It can be argued that among all the ways that technology has improved the lives of people around the world, nothing is more important than technological advances in medicine.
As we enter the 21st century, we continue to develop technologies that cure illness and improve quality of life. Many of the most exciting new technologies in medicine need to be used together, and there is already an integrated effort to do so.
In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic forced medical care into the future, resulting in extensive testing of some promising medical technologies. The question for 2021 is how these technologies can be used together in the post-pandemic world.
Advancement in Telemedicine
COVID-19 is gaining increasing acceptance of telemedicine as doctors have to visit patients online. Through changes in basic policies at both the government and provider levels, an increasingly virtualized model of care and increased consumer acceptance has emerged. Since March, state and federal regulators have realized that these new tools can accelerate access to care while protecting health care workers and community members, to reduce barriers to telecommunications health.
These measures have opened the door to communication health and allowed new programs and expansion of existing networks. By 2021, many healthcare organizations will focus on how to optimally integrate telecommunications medical services with existing physical services. Virtual visits will continue to be used as a way to increase access to primary care and emergency care and to improve collaboration with clinics, long-term care centers, dialysis centers and mental health services. However, this all depends on removing regulatory barriers more permanently. The American Medical Association and others are calling on Congress to act swiftly.
Innovation in Drug Development
The development of multiple safe and effective Covid-19 vaccines within a year is remembered as one of the greatest scientific achievements in human history. This process has been accelerated not only by accelerated regulation, but also by innovations in the way medical trials are conducted. Virtual clinical trials, primarily online, have reduced the burden of participation. Combined with the spirit of collaboration, rather than competition between pharmaceutical companies, pharmaceutical companies can pave the way for a brighter future for drug development.
While some of the loose regulatory procedures for drug development will be diminished by the Covid-19 pandemic, an innovative approach to testing and collaboration may continue. Partnerships between several pharmaceutical giants, including Gilead, Novartis and WuXi AppTec, have already begun to explore new antiviral therapies together and share preliminary data. The FDA has published guidelines for virtual trials that open new frontiers for new drug development and trials.
Data Prominence in Healthcare
Market forecasting values for the health care big data market has a promising growth. As health data collection continues to accelerate, its applications are becoming more widespread and the potential for improving treatment options and patient outcomes is skyrocketing. However, the biggest obstacle was the lack of interoperability. Data from one medical organization is not easily transferred (or easily processed) by another. Covid-19 further emphasized this issue.
Interoperability made great strides in November 2020, when Google Cloud launched its healthcare interoperability readiness program. Program participants have access to data templates, application blueprints, security tools, and deployment guidelines to help payers, providers, and other organizations prepare for federal interoperability regulations. If medical institutions can be on the same page, the potential for big data in the industry can quickly become dynamic.
Nanomedicine
Nanomedicine is a medical application for nanotechnology, a technology that functions on an atomic, molecular, or supramolecular scale. For very small things, the possibilities are immeasurable. Nanomedicines can be applied to medical device imaging, detection, diagnosis, and delivery.
Researchers are discovering new ways to target individual cells using nanomedicine, which will be conducted by 2021. CytImmune Sciences, a leader in cancer nanomedicine, recently completed a phase I trial of the use of gold nanoparticles to target drug delivery to tumors. Biopharmaceutical company BlueWillow Biologics has developed nanotechnology to combat viruses and bacteria.
5G Network Enabled Devices
AI, IoT, and Big Data, which are the main drivers of the latest technology, require reliable and ultra-fast internet connectivity to maximize the potential of healthcare.
With real-time, reliable connectivity, the most immediate benefit is seen in telemedicine, increasing access to the care of millions of people. But that’s just the beginning. More connected devices with more authentic data streams open up the potential for a medical system revolution.
With near zero latency, medical devices and sensors connected to 5G can capture and send data almost instantly.
This improves patient follow-up and improves patient outcomes. Futurists are already looking at the benefits of 5G, healthcare and robotics interoperability.
However, patients do not have to wait long to see the changes. Experts say that 5G-enabled devices will soon bring about a new medical paradigm, nicknamed 4P called predictive, prophylactic, and personalized, participatory.
Tricorders
Tricorder has been a medical technologies sci-fi movie like device for decades. Its origins are in science fiction novels, and the concept is elegant and very convenient. In the 1960s, Tricorder was envisioned as a palm-sized device that could quickly and accurately monitor various vital signs while performing simple diagnostics. But unlike a flying car, the tricorder eventually put the screen in the hands of the user.
Basil Leaf Technologies has released a very realistic tricorder known as DxtER. It can be used by patients at home, without medical education. DxtER uses an advanced diagnostic engine to retrieve patient data from multiple sources and perform it through algorithms that recognize 34 different health conditions, including stroke, tuberculosis, pneumonia, and diabetes. Live long and prosper.
Smart Wearables
Fitness trackers have increased over the years. FitBit shipped 9.9 million portable devices in 2019. However, the next trend in portable devices for medical devices is more specific. For diabetics, the Portable Continuous Blood Glucose Monitor (CGM) is in a new normal state.
Portable CGM eliminates the need for intermittent glucose testing and instead monitors blood glucose levels in real time. This allows users to see the direct effects of diet and exercise and shape their lifestyle accordingly. You can also detect cases of hyperglycemia immediately. Medical technology companies take action. Dexcom, the CGM developer, will generate $ 1.9 billion in revenue in 2020 and expect an increase of 15-20% in 2021.
Lab-on-a-Chip
Researcher at Stanford University thought to bring lab to sample, who recently developed what is called a “lab-on-a-chip” based on the CRISPR enzyme Cas12. Approximately half the size of a credit card, it contains a complex network of channels smaller than the width of a human hair and can provide coronavirus test results in less than 30 minutes.
Researchers also say that by recalibrating the CRISPR enzyme for different genetic markers, the test can be adapted to detect other infections. As the Covid-19 pandemic taught the world, testing is the first step in combating infectious diseases. In the lab on the slide, these tests can be performed quickly, safely, economically and more efficiently.