearranged DNA that are tellingsigns of a cancerous tumor.

4.       Implantable drug delivery systems

As per healthcare technology market research, it is forecasted thatapproximately third and half of all the medicines prescribed to patients with long-term health conditions are not taken in the correct format as prescribed by the physicians. Upcoming technologies have the capability of changing this by equipping professionals with the power of continuous monitoring.

The market research also includes that in future, there could be a sensor technology, so small that it can be swallowed with drugs in a tablet form. So as soon as the pill dissolves in the stomach, the sensor is activated and transmits needed information to the smartphone device.

5.       Genome Sequencing

Major development in genome sequencing and related fields will assist in understanding the disease better. Genome sequencing provides us with a genetic profile of the patient’s disease, which can help doctors to provide better treatment.

According to a market research report, several big projects are in development globally, to better understand the relation between health conditions and genes. For e.g., in the UK, the state is investing 100,000 Genomes project.

6.       Smart Phones

Smartphones are not a new invention but its full potential is yet to be realized, at least in the healthcare sector. Efforts, however have been made but with little success.

With powerful processing capabilities, smart phones can be used as a hub for new diagnosis and treatment technologies. Market research demonstratesa healthcare projects like the BigPD that aims to sign up to 100,000 people and gain new insights into Parkinson’s disease.

7.       3-D printing

There are many possible medical uses of 3-D printing. These uses can be categorized into several types, which includes implants & anatomical models, fabrication of new tissues and organs, production of personalized prosthetics, pharmaceutical research in regards to drug dosage formats and delivery/ discovery.