Medical Technology Advances: Innovations Revolutionizing Healthcare
When one mentions next-gen technology, the most renowned technologies of this decade include Blockchain, Machine Learning (ML), and Artificial Intelligence. There is ongoing intensive research and study on how various domains of AI and Blockchain can get integrated in one way or another in multiple fields touching our daily lives.
In recent months, AI has shown the potential it possesses as a life changer and saver within the healthcare sector as it can be applied in drug discovery, model sharing, patient care, diagnosis, intelligent clinical trials, and healthcare robotics. Blockchain, on the other hand, was originally developed for cryptocurrency transaction support, but grew exponentially and became part of various other fields that relied on its extraordinary levels of security. Blockchain in healthcare touches on micro-transactions, decentralized exchanges, smart contracts, and consensus mechanisms, all working in unison to secure the privacy of the health data of patients — the main stakeholders in the healthcare domain.
Expounded below are the leading medical inventions and technologies from 2022, in no particular order.
Remote Patient Monitoring (technology)
The COVID-19 pandemic overwhelmed the Healthcare sector to the extent that some patients had to be released early to make room for incoming patients. Thanks to remote patient monitoring (RPM), physicians could release their patients and still keep track of the progress of their ailment without being physically present.
Prevounce is a leading provider of medical software and they noted that RPM helped to reduce the infection and reinfection rate of COVID-19 as discharged patients did not need to go out, interact with the public, and meet their physicians to check on their progress. Some of the benefits of RPM include better patient outcomes, faster response time, and significant cost reductions over time.
Blockchain-AI Integration (Technology)
When you think of Pulse, think of the intersection of Blockchain technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI). 2022 was a good year for the Pulse team as we made airwaves with our proposed Blockchain-AI inventions poised to transform the medical sector such as the announcement of the development of the Pulse decentralized applications (dApps). Pulse Pocket and Pulse Records are the two dApps in development with the former being patient-centric while the latter is practitioner-focused.
We are still growing and are happy to see our users being part of this growth with the suggestions and comments we receive on social media. So far, we are nearly done tweaking our AI algorithms to analyze large amounts of medical data quickly and accurately. This will help doctors make more informed diagnosis and treatment decisions. On the Blockchain side, we have a smart contract in place that will enable secure sharing and tracking of medical records, reducing errors and miscommunication.
By the look of things, we are on track to attain our goal of becoming the leading provider of AI enhanced medical care.
Internet of Medical Things (Inventions)
The Internet of Things (IoT) is an invisible network composed of physical objects that are connected to the web. In healthcare, this encompasses new technologies such as remote patient monitoring, 5G-enabled devices, and wearable sensors. Over 500,000 web-enabled medical devices are increasingly linked, enabling physicians to access the most accurate and up-to-date patient information.
As software and technologies advance, smart medical gadgets will be able to communicate with other nearby smart devices to improve patient results. This will enable medical professionals to keep track of a patient’s health condition in an integrated and systematic way.
Data-Driven Healthcare (Technology)
There is an acceleration of the collection of health data as its applications become more widespread, and its potential for improving treatment options and patient outcomes skyrockets. Interoperability was the main Issue but in November 2020 Google Cloud launched its healthcare interoperability readiness program that came to blow up in 2022 with patients, healthcare providers, and third parties using their platform to store or access data templates, app blueprints, security tools, and implementation guidelines
Nanomedicine (Invention)
This deals with the application of nanotechnology in medicine to help its players operate the field on the atomic, molecular, or supramolecular scale. It is more of a theoretical proposal but we can predict its huge potential in sensing, imaging, diagnosis, and care delivery using wearable medical devices.
As these technologies and inventions reveal, the healthcare field is ever-growing and it appreciates and integrates next-gen features within its inner workings. Going forward, there should be more research on deep learning and Blockchain technology as these two are evolving at a very fast pace. These next-gen technologies have the potential to transform the healthcare sector in multiple ways. The above inventions paint a picture of how they can improve diagnosis and treatment, drug discovery and development, telemedicine, fraud detection, medical research, among others. By utilizing these technologies, healthcare providers can enhance patient outcomes, reduce costs, and accelerate medical advancements.
