Top 6 Healthcare Innovations For 2019

Technology now plays a vital role in the healthcare sector. Anticipating industry innovations are critical to the prevention and treatment of specific ailments. Still, it’s not enough to only learn about emerging technologies for the healthcare field.

A solid grasp of the delivery of updated solutions generates more profound insights for advanced care. To help you navigate across the changes in the healthcare industry, here are six health innovations which will impact the state of the sector in 2019.

1. Neuromodulation
Sleep apnea patients seek better solutions to get their minds off of anything but a blissful and comfortable good night’s sleep. Current trends in neuromodulation, which is a technology that directly acts on nerves, can help treat several diseases or symptoms including headaches, tremors, and sleep apnea.

The use of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure devices helps bring a comfortable, quiet, and refreshing sleep to sleep apnea patients. CPAP machines help users breathe easier at night during sleep. It increases air pressure in the throat to assist in preventing airways from collapsing during inhales. These devices also decrease snoring.

2. Connected Data

Data will always play a vital role in healthcare. Doctors rely on trusted data to check patient records, diagnose illnesses, and provide actionable solutions. The power of the Internet now allows us to connect to servers to track relevant information without dealing with particular challenges. Physicians and healthcare practitioners now use Internet-connected devices to do:

●    Healthcare research
●    Educate beginners and veterans in the field
●    Transact finances
●    Deliver healthcare

Many health offices now use connected data analytics systems to check patient trends. Figures from graphs generated by these systems help improve services by checking the most number of patients in a particular time of the day and the spread of illnesses in a given period to generate preventive actions.  

3. Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology uses microscopic technology with a scale between 1 to 100 nanometers. For comparison’s sake, one newspaper has a thickness of about 100,000 nanometers. Nanoparticles can travel and move around the bloodstream, thanks to their microscopic sizes.

Many pharmaceutical companies compose either biological-based nanomachines or nanostructures with simple material construction. These minuscule devices can help in the delivery of anti-cancer drugs.

Using nanotechnology in the pharmaceutical world is advancing at a rapid pace. Researchers are now developing nanoparticles to help track the activities of patients. Nanomachines can help encourage an increase in adherence to medications for sick people. The particles will send signals back to the source to tell doctors when the patient consumes their medicines.  

4. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Another technological innovation hitting the healthcare industry is Artificial Intelligence or AI. AI, paired with machine learning, promotes impactful answers to the growing prominence of health-related services. Startups in the sector now see a steady increase in the use of it. Several innovations now bring robotic process and manual task automation to numerous healthcare centers.

AI is also shaping the way doctors look for solutions in treating specific ailments. Deep learning is opening the doors for stronger applications to help diagnose and treat disorders and illnesses. The use of AI and machine learning can also bring researchers with more meaningful and robust data.

5.  Wearable Devices
The rise of wearable devices now offers better lifestyle and healthcare practices. Consumers are now looking at technology to help monitor data like heart rate, sleep, and physical activities. Certain trackers are also on the rise to help wearable users observe glucose levels.

Other companies in the tech sector are also partnering with fitness-focused firms. For instance, Fitbit and Google announced a collaboration to help accelerate innovation and care to develop new health solutions for consumers. Fitbit takes advantage of the tech giant’s Cloud Healthcare API to support the wearable company to integrate essential data to the healthcare industry. This collaboration makes it easier for both healthcare professionals and patients to arrive at better health outcomes.

6. 3D Printing
Several healthcare centers and companies now use 3D-printed medical products to bring extensive replacement surgeries with less expensive costs. For example, knee replacement surgeries in the past require highly complicated procedures and complex machines before creating proper fitting molds. Now, health centers use 3D printers to deliver patient-matched surgical guides and cavities optimized for durability, strength, and weight.

The use of 3D printing technology also helped bolster relationships between surgeons and patients. It assists patients in better understanding the intricacy of their specific needs.

Innovations in technology help provide better environments for practitioners and patients. According to a Statista Industry Report, the entire global medical technology industry now has a value of about 430 billion US dollars. Numerous promising innovations in the healthcare industry take shape every day as the value of technology in the sector continues to increase. Keep a close eye on healthcare trends in 2019 to see how technology can help improve patient care.