Most of us have a vague idea about technological innovation. We tend to think of something that is technology as something like “it needs to break free and move fast” like in those science fiction movies. However, when it comes to innovation in health, we need to be mindful. You don’t want to harm yourself and you would be a different kind of innovator. The main thing that comes to mind after the health innovation is how do you break from the norm without harming and then provide a better reality and health innovation.
Digital Health Trends
According to the health stats and patients’ intake, the top private hospitals of Pakistan, last year’s pandemic, have completely changed the dynamics of health. Digital health in particular has shown a changing trend. Even though digital health was in the trends before, the tragedy of the pandemic has changed a lot of things. All the constraints that digital health was facing before the pandemic was somehow gone. For the very first time, the government agencies, technologists, and health organizations had come forward to ask for boosting, innovating, and speeding up the practices of the healthcare practices.
Summing up with 2020, there would be different innovations for future health practices. Most of these healthcare changes are likely to stay with us in the future. What will be the results of these innovations in the future, we’ll know with time?
Now, let’s get started with the intriguing health trends and key pointers that seem to have a promising future.
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Healthcare Misinformation
One of the major issues that the best and famous doctors in Pakistan, while on being the frontline due to the COVID-19 pandemic, reported that there a lot of healthcare misinformation was floating around, which made the situation worse. The reason why we are making this top point to consider is that we need to keep a proper check and track the information.
The main issue that we all need to consider from 2021 onward is that there will be a whole lot of information in the jungle. So, while all this frenzy of misinformation overtakes us, we need to be smart enough to identify the fake news. Yes, there are unreliable sites when it comes to health as well. You need to avoid the sites which have some kind of hidden agenda. It might be difficult for you and can even cause discomfort, but it would be worth it by the end of the day.
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Future of the Telemedicine
As seen in 2020, the pandemic has dynamically changed the telemedicine shift. As seen in the pandemic, telehealth would be more widespread and mainstream. It would be considered as the first basic primary care option. It would spread from the urban to rural areas, across the borders. Just as the world is already digitally connected, telemedicine and telehealth would connect people more. It would be widespread in the office of general physicians, hospitals, and the clinics of the specialists as well. The patients would opt for the video consultation with the doctors.
So, I am sure that telemedicine will stay, and in fact, it would become a norm instead of a fancy term. It would be so common and normal that hearing about its services won’t intrigue you.
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Laboratory Tests at Homes
It might seem cliché but, one of the biggest achievements of medicine is the at-home lab tests. It is not something new, people have been using it since the 1960s. These tests were started owing to the risk of the threat both for the patient and the tester. For the developing countries, this would still be a new norm. But, getting tested at the comfort of the home would be safer for the patients and the others as seen during the pandemic issue. Where it provides a safe opportunity for the patient, it would definitely be providing a possible solution for such testing possibilities, which will boost the healthcare facilities for all. So, in the coming years, there would be more “antigen test kits” and “COVID-19 Kits” available.
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Immunity Passport
An immunity passport is basically a thing, where a person is proved officially that he or she has received vaccination against a certain virus. This idea has been circulating for a while and it might become a part of normal life. There would again be digital healthcare solutions for this. For example, there would be data of vaccination on electronic passports and national ID cards. But when it will be properly initiated, we shall have to see.
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Self-Monitoring Devices
You might also have an idea about the fitness bands and other self-monitoring devices. Even before the pandemic, a rise in self-monitoring sensors and devices has been noticed. The tech enthusiastic people have been working on health monitoring devices for a long time. Work has been undergoing the invention of the wearable that helps to detect the symptoms of the virus. From patch sensors to smartwatches, pulse oximeters, and even online voice analysis gadgets, all these smart yet effective self-monitoring would get a boost in their demand.
As I am a strong supporter of effective, fast, and easy healthcare solutions for all, so I am sure that the need for self-monitoring devices would increase. This idea of self-monitoring devices has received the extra trend due to the infection of the COVID. Hence, there is a dire need in the medical field for a method for continuous monitoring of the patients who are vulnerable to such pandemic and other diseases.
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The Uptake on Artificial Intelligence (A.I)
Last, but not least, the role of artificial intelligence. Although the field of artificial intelligence is quite young but has a huge scope. Why? Because of the drug delivery design to forecasting any disease or outbreaks, artificial intelligence has a promising future. Various research papers have been published in Nature about artificial intelligence. Some examples of such aspects are algorithms and online databases of the medical devices regarding A.I. But there is still room for more. So, let’s wait and see how far the innovation in the healthcare sector goes.
