Like most industries, healthcare is changing with new technology. In fact, healthcare may even be evolving at a more rapid pace than other industries because of the impact new technology can have on almost every aspect of the system, from how doctors find results to how patients track their progress. What’s in store for the future of healthcare, and how does technology play a role? Jeroen Tas, CEO of Philips Informatics, gives his insights into a number of key areas.
Wearable Devices
Devices like activity trackers and connected scales are gaining popularity, but wearables extend to a wider arena and have the potential to have a huge effect in healthcare. According to Jeroen, patients with certain conditions like diabetes, asthma, or heart disease will soon depend on wearbles to track their progress. Wearable devices are being developed that give patients the power to monitor their progress easily and regularly while still going on with their everyday lives. One example of this is Philips Lifeline, a wearable device for elderly people with a single button to press in case of a medical emergency. The button connects them to medical professionals who can talk through a problem and also locate the patient if there is no response, perhaps if they have fallen. Wearable devices like these give patients with certain restraints a dignified life. According to Jeroen, wearables will continue to grow beyond our imagination, including ways to measure blood pressure, help paralysis victims, and even put sensors in ingested pills.
Wearables will also play a big role in relatively healthy patients, as studies have found that people who are aware of their health and activity are more motivated to stay healthy, which can be excellent preventative care.
Big Data
Healthcare is full of data, including records for every patient and medical study. With new and developing technology, doctors and researchers can measure a patient’s vital signs almost continuously, no matter where they are. We also have the ability to understand how people feel, sleep, eat, and more almost instantly, which is a massive amount of data to process so quickly. Big learning and big data is getting better at interpreting pictures, allowing for people to learn the nutritional information of their food from a simple picture or doctors to diagnose health issues from a snapshot. We’re only at the beginning of how we consume and test vast amounts of data; Jeroen expects the way we do medical research to change very quickly in the coming years.
Mobility
Mobile devices are currently being developed that can measure and track just about anything related to a person’s health. While wearable devices will be able to perform a variety of functions, mobile apps will also soon have the power to measure vital signs and keep records of it, making it easier for patients and doctors to collaborate on the go. Mobility will also lead to increased collaboration between healthcare providers, which is vital for the future and will be a huge benefit to patients and the entire industry.
The future of healthcare is definitely exciting, especially as technology develops at such a rapid pace. However, just because things are in the works doesn’t mean they will be in the hands of patients or providers any time soon. Technology is developed much faster than people are willing to adopt it, and it takes more time still for organizations to be willing to adopt new practices and devices, and then for the legal regulatory framework to come into place. So while things are looking up for the technological future of healthcare, it may take some time to fully implement. There’s no doubt, however, that how patients and doctors interact and take care of themselves will never be the same thanks to amazing advancements.
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