Technology & Healthcare.. What is going on??

I guess we are ALL in agreement that Technology has married Healthcare, correct???

Now the question  asked for years, can technology save the world?

well, with that huge technology flood into healthcare, this can actually be the answer!!!

There are many many ways to look at the emerging technologies that will affect health care. It is, first, important to identify the underlying technologies that are driving innovation currently and for the future. Then we will discuss examples of emerging technologies in the healthcare world.  

My intent is not for you to be an expert in these areas.  I could not claim that myself.  My intent is to make sure you know enough to keep an open mind in the future about what the possibilities are so you are prepared to accept/implement them when the time comes. 

In this blog, I will be reviewing FOUR major underlying technologies.

The first one I want to mention is Nanotechnology and Miniaturization.

The smaller things can be, the more flexibility we have in determining where they go and how they get there. Making the base technology smaller and more powerful produces more options. Which will open up many new ways to adapt technologies to new purposes. This is what has allowed for the mobilization of computing, the expansion of access and throughput of wireless networks, and the computing power necessary to support social media, all of which are helping to shape healthcare for the future. 

Next, let us talk about 3D Printing

Moving to 3D printing, originally this has been seen mostly in the industry as a way to do rapid prototyping.  However, as the capabilities of the technology have majorly improved and the cost of the equipment has decreased it Is being adopted for more and more technologies. 

 

The picture to the left shows its application in tissue printing. This is a picture of a simulation of the process of printing skin tissue onto a burn that is being developed at Wake Forest University. 

But skin is not all that is being worked on.

At Harvard they created a method to provide circulation to printed cells so that they can survive. 

Actually, at Wake Forest University, they started the first initiative for regenerative medicine manufacturing, through the establishment of a joint industrial engineering program, and the Regenerative medicine Manufacturing Society.

Such capabilities are going to allow a broad range of additional opportunities for health care in the future. Honestly, I can talk about this huge continuously evolving field over pages and pages.. I will definitely have a separate blog just to address the ABCs of 3D-printing. Meanwhile, If you would like to hear more about 3D tissue and organ printing I suggest you watch Dr Anthony Atala's Ted Talk. Definitely super informative and simply interesting to watch. I am linking it here.

if the hyperlink did not work, you can copy and paste the following url: https://www.ted.com/talks/anthony_atala_printing_a_human_kidney.

Now, our 3rd underlying technology: ROBOTICS

For years we have talked about robotics and how robots could either replace us or enhance our ability to care for patients. 

Certainly robots have been used in pharmacy for sometime now in specific situations. 

As the other macro technologies have grown, the possibilities for robotics have grown as well. Will we see doctors as depicted in science fiction any time soon?  Unlikely.  But they are closer than you might think.

Lastly, Gamification

Yes, I want to mention games or what has been termed gamification by some. Games that teach or train are not new. But the use of games or game like functionality to actually improve outcomes, affect health behaviors and improve the efficacy of patient and health professional education has recently become quite a hot topic. The use of such methods does not have to be restricted to typical game use settings and can cross over some interesting boundaries. 

This all sounds great?! interesting?! shocking?! okay.. i mean this does sound rational, you CAN believe it but you really need more details!!! or more examples so you can relate more to how each of these underlying technologies are IN FACT being used TODAY in healthcare.. I hear you trust me!

I do not wish to leave you here, I know, by now, you are thirsty to explore more and hear more about each technology and its application. that is why I promise I will be discussing all of this and much more on this blog and my Instagram page (@technology4health).

Again, my goal is not for you to become expert in developing any of these.. but rather to educate you all on new innovative solutions that are available out there, currently are within your reach. Because I know how much this can help you to live a much better life.. let us call it efficient life :)