With 2021 behind us, the future of healthcare is changing in front of our eyes. We have already seen artificial intelligence and virtual reality technologies take over medicine. Likewise, evolutions in telemedicine and mobile health are changing the dynamics of the healthcare sector. Some people adapt to this evolution, whereas others fear AI will control the world. Nonetheless, technological developments won’t stop anytime soon.
In 2022, healthcare experts will strengthen the industry with breakthrough discoveries and innovations. From smart implants to telemedicine, most core changes are still waiting ahead. Soon, digital technology will help transform unsustainable healthcare systems into sustainable ones. Similarly, it will promote equity while equalizing the relationship between patients and health workers. After all, the primary purpose of tech is to provide more effective solutions for diseases.
As we press on into the future, we must remain mindful of the tech trends driving healthcare technology in 2022. If you don’t know much about it, have a look below. Here we are throwing light on the role of technology in reshaping today’s healthcare sector.
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Internet of Medical Things
Have you heard of IOMT? Internet of medical things (IOMT) isn’t a new concept, but this sector will grow in the coming years. It involves different digital health trends and healthcare informatics that offer excellent uses to healthcare specialists. No wonder healthcare informatics is a growing career field in today’s era.
First, remote health monitoring and wellness apps are on the rise. Patients can connect these apps with wearables such as fitness trackers and collect health-related data. The sensors placed on the body can analyze health conditions such as body temperature, pulse rate, and other metrics. In turn, patients can monitor their health on the go.
Second, IOMT supports smart autonomous devices in healthcare. The nursing bots and self-moving devices can support healthcare workers by reducing their sanitation-related tasks. In addition, bots can work at locations to protect human employees from being exposed to infection risks. It might sound like a vague concept, but an Italian hospital has used robot nurses during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Smart Implants
Every year, many people die due to the unavailability of implants and organs. Fortunately, smart implants through 3D printing will make implants more reliable and accessible for patients. It has been upgraded with improved materials and sophisticated methods of prosthetics. Hence, reducing the production time and costs for bionic prostheses. In addition, patients will have the choice to customize prostheses for knees, skull, hip, etc.
Moreover, the efficient brain-computer implant will also break into the market in 2022. In other words, health providers will start implanting chips in human brains. The purpose behind these implants will be to restore functional independence in patients who have paralysis or blindness. Recently, scientists have implanted a microelectrode array in a blind person’s visual cortex. It allowed her to see different letters and shapes, but there’s still a long way to go for these implants.
Telemedicine
After the global pandemic of 2020, telehealth has come a long way. Isn’t it common to talk to a doctor over a video call? In 2022, care providers have been holding meetings with patients over the internet. Besides patient awareness, the infrastructure to support telehealth has vastly improved. Hence, we can expect telehealth to grow further and expand. However, the question remains what lies in store for the future?
Currently, the standard issue with telemedicine is HIPAA compliance. Even though restrictions were eased, health providers must consider the applications they use to communicate with patients. They must ensure the app is secure and certified to handle confidential information.
Moreover, healthcare workers will need WebRTC, an open-source API-based system for telehealth. It will connect the website and mobile application for transmitting audio and video through a secured network. These additional measures will make telehealth more secure, winning patients’ trust.
Nanomedicine
Truthfully, this might sound sci-fi, but nanotech is becoming a part of our daily lives. We have already heard of the tiny organic robots that can self-replicate. Hence, we can assume that 2022 will bring a bunch of more innovations in nanomedicine.
For starters, nanomedicine is all about using nanoscale – tiny materials and objects for medical purposes. It can include the diagnosis or treatment of living organisms. In simple words, doctors can use it for hunting cancer cells or viruses by injecting nano cells into a human’s blood vessels. Since the particles are tiny, patients won’t feel any itching or tingling in their bodies.
The technology can also fight back many genetic and immune diseases on a cellular level since the bots can track all activity. However, nanomedicine is still in its infancy, and a lot of research is being done to use it in the practical world.
Telepsychiatry
As mental health issues are rising, it has fueled a relatively new niche in psychiatry – telepsychiatry. Many people are going through psychological devastation due to the COVID-19 outbreak, reporting symptoms of anxiety and depression. Hence, these new challenges require modern solutions, and for that, healthcare providers are introducing telepsychiatry. It is an advanced solution with behavioral health software to treat patients.
It allows patients to report psychological issues like returning to work or remote offices. Likewise, they can talk about digital overload, multi-tasking stress, or depression caused by social limitations. Every patient will get treated by an expert psychiatrist, receiving the best possible treatment on time.
Organ Care Technology
According to stats, the transplantation market’s size will likely reach $26.5 billion by 2028. Therefore, organ transplants will be a critical part of the healthcare industry. And for that, researchers are making efforts to improve organ care technology. Recently, Transmedics have developed an organ care system. This device can keep a liver, lung, or heart outside the body for extreme care. It provides the required level of care, temperature, and nutrients, keeping the organ alive.
Furthermore, scientists are incorporating machine learning in the field of organ care. They use ML to determine if the preserved organ is suitable for transplantation or not. If the organ isn’t in its best condition, the bots will inform beforehand, quickly saving a life.
Final Thoughts
As 2022 rolls forward, we will witness technology making strides in the healthcare industry. It will enhance the quality and efficiency of care through groundbreaking evolutions such as artificial intelligence, nanomedicine, etc. In addition, telemedicine and psychiatry will also make healthcare more accessible for people. So, now is the time to update and modernize your healthcare organization and make the most out of tech trends.
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