Technology and healthcare are entwined, pushing the healthcare sector towards creative breakthroughs. In an effort to increase industrial efficiency and minimize patient suffering, health technology is being incorporated into a wide range of procedures, from hospital administration to drug development to cancer research and surgery. The most exciting and fastest growing fields of healthcare technology include the development of medical robotics, artificial-intelligence driven diagnostics, Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled remote patient monitoring and telemedicine solutions, and the potentially revolutionary power of digital health tools. In a world where patients want immediate assistance, utilizing cutting-edge technology for healthcare is pivotal. In order to remain relevant in the upcoming years, both healthcare professionals and patients must adopt modern healthcare technologies to achieve optimum health. In this article, let us discuss the new healthcare trends that are revolutionizing the healthcare sector.

Six Advanced Medical Innovations That is Saving Countless Lives

Here are five innovations that are pushing boundaries in the medical field:
 

1)      Smart bandages

 

Have you heard of a bandage that uses sensors to track wound healing? The smart bandages promote faster wound closure, increase new blood flow to injured tissue, and enhance skin recovery by significantly reducing scar formation. Temperature sensors are integrated into a thin electronic layer on the bandage to monitor a wound. To hasten tissue closure, they might, if needed, initiate more electrical stimulation to accelerate wound closure.

This technology is quite beneficial for those with weakened immune systems and illnesses like diabetes, who frequently experience delayed wound healing.

 

2)      Health trackers, wearables, and sensors

 

Wearable wellness and fitness trackers like smart watches, smart scales, and smart bands, are health-focused electronic devices that not only track information related to fitness or physical activity but also offer data-driven feedback.

 

Health trackers monitor daily activity such as steps taken, distance travelled, calories burned, timing and intensity of physical activity, sleep assessment, and heart rate. These gadgets allow people to monitor their health at home and make better decisions by enabling them to remotely share the results remotely with their doctor.

A few medical uses for these fitness trackers include stress management, nutrition tracking, heart rate monitoring, sleep analysis, and blood oxygen level monitoring. Complementary smartphone apps that offer individualized coaching and health education are often included with these trackers.

 

 

3) Sensor-enabled mattress for bed-bound patients

 

Patients who require long periods of hospitalization are at a greater risk of developing pressure injuries due to prolonged immobilization. Pressure injuries occur in bed-bound patients when continuous pressure in one area causes mechanical damage to the surrounding cells, affecting the blood supply and eventually leading to cell death. They can negatively affect a patient's health, family, and daily life in addition to being incredibly painful.

Thus, an innovative solution is developed in the form of a sensor-enabled mattress that monitors the patient’s position and posture. The mattress is equipped with integrated sensors and machine learning that can identify more than 7000 pressure points. Also, relevant data about the patient’s position is collected and sent to the cloud for processing so that the physicians and nurses can observe real-time feedback regarding the patient's position and pressure profile. The special sensors alert nurses when a patient requires moving.

 

4)      3-D-printed organs

The technique of additively creating living human tissues, or "3D printing" organs, does not remain limited to clinical trials and research facilities. It is a reality that involves cultured stem cells taken from the patient to create living tissues like organs, blood vessels, and skin scaffolding.

 

This technology, though in its initial phase would overcome organ shortages in the future, reducing the need to wait for organ donation. As 3D printed organs are made from the patient’s own DNA, the chances of organ rejection and healthcare costs would be reduced.

 

 

 

 

5)      VR therapy for mental health

 

Virtual reality (VR) therapy utilizes a computer-simulated environment and virtual worlds as a therapeutic tool. A person wears a headset or uses a gadget to simulate the virtual world and scenarios that are otherwise risky and hard to create in real life. This includes real-life challenges, enabling one to revisit a former event, or confronting one’s fears in a controlled environment.

 

Therapists are using VR therapy in the following situations:

• Overcome a phobia, e.g., to manage a fear of heights.
• Post-traumatic stress disorder, e.g., controlled exposure to a traumatic event.
• Managing anxiety and depression, e.g., a visual guide for breathing exercises and other relaxation or mindfulness-based techniques.
• Develop social and emotional skills, e.g., practice talking through a conflict with their partner.

 

6)      Bionics and Myoelectric Prosthetic limbs

Technical innovations in artificial limbs have led to the creation of myoelectric and bionic limbs to make these prosthetics much more comfortable, efficient, and lifelike than their earlier counterparts. The sensors in these limbs pick up electrical signals from the user's remaining muscles. Users can then use their own muscle contractions to operate their prosthetic limbs by converting the signals into motions.

Digital transformation in healthcare is accelerating. Innovations powered by artificial intelligence, simulating virtual world for mental health, using wearable tracking devices for fitness, myoelectric artificial limbs or using 3-D print to regenerate organs, have not only revolutionized the field of health but have also made patient life easier and increased longevity. It is essential to consult your healthcare provider to discuss the new, less-invasive treatment options, procedures, and devices to prevent and cure diseases. 

If you have any questions about the new medical technology and devices, you can check with our team of doctors at Ask a doctor, 24x7.