By incorporating technology into healthcare, medical device innovation has significantly raised the standard of patient care. Technology is changing healthcare, whether it be through patient monitoring, surgery, or diagnosis. Here, we discuss some of the most recent advancements in medical technology, demonstrating how technology is enhancing healthcare.
Table of Contents
1. Wearable Health Technology
Vital signs can be continuously monitored with wearable health devices, such as smartwatches, fitness trackers, and other medically rated wearables. More precisely, heart rate, blood oxygen level, physical activity, sleep, and even ECGs are some of the important biomarkers being tracked by wearable technology. Some of these, such as glucose monitors for diabetics, are designed to assist people in managing chronic illnesses.
Wearable medical technology gives healthcare professionals the data they need to treat patients proactively and identify potential health problems early.
2. AI in Diagnostic Imaging
By executing sophisticated image analyses for the identification of anomalies far more rapidly and precisely than was previously possible, AI is revolutionizing diagnostic imaging. By examining images for subtle changes that could indicate an emerging condition, it can now help radiologists detect cancers in the neurological and cardiovascular systems in their early stages. AI reduces human error, increases precision, and expedites diagnostic procedures.
For example, AI-powered software created by businesses such as Zebra Medical Vision helps radiologists analyze MRI and CT scans more quickly. It provides automated insights and risk assessments that help radiologists make diagnoses more quickly and accurately.
3. Telemedicine and Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM)
When paired with remote patient monitoring devices, telemedicine platforms allow patients to receive care in the convenience of their own homes. The fact that this access is available to underserved and rural populations is crucial. Healthcare providers receive real-time data from smart pulse oximeters, heart rate monitors, and blood pressure cuffs. They may make treatment decisions remotely based on the information gathered, which would lower hospital visits, enhance patient outcomes, and save healthcare costs.
4. Robotic-Assisted Surgery
More control and accuracy over challenging procedures are possible with robotic-assisted surgery. The accuracy with which doctors can perform minimally invasive procedures may result in tiny incisions, reduced pain following surgery, and accelerated recovery times. Delicate surgeries that might not be feasible by hand without such assistance are made possible by such robotic systems.
The da Vinci Surgical System, for example, transformed urological, gynecological, and cardiac surgery by enabling precise movements through robotic arms that the surgeon controls remotely using a high-definition 3D camera.
5. 3D Printing in Prosthetics and Implants
Customizing implants and prosthetics to meet the needs of each patient is made possible by 3D printing technology, which will also significantly improve comfort and functionality. In a similar vein, 3D printing is simplifying surgical planning by enabling physicians to utilize patient anatomy replicas to enhance surgical results and lower errors.
For example, Open Bionics’ 3D printed prosthetics have transformed the lives of patients who have lost limbs by creating functional, personalized, and reasonably priced prosthetics that can be adjusted to the user’s anatomy.
6. Point-of-Care Testing
Patients can receive lab-quality diagnostics directly from portable POCT devices, which speeds up results and allows for prompt treatment decisions. These portable POCT devices make diagnostics even more accessible and less invasive by performing blood tests for COVID-19, HIV, and other illnesses. In critical care and emergency situations, this is very beneficial.
7. Smart Pills and Ingestible Sensors
Smart pills are consumable gadgets that gather information from within the body and send it to other devices. Doctors can see directly what is happening inside the patient’s body thanks to these sensors, which can monitor medication adherence, gastrointestinal issues, and other internal processes. They are helpful in understanding complex internal symptoms and managing long-term illnesses.
For instance, Proteus Digital Health has developed a sensor-enabled pill tracking whether patients take the medication for patients to “have the help they need to adhere to long and complicated medication regimens and for physicians to have the up-to-date adherence information” they require to adjust treatment.
8. Mobile Health Apps and Patient Portals
Patient portals and mobile health apps increase the accessibility and usability of healthcare. Through appointment scheduling, communication with healthcare providers, access to medical records, and even tracking medication and treatment plans, they empower patients to take charge of their own health. This results in increased patient satisfaction and compliance as well as better patient engagement in their care.
9. Gene Editing and CRISPR Technology in Treatment Development
Since CRISPR technology enables targeted gene editing, it may provide a means of treating or curing genetic illnesses. By altering particular genes, CRISPR could target the underlying causes of illnesses like muscular dystrophy, cystic fibrosis, and even a subset of cancers. For many conditions, the technology is still in the experimental stage, but it has the potential to be revolutionary.
For instance, the clinical uses of CRISPR in the treatment of sickle cell anemia, a blood disorder, are being experimented on wherein genes at the DNA level are corrected. This may thus eliminate all traces of the disease from the patient’s body.
Conclusion
CRISPR technology may offer a way to treat or cure genetic diseases because it permits targeted gene editing. CRISPR may be able to target the root causes of diseases like muscular dystrophy, cystic fibrosis, and even a subset of cancers by changing specific genes. The technology is still in the experimental stage for many conditions, but it could be revolutionary.