The world is different than it was ten years ago, and now healthcare technology has advanced. The economic downturn and digitisation of technology after the pandemic have changed everyone.
The massive growth in AI-based technologies and the digitisation of workflows in 2022 will bring big changes. Software and infrastructure play a large role for hospitals, but the focus now is on integrating new technologies. Then outcomes will be improving performance, productivity, and efficiency.
Now, 2022 is almost behind us, and healthcare is preparing for the technological transformation of 2023. Nonetheless, let's first summarise the big changes in 2022.
Healthcare Technology in 2022
Trends in 2022 are still clearly connected to the effects of the pandemic. All medics are concerned with the new normal. As we move into 2023, some trends are predicted to continue. What's more, Statista reports that medical market revenue will increase by 6.5% in 2023.
1. Internet of Medical Things (IoMT)
Some people may be familiar with the Internet of Things (IoT), and the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) system is a part of it. This system connects medical devices, applications and software in sync with cloud computing. The implementation of IoMT in 2022 is remote patient care.
2. Cleaning and disinfection technology
In 2020, everyone must wash their hands and spray disinfectant regularly; you still have to do it now. As a result, the demand for cleaning technologies is increasing rapidly—moreover, there is screening technology to identify infectious patients before entering the building.
3. Increasing focus on communication
Apart from the health sector, challenges also arise through communication. Every medic should communicate with frontline workers continuously. They work in doubles, keeping electronic health records and protecting themselves.
4. Cybersecurity
Patient privacy is a concern in 2022, as evidenced by the development of the European Union's GDPR. GDPR is the General Data Protection Regulation that anyone can use anywhere. This law imposes a burden on every organisation to protect the data of its members. In addition, hospitals need improvement in their network, especially network-to-network connections such as MRIs.
5. Digital health services
The digital health services trend will continue in 2023. VR and AI play a vital role in the entire healthcare system. Also, the increasing number of mobile app users creates many health app requests.
6. Telemedicine
Telemedicine is a way for patients and healthcare providers to interact with technology. It can be via video or voice calls, and some mobile applications and websites already incorporate this technology.
The 6 Trends of Healthcare Technology Predictions in 2023
Before entering the six predictions of technology trends in healthcare, consider the following points:
- One in three smartphone owners monitors their health through their cell phones.
- 57% of people are comfortable with virtual health consultations.
- 68% of people choose a medical provider that offers to book, change and cancel appointments online.
From the three facts above, technology trends in healthcare cannot be separated from digitalisation. Here are the predictions:
1. New AI apps
AI provides much technological support in the health sector. This trend has been smelling since five years ago. One of the AI platforms that are already available for health is IBM Watson. The following are health technology trend predictions using AI:
- Computed Tomography Scan Analysis
Radiologists have had high pressure since the pandemic, and AI could be the solution. AI can help by speeding up the computed tomography scan process. Several ongoing projects, such as Imaging COVID-19 and InnerEye by Microsoft. Even so, the accuracy still needs improvements, and most clinics only use it as an adjunct.
- Robotics for Hospital Workflow Automation
Robotics allows hospitals to cut back on recruitment costs. Its existence is not to replace humans with machines but to help humans work especially in medicine—potential use that can be developed in surgery and remote diagnostics. However, the accuracy still needs to be enhanced.
- Machine Learning in Biopharma and MedTech
In 2023, the pharmaceutical industry will use AI to discover new drugs. It enhances many innovative projects that combine AI and machine learning methodologies. Moreover, the project will increase chemical experimentation and medical drug research.
2. Nanomedicine
Nano is not just a director's creation in a sci-fi film; it comes and slowly enters our lives. For example, in 2021, there were xenobots that managed to replicate themselves. And many experts predict that in 2023 there will be revolutionaries in the field of nanomedicine.
In simple terms, nanomedicine uses nanoscale objects such as biocompatible and nanoelectronic devices. The goal is manipulating or treating living organisms—for example, potential hunters for cancer cells that can be injected into human veins. Nanomedicine is expected to be able to fight many genetic, oncological or autoimmune diseases.
3. Internet of Medical Things (IoMT)
In 2023, IoMT is back and more perfect than the year before. IoMT will grow exponentially in the upcoming years. Here are some of the innovations that have grown from IoMT:
- Smart Autonomous Devices in Healthcare
Autonomous devices such as self-driving robots can support medical staff with sanitation and supplies. They can be relied upon when the medical staff is exhausted. In Italy, nurse robots are being used to help hospitals during COVID-19. This Smart Autonomous helps to check blood pressure and measure oxygen saturation.
- Mobile Apps in Medical Practice
When you visit the Apps Store or Google Play, you will find hundreds of mobile health applications. Some of these applications have synced with fitness trackers to analyse body condition.
4. Smart Implants
Smart implants promise high regenerative medicine, various types of disabilities and patient rehabilitation.
- Neural Implants
Implants are not so scary as long as they are for medical purposes. Elon Musk once said that Neuralink is developing its chip to implant in the human brain. The goal is to treat spinal cord injuries and neurological disorders. At the end of 2021, a group of scientists even created a brain implant to help blind women see letters. Even so, it is still in the form of research and has not yet become a clinical treatment.
- 3D bioprinting technology
By 2027, 3D printing in the medical field will exceed $6 billion. 3D bioprinting technology is a method that has been introduced previously, but there is great hope for 2023. The progress of 3D bioprinting is expected to bring changes in the fields:
- A new generation of implant types, implant techniques and implant materials
- Surgical instrument and medical device design
5. VR, Augmented and Mixed Reality
VR and AR have been used in medicine since 2022, but their status is still developing. Later, the combination of this technology is predicted to be able to help decision-making and health services.
6. Overcoming Mental Health with Telepsychiatry
Mental health issues create new challenges for the world of health. The limitations caused by the pandemic have made many doctors learn something new, telepsychiatry. What's more, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many people experienced anxiety and depressive disorders. This fact requires solutions that allow psychiatrists to help more patients.
Many psychiatrists assist video communicators. There is also digital therapeutics (DTx) which can offer an early diagnosis. Someday, AI will also detect the brain's chemical changes; they need a big movement.
Conclusion
The healthcare industry is constantly changing. By highlighting several sectors in the healthcare industry, scientists can focus investment in that field. Technologies like AI, VR, and cloud computing may be the trend now, but they may be different in the coming years. Therefore, medical staff must continue to find ways to ensure patients are safe and have a great chance of recovery.
