11 technological innovations that will change medicine forever

We stand on the threshold tremendous changes in medicine and health care. They are relentless, and they are many interested parties: patients, health professionals, researchers, medical students and ordinary consumers. Robert J.. Szczerba from The Next Web I talked with Dr. Bertalanom Mesquite author The Guide to the Future of Medicine: Technology and the Human TouchTo find out how technology innovations will affect the future of medicine. Mesko outlined 11 major trends.

1. gamification of health

Games - an integral part of our lives, they surround us on all sides, but in the future the game will help us not only to kill time. Adding a game component in the health monitoring application helps to motivate patients collect data and every day to make informed decisions, positive effect on the health. According Mesko, more than 50% of patients with chronic diseases, do not follow the doctor's orders. Gamification will create an environment in which the patient will be more difficult to deviate from the intended course doctor.

2. Empowering patients

Health care goes beyond hospitals, moving towards self-knowledge of patients and extension of their powers. Many people use the Internet to recognize the symptoms and to determine the possible diagnosis. Common sense does not allow to encourage such actions when there is an opportunity to address to the qualified healthcare professionals, but to forbid patients to use the Internet to search for information, doctors can not forces.

It is not necessary to act against this trend, it is better to direct it in the right direction. New technology finally will help health care providers to focus on patient care, rather than wasting time on the provision and explanation of certain information. Doctors will be able to do what they do best - provide assistance, using their knowledge. As Dr. Mesko says, "health care will not significantly move forward if providers forbid patients to help themselves."

3. Telemedicine and remote care

Thanks to innovative technologies, doctors will be able to communicate with patients undergoing treatment at home or are under surveillance. This will save not only time but also money. already exist autonomous robotic solutionsControlling the condition of the patient before, during and after the procedure.

4. Rethinking Medical Education

Medical school will train physicians to work with the "electronic" patients and high technology. Training of specialists is time consuming, and students studying practices are hopelessly out of date by the time of release. In place of textbooks should come digital classrooms that will facilitate communication between students and practicing healthcare professionals and provide access to relevant information and resources.

5. Surgical and anthropomorphic robots

Contemporary robots considerably increases the possibilities surgeons, they are able to perform operations with greater precision and less aggressive intervention. Robots never completely replace humans in the operating room, but doctors will use them in much more frequently.

6. Genomics and Personalized Medicine

In the future, DNA analysis will become a standard procedure in the diagnosis and initial treatment. So doctors will be able to guarantee the correctness of action of drugs on specific particular patient based on individual characteristics of the organism. According Mesko, it "will determine the disease, how do we determine the exact GPS-coordinates."

7. Natelnye sensors

Modern technologies allow to measure critical medical parameters inexpensive and convenient way. Miniature wearable sensors collect data without distracting patients from their daily business and provide a more detailed statistics. One way to collect this kind of data is e clothingCoupled with the necessary sensors.

8. Medical tricorder and portable diagnostics

fictional gadget a sci-fi series Star Trek must soon become a reality. No longer need to visit the clinic for a variety of diagnostic procedures - everything can be done with the help of portable devices directly from the house. "Smartphone will become a center of medicine of the future, acting as the instrument panel of health," - says Dr. Mesko.

9. DIY-biotechnology

Available technologies and the spirit DIY create a new generation of engineers and scientists ready for the most daring research. Biolabs appear all over the world, bringing together inventors, enthusiasts and fans of the experiments and discoveries. Innovations in biotechnology have the potential solutions that can make a breakthrough, and radically change the future of medicine.

10. Revolution 3D-printing

With the help of 3D-printers can create medical instruments, artificial limbs, and even medications. Printers also play a key role in regenerative medicine, helping professionals to create tissue blood vessels, bone, heart valves, cartilage, skin, and even artificial organs. Thanks to the increasing availability and open design for 3D-printing applications can bring many benefits.

11. Mechanized exoskeletons, and implants

Costumes from the exoskeleton would allow paralyzed people walk again. Increasing the accuracy and sensitivity of the servo re-creation will eventually be able to provide the connection of the prosthesis to the brain in real time. In the meantime, says Dr. Mesko, "a great challenge for manufacturers of these things is to create a device that can precisely replicate the complex movements of the hands and feet of man."

via