15 Innovations That Will Change Healthcare in 2021

Just like any other industry, adapting to new technologies is not a new idea, it may seem challenging but the fact remains, it is truly needed. It is a no-brainer that in the healthcare industry, the question is not why they should adapt to the innovations of modern times, the real question is – How?

How can we identify innovations in the healthcare industry?

Innovation simply means a new method. New and more effective ways of solving things. The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that “Health Innovations” improve the efficiency and quality of the healthcare industry. Health Innovations include but are not limited to improved or enhanced health policies, new healthcare services, products, and technologies. The main reason why healthcare innovations are made is to improve healthcare holistically.

Healthcare just like any other field needs to change and adapt to find newer and better ways to solve problems. But there are more healthcare trends we must look into. These are some of the innovations that are now transforming the healthcare industry. 

1. Non-Surgical Robots to Improve Cleanliness

Hospital cleanliness is a vital part of keeping patients safe. Maintaining good hospital hygiene helps in preventing the transmission of infections. A clean hospital environment reduces microbial contamination on various surfaces.

The COVID-19 pandemic has questioned the effectiveness of traditional disinfectants and manual ways of cleaning. One unfortunate fact is that manual sanitation and disinfection can be inefficient because the quality of cleanliness hugely depends on people and their motivation and energy in doing the task. Assessing the quality will require direct and on-site observations.

The rise of Ultra-Violet Robots for sanitation and disinfection was created to somehow diminish this threat. Robots are defined as machines programmed by humans to perform tasks with extreme difficulty or redundancy. UV-disinfection robots improve sanitation and disinfection of healthcare facilities by offering a non-touch technology to kill microorganisms with minimized human contact. UV light at a wavelength of 254 nm is said to be bactericidal, sporicidal, fungicidal, and virucidal.

In this current time of pandemic where the supply of traditional surface disinfectants is limited, a UV-disinfection robot is a valuable alternative and a much better solution. 

2. A Wristband that Reads Minds

Imagine having a wristband that could be controlled by your brain. Well, now you don’t need to imagine anymore. It’s possible and done. CTRL-Labs developed an electronic bracelet that allows mental control of computers.

Thomas Reardon, CEO, and co-founder of CTRL-Labs, the device maker said that he wants machines to do what we want them to do, and I want us to not be enslaved by the machines. He called this invention “A step backward for humanity”.

Ideally, the main users of the CTRL-Kit Wristband are people who are either bedridden or disabled. This gives them an alternative to the traditional brain implants, where it helps in directing cursors to their computer with the use of their brains. For real, why would you want to have a risky surgery of placing a chip inside of your brain when you can just simply wear a wristband, right?

By measuring changes in electrical potential that are caused by impulses travelling from the brain to our hand muscles, CTRL-Kit translates mental intentions into actual actions.

3. Pocket-sized Ultrasound

When we enter clinics for our ultrasound appointments, we often see huge and bulky ultrasound machines, right? But did you know that ultrasound machines can now be handheld?

Butterfly Network, spearheaded by  Dr. Jonathan Rothberg,  invented a portable and hand-held ultrasound scanner called the Butterfly IQ. The Butterfly IQ is a battery-operated, wirelessly- charged device used to acquire and securely transmit images for review and diagnosis. It can scan almost everything, a fetus, tumors, broken bones, pneumonia, kidney stones, and heart ailments. 

You no longer need to travel far and experience hassles for your ultrasound needs. This portable device can now generate quality ultrasound images that you can conveniently access on your smartphone.

 4. Rehab in Virtual Reality 

Patients with limited mobility, for example, stroke patients cannot engage with physical objects because their limbs tend to be weak. This slows down their recovery and to be honest, very upsetting for them as well.

Incorporating Virtual Reality or VR into their rehabilitation process helps in providing a more comprehensive and efficient solution for patients undergoing physical and neurological rehabilitation. When patients enter the virtual world, they are asked to perform rehabilitation exercises by interacting with virtual objects.

When a person’s brain is engaged in thinking that they are moving objects. It is possible to tap into the neuroplasticity of their brain, which can eventually lead to important improvements in motor function.

5. Drone Delivery of Medical Supplies

Drones are no longer JUST used for filming hard-to-reach views but can now actually deliver medical supplies from one place to another. Lack of connectivity and accessibility can make medical cargo deliveries challenging in some regions, particularly remote locations.

The service began by delivering supplies to Novant Health’s Huntersville medical center from a depot next to its facility in Kannapolis, North Carolina. Once the drone has reached its destination, the supplies are dropped through a parachute so that the center doesn’t need any additional storage to receive the delivery. 

6. Telehealth 

Where technology meets healthcare. Telehealth is the use of digital technology such as computers and mobile devices, to access healthcare services remotely and manage patient’s health anytime and anywhere they may please.

Technology has the potential to improve the quality of healthcare and to enhance access to more people. Telehealth provides opportunities to make healthcare more efficient and easier to obtain. 

7. Electronic Medical Records 

An electronic medical record is the digital version of paper records. It contains the general and vital information of a patient. It has but is not limited to, patient’s history, prescriptions, medications, diagnoses, immunizations, and clinical notes. This information helps in making critical medical decisions for both patients and physicians.

This can help in assisting create a more organized and coordinated flow of healthcare processes that will eventually improve the quality of patient care. With the help of this system, both patients and physicians will be quickly and easily informed of the necessary medical data they may need anytime and anywhere.

8. Electronic Health Records

Electronic health records can simply be explained as the general collection of a patient’s medical information. The main reason why EHRs are better stored in an online platform is that multiple healthcare providers are viewing and examining a certain patient’s medical information. It contains but is not limited to a patient’s demographic data, complete medical history, and records of hospitalization.

To further improve the communication between physicians and patients, an electronic health record can help patients view their healthcare history and can quickly work on what needs to be improved holistically. This makes the patient feel more secure because it makes them part of the whole process. 

9. Smartphone-connected Pacemakers

Patients need pacemakers to help control their heartbeat. It is a small, battery-operated device that is implanted under the skin near the heart to help regulate the heartbeat. It is mainly used to treat slow heart rhythm (bradycardia), fainting spells (syncope), heart failure and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

This smartphone-connected device can now automatically send data from anywhere, using an app, as long as there is an internet connection. This device also allows physicians to check on their patients without in-person visits

 10. 3D Swabs to Detect COVID-19

The global COVID-19 pandemic has truly changed the way we practice healthcare. With the problem of shortage of testing supplies around the world in mind,  AI software company Axial3D designed 3D printed nasal swabs for COVID tests.

The 3D printed swabs include COVID-19 test kits, swabs, masks, and ventilators. Which are not only quick to produce, but they also keep samples more intact than traditional swabs. This innovation is essential in tackling the COVID-19 outbreak, and with more access to testing swabs, healthcare facilities around the globe can now better monitor the spread of the virus.

11. Chatbot for Checking COVID-19 Symptoms

Many healthcare providers have turned to chatbots to answer questions and check COVID-19 symptoms. Through patients answering a series of questions, the electronic algorithm evaluates a patient’s medical history, risk, and symptoms to provide evaluation and eventually, recommendations.

An AI-based chatbot is an effective conversational interface to answer inquiries, recommend care options, check symptoms, book appointments, refill medication, and do other healthcare-related tasks.

12. Stethoscope Monitoring of Quarantined Patients

Healthcare providers can now use special stethoscopes that both listen to patients’ hearts and also transmit images of the lungs. This device features the detection of abnormalities and allows doctors to diagnose patients remotely while minimizing physical contact. 

This all-in-one remote medical examination device allows physicians to remotely connect with quarantined patients in the hospital whether they may stay inwards or at their homes. This allows the performance of remote medical exams which are keys for detecting and monitoring COVID-19. Physician recommendation can quickly be deployed and at scale, possible within a single workday only.

13. Cloud-based CPAP Patient Monitoring

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure or also known as CPAP is a common therapy for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. CPAP machines use a hose and mask or sometimes, a nosepiece to deliver constant and steady air pressure.

To better serve respiratory patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, the ventilation device company ResMed sped up the European release of its patient data management software called AirView. Airview uses cellular chips in ventilation devices and CPAP machines to send information to healthcare providers through the cloud.

Physicians can now confidently manage high-risk respiratory patients safely and effectively with remote monitoring especially in this time of the pandemic.

14. LASIK Advancement

LASIK, which also stands for Laser in-situ Keratomileusis, is an eye surgery that can correct vision in people who are nearsighted, farsighted, or who have astigmatism. The efficiency and safety of this procedure allow surgeons to offer services to a much broader audience, making vision without corrective lenses accessible and affordable to more people.

15. Augmented Reality

Augmented reality or AR is one of the most promising digital health technologies at present. Augmented Reality uses technology to let data appear in front of real-world situations, allowing physicians to make quicker, more appropriate decisions about specific patients during their practice.

More healthcare providers are using augmented reality to bring new therapies by combining virtual and physical worlds. Whether explaining the state of the disease, treatment method or how medical devices work, AR can significantly enhance customer engagement and improve learning.

Takeaway

Healthcare innovation is complex and constantly changing. And we also need to consider that the Healthcare Industry will be permanently and significantly changed by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, these innovations show that the industry is prepared to grow and find new solutions to deliver the best patient care possible despite the negative circumstances.