The future of healthcare is already beginning to take shape thanks to advancements in digital healthcare technologies like AI, 3D printing, VR/AR, nanotechnology, and robotics. Instead of the other way around, we must learn about the newest innovations in order to govern technology. To embrace the changes in the healthcare industry solutions and remain relevant for years to come, medicine’s future depends on collaborating with technology and clinicians.

Maybe you’re concerned that AI and robots may replace doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals in the workforce. Maybe you’re worried that AI will rule the globe 

All of them are fabrications, half-truths, and other dystopian images that serve as a more stylish method to present alternative information regarding the state of healthcare. The fear of the future unknowns and what can befall us, however, is what unites all of these queries most importantly.

Nobody can stop the advancement of technology. The power of digital technologies will eventually impact every aspect of our life. As a result, we must allow ourselves to remain open to the idea that technology might alter the world as we know it.

People & Technology Together For Better Healthcare

Many people believe that technology is the only path forward. They think that adopting new technologies and remaining at the forefront would only benefit and improve our lives. The relationship between technology and people has the potential to be very fruitful if the “two steps ahead of it” rule is followed.

Digital technology in healthcare and medicine has the ability to improve ineffective healthcare systems, offer less expensive, quicker, and more effective treatments for diseases (such as Cancer, and AIDS), and level the playing field between medical staff and patients. We might use technology to live healthier lives and contribute to healthy communities.

One frequently hears the adage “one has to be a master of his own house.” It is crucial to modify our perspective on health as a whole, healthcare, and medicine as we conduct in the future by using these technologies to improve our health.

So, how would it actually appear? In this post, we’ll examine five ways that medical technology is influencing healthcare industry solutions & services.

1. Virtual Reality

Virtual reality (VR) is transforming both the lives of doctors and their patients. If you were to look into the future, you could travel to Spain or your house while you’re in a hospital bed, or you might be able to observe surgeries like you’re wielding the scalpel!

The usage of VR is widespread, from instructing aspiring surgeons to allowing experienced surgeons to practice procedures. These software programs are being created by organizations like Osso VR and ImmersiveTouch, and so far, the results are encouraging. According to a recent study, surgeons who received VR training performed 230% better overall than their traditional training methods.

These technological developments are also helping patients, and one area where this is evident is pain management. Women are given VR headsets to wear during labor discomfort so they can picture a comforting scene. When employing VR as a stimulus, patients with diagnoses of cardiac, neurological, gastrointestinal, and post-surgical pain have demonstrated a reduction in their pain levels. A 2019 pilot study found that patients who underwent surgery experienced less anxiety and pain overall and a better overall healthcare experience.

2. Artificial Intelligence

Healthcare is about to undergo a complete change thanks to artificial intelligence (AI), a potent technology. AI algorithms can create treatment plans, create medications more quickly than any doctor currently practicing, and even identify cancerous and non-cancerous tissue samples with the ability to mine medical information.

Atomwise searches a library of molecular structures for treatments using supercomputers. The start-up, which debuted in 2015, developed a virtual search for secure, currently available medications that may be redesigned to treat the Ebola virus. Two medicines that the company’s AI algorithm indicated would lessen Ebola’s infectiousness were discovered.

More recently, Google’s DeerMind created an AI for analyzing breast cancer. On pre-cleared sets of data, the new technology outperformed human radiologists by 11.5% in identifying breast cancer.

These two businesses are just two of the countless others utilizing AI to transform healthcare in the near future. These businesses are actual instances of what we might anticipate in the future if we allow AI in healthcare software development, from disrupting the medical industry to inventing new pharmaceuticals to mining medical information.

3. Augmented Reality

In contrast to virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) allows users to see information as quickly as possible without losing sight of the real world. These distinguishing characteristics, on the part of both healthcare recipients and professionals, are what are making AR the driving force in the future of healthcare.

For healthcare professionals, it might help medical students better prepare for procedures in the real world and enable practicing surgeons to advance their skills. Students utilize the HoloAnatomy app on the Microsoft HoloLens to learn about anatomy. Medical students now have access to precise and thorough digital human anatomy models that allow them to study without the use of actual people.

With its mixed reality headgear, Magic Leap, a similarly promising firm, is also working on something a little different. In order to create the therapeutic platform, SyncThink for brain health, and Brainlab, a German technology business that will implement its technology in the healthcare industry, Magic Leap worked along with these organizations. Although no commercial products have yet been released, we should expect to see these alliances proliferate the healthcare market in the future.

4. Sensors, Wearables, & Healthcare Trackers

Patients’ and individuals’ empowerment is employing technology like wearables, health trackers, and sensors to better take care of their health, which is closely related to the future of healthcare and medicine. These are great tools that help us understand our health better and have greater control over our own life.

With gadgets like the Polar H10, which can optimize a fitness program, the Fitbit Ionic, which counts workouts and monitors sleep, and the Muse headband, which helps with meditation. Today’s market is flooded with health trackers and applications.

There is a device for every need, whether you want to reduce stress, lose weight, improve cognitive function, or just feel more energized and healthy overall. These technologically advanced diamonds truly make the patient the center of care. Patients can monitor their health at home and exchange information with their doctor remotely. The tools enable the user to take charge of their health and make better decisions.

5. Nanotechnology

In the near future, it’s possible that nanoparticles and nanodevices will be used as precise medication delivery systems, miniaturized surgical instruments, or cancer treatment tools.

In 2014, some scientists from the Max Planck Institute created tiny microbots with scalloped shapes that can physically move through physiological fluids. These intelligent tablets, like PillCam, are utilized for colonoscopies in a painless, patient-friendly manner. Late in 2018, MIT researchers created an electronic pill that can wirelessly transmit analysis data or release medications in response to smartphone commands.

Smart patches, a product of nanotechnology, are becoming a more significant player in the market. At CES 2020, the French business Grapheal displayed its smart patch. It enables ongoing wound monitoring, and the graphene core’s ability to speed up wound healing.

There will be a lot more tangible instances of nanotechnology in healthcare as technology advances. 

Final Words

Despite the fact that technology has made a significant contribution to the advancement of our healthcare system, it is obvious that there is still much more to come in this area. Our digital age offers a variety of chances in the medical field, from improving the patient care process and reducing expenses to developing ground-breaking medical skills and ground-breaking treatment opportunities.