The healthcare and technology sectors are slowly becoming entwined. Advancements in technology will benefit healthcare and everyone who relies on it. The year 2017 will bring some new advancements to the table, although it remains to be seen what we can expect exactly. Experts have made some bold predictions over the past few months, so let’s take a look at what they had to say.
#5 Blockchain Becomes An Integral Part of Medtech
For quite some time now, healthcare organizations have been exploring blockchain technology. Ranging from storing patient records to managing other types of information, the use cases for blockchain are endless. Distributed ledger technology may even help change the way payments are conducted in the healthcare sector as a whole. For now, most projects remain in the concept stage, although 2017 could see some breakthroughs in this regard.
#4 Apple Will Venture Into Clinical Healthcare
Apple, one of the world’s leading technology manufacturers and service providers, may enter the healthcare sector as soon as 2017. The company has been hinting at such a move for nearly two years now, as Apple is committed to creating more clinical actionable services and products moving forward.
Not too long ago, Apple acquired a medical startup called Glimpse. This move is seen as a way for the tech giant to enrich its existing solutions, including the HealthKit and CareKit projects. It remains somewhat unclear as to what level of expertise Apple will bring to the table, but we are looking forward to future announcements related to this topic.
#3 Point-of-Care Diagnostic Devices
Think of these devices as the point-of-sale terminal for the healthcare industry. Point-of-care testing will need to be accelerated before this can become a mainstream trend, though. Such devices would make it easier to collect samples from patients, and may even embed remote connectivity features. Combined with video conferencing tools, this could become the new way of seeing a doctor or specialist without having to leave your home.
#2 Liquid Biopsies
One of the biggest advancements made in healthcare technology is the introduction of liquid biopsies. This method allows doctors and specialists to detect cancer cells through a non-invasive blood test. Analyzing these tests heavily relies on new technological solutions, which are being embraced by more and more laboratories as of late.
#1 Bioelectronics
A rather unusual term making headlines as of late is bioelectronics. Pill-sized implants would allow for the adjustment of nerve signals, which can bring significant benefits to patients suffering from diseases such as arthritis and diabetes. Although companies have only recently started exploring this new market, rest assured some developments will be announced over the next year.
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