Medical technology: Technological Innovations In Health

 

Medical Technology

Cloud computing (cloud computing) based solutions, health data analytics, seamless communication, electronic record keeping, online appointment scheduling, telemedicine, or the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), innovation technology, and the advent of the Internet have enabled the emergence of new medical devices and new medical practices offering increasingly personalized treatments and health services. Indeed, the future of healthcare holds many possibilities, and medical technology has an important role to play in ensuring better options and measures to solve all the most important health problems that patients face.

Without forgetting the importance of favoring human labor and jobs in the health fields, medical technology innovations play a key role in helping and supporting health professionals (doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, etc.). .) Who devotes many hours and physical work to take care of patients - and optimize care?

Indeed, new medical technology allows health professionals to progress in their field, save a greater number of patients, and fight against new diseases. In addition, new medical technologies can facilitate the necessary responsiveness to global issues and new challenges. Although some of the innovations are not new and others will see the light of day in the future, it should be remembered that in France, the Digital Health Agency (formerly the Agency for Shared Information Systems of health) dates from 2009.

Moreover, this French government agency responsible for digital health, which contributes to the improvement of the health system in France alongside the Ministerial Delegation for Digital Health, is a response to the message launched by the WHO at the beginning of the 2000s. “In 2005, in resolution WHA58.28 on eHealth, the World Health Assembly urged the Member States to consider developing a long-term strategic plan to design and implement eHealth services in the various areas of the health sector [...] to develop infrastructures to apply information and communication technology to health [...] to promote equitable access at an affordable cost and universal to their advantages”.

 

 

Innovations and medical novelties for a better future of health?

E-health, robot-surgeon, telemedicine, teleconsultation, medical appointment app, and a large number of current terms indicate that digital innovations are ubiquitous in the medical sectors and are revolutionizing healthcare. And it seems obvious that technology in medicine is there to anchor itself durably and settle in mores.

Moreover, many innovations and new solutions (mobile applications for medical appointments, virtual visits of EHPADs, Shared Medical Records, etc.) implemented by international start-ups and governments are already on the market, and they have all considerably improved health care, although unequal access (to these tools and services) is still strongly present, and deserves to be deployed more quickly.

Also, as already underlined in 2013 the article " Innovation in medical technology: why and how to get involved?" » Published in the Swiss Medical Review, « medical technologies are an integral part of our daily lives. More than just a user, the doctor has a key role to play in the innovation of these technologies. Evaluating new instruments can guide manufacturers towards solutions leading to a real clinical impact. Moreover, through his daily practice, he can identify the real needs not met by current technologies. However, innovation and development are not part of current medical training. To fill this gap, new training centers for innovation in medical technologies are springing up in Europe, following the success of American centers. These new training programs can enable us to become actors and initiators of inventions that will change our medical practice tomorrow.”

To this day, multiple medical problems such as heart failure, diabetes, or depression, are being studied and supposedly solved thanks to remarkable new technology invented by start-ups around the world. By trying to meet the needs (and the ethical questions posed by each innovation), these advances in e-health (telemedicine, etc.) make it possible to facilitate the care of many patients of all ages, particularly in medical deserts, as well as than to maximize medical costs and health system management costs.

 

 

Examples of medical technological innovations at the service of professionals and patients

3D printing, 3D digital twin, medical imaging in virtual reality,

Nowadays, scientific and medical researchers are considering the potential of 3D visualization and 3D printing in medicine, some steps of which are already facilitating treatment. Thanks to the perfected use of 3D printers, scientists can reproduce multi-dimensional models of problem areas inside the body of patients.

Thus, surgeons can manipulate the models and simulate a variety of replicas of possible operations before performing the actual surgery. Alternatively, 3D printing can be used to reproduce bones or other organs of the human body and adapt to each patient. This technological advance also extends to made-to-measure prostheses and orthoses and makes it possible, for example, to replace an absent member of the body or to manufacture personalized implants (dental implants, etc.).

Another field of very recent innovations in the field of health is 3D visualization with the creation of a digital twin. Since these techniques are already well established in the field of industry, researchers specializing in the analysis of data and the modeling of phenomena in biology and bioinformatics are currently developing technologies to create digital doubles at the service of professionals in the health and patients. These tools of the future make it possible to visualize, evaluate, understand and predict, for example, how a treatment acts on a patient or how to prepare for a meticulous and urgent surgical intervention.

Indeed, the long-term objective is to benefit from truly personalized medicine thanks to the computer modeling of the organs of the human body. By bringing these innovations to the heart of health establishments and doctors' offices, it is possible to test new molecules, better outline and simplify clinical trials, assist a surgeon, etc.

One of the very advanced examples is the Living Heart Project (LHP) of Dassault Systems (3DS).

In line with the most promising and cutting-edge technologies in silico medicine, the project encompasses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology, medical device, and patient care sectors. The objectives of these innovations are to improve the quality of life and autonomy of all patients with optimal and comprehensive care.

Finally, other innovations are successful, such as those proposed by the start-up Avatar Medical (resulting from research work carried out at the Institute Pasteur and the Institute Curie). This French start-up “is developing cutting-edge technology that uses virtual reality to facilitate surgical procedures”.

 

 

Medical technological innovation and cardiovascular health

One of the most common and expensive diagnoses in healthcare is heart failure, with a death rate approaching cancer.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “heart failure is responsible for 17.7 million deaths worldwide each year, or 31% of deaths. In France, cardiovascular pathologies are the second leading cause of death, just after cancer, and are the cause of approximately 150,000 deaths per year and 400 deaths per day”.

Medical technological innovations in this sector include three types of sensors bracelet, necklace, and watch which are used for testing and data transfer. In this way, this diagnosis gives heart failure patients and doctors continuous information about the functioning of a compromised heart and the general state of health. This makes it possible to provide medical and/or surgical care as needed and as soon as possible.

 

 

BIg data and Health

Big Data and health

As we know, today, data is essential, long before the arrival of social networks or online commerce, and in particular in the health sector. This ranges from analyzing diagnostic reports to filing the history of patients' medical treatment history, the evolution of a pandemic, etc.

Today, healthcare institutions have a dizzying amount of information to store, and it is not uncommon for large hospitals or modern clinics to use database management systems to help doctors make diagnoses. More accurate and recommended treatments.

Indeed, Big Data ("massive data" in French), which corresponds to the management of enormous volumes of data in real-time, is dedicated to the field of health and makes it possible to examine and analyze simultaneously a crowd of data that humans or traditional computer tools are not able to accomplish. Big data management tools make it possible, for example, to create large-scale surveys to better understand needs and find appropriate solutions.

As an INSERM article published in 2016 points out, “These databases provide objective and very exhaustive data on the scale of large populations, with few people lost to follow-up. Major assets about the information that can be collected during studies, continued in the short or medium term, carried out in specific populations or a limited number, and often based on the declarations of the participants. The richest of the medico-administrative databases is the SNIIRAM (National health insurance winter regime information system). In this database are recorded all the reimbursements made by the Health Insurance for each contributor, throughout their life (biology, drugs, ambulances, consultations with dates and names of the health professionals seen, codes of the type of disease in certain cases …).».

Since the introduction of electronic medical records (Dossier Médical Portage or DMP), it is much easier for doctors to consult and transparently share the medical history of patients. While innovations are still expected, this means that records are less likely to be lost and patient care is improved as the doctor has full access to the patient's medical history, prescriptions, and previous care. Electronic records also allow patients themselves to keep track of their medical data, for example with the French public service “Mon Espace santé ".

 

Mobile apps for healthcare professionals and patients

The entire healthcare sector has experienced unprecedented growth in recent years. There have been many technical improvements in this industry and countless wellness apps have been developed which can make maintaining health and a healthy lifestyle extremely convenient. It has also led to the universal acceptance of technology in the healthcare industry.

Today, mobile apps are available in many areas. In the health sector, this is particularly true. Doctors and patients are discovering new ways to use technology to monitor their health and communicate (booking medical appointments, etc.). Nowadays, thanks to these software applications developed for a mobile electronic devices, it is for example possible to monitor daily sleep habits, count the calories consumed, and maintain a specific diet (intermittent fasting, ketogenic diet, etc.). .), research treatment options, and even monitor heart rate.

Finally, these mobile applications are intended for patients to take better care of their health and can at the same time provide a preventive diagnosis or help to keep a register of health conditions. Thus, when well-designed and addressing key ethical questions, these apps provide valuable and appropriate information for healthcare professionals. Also, apps that help build a professional network such as doctor appointment scheduling and medical health tracking are a big help since they cater to real-time needs (doctors at home and care services, etc.).

 

One of the most useful and practical innovations of recent years is remote monitoring technology. The systems can be used by all patients in the comfort of their own homes to reduce the time and financial cost of recurring doctor visits, especially for patients who are located in medical deserts or with reduced mobility.

For example, by using a small, network-connected electronic device designed to measure a particular health condition, doctors can remotely analyze a patient's data without the patient having to travel to a hospital, clinic, or at his doctor's office. These remote follow-ups often raise ethical questions regarding the security and management of each patient's private data. However, many start-ups are working on continuous improvement to protect data, and innovate by always creating better security barriers.

Depending on the case, remote patient monitoring makes it possible to be monitored at any time using appropriate technology without a doctor needing to be present. This not only means that doctors and nurses can help multiple patients at once, but also that patients can leave the hospital earlier and be safely monitored remotely. Thus, it creates a more comfortable and less costly experience for everyone involved.

Also, the medical concierge (an exclusive and personalized system for accessibility and convenience) has been dramatically improved thanks to technological innovations. As a result, the relationship between a patient and a treating physician can become more fluid with, in particular, access to a direct telephone line or a web chat, whatever the time or day, and allowing appointments to be made or to answer simple medical questions and diagnoses. The concierge concept is not new, but it remains an attractive solution for general practitioners and their patients within the framework of a simple individual medical follow-up.

Improved communication and accelerated experimentation

With the busy schedules and limited free time of many healthcare professionals (doctors, nurses,...) – even outside of a pandemic such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) – it is very important to be able to communicate with them via electronic devices such as tablets, smartphones, and other freely accessible terminals. New technological developments have focused on this point, in some countries of the world, and have been designed to improve the link between patients and doctors. While there is still a long way to go, the path is clear to better connect physicians – and connect with them – by providing a safe virtual place to interact.

The Ebola virus disease epidemic (acute and serious disease, often fatal, which appeared in 1976) or the COVID-19 pandemic have shown that accelerated medical research and experimentation are possible. Due to the World Health Organization (WHO) fearing the adverse effects of a global epidemic, research efforts on vaccination increased, and scientists began to use advanced methods that are on the verge of becoming commonplace.

Finally, as explained in an article published on the Internet platform Cairn (Reviews and works in the human and social sciences) in 2020, “the great confinement favored the accelerated experimentation of new organizational practices. The impacts of the health crisis have been very strong [...] in terms of collective and individual commitment, adaptation, health, very rapid adoption of new working methods, and questioning of management. Businesses have been challenged to adjust very quickly to deal with emergencies. With the interconnection of crises – health, economic, social, and environmental – the situation has changed and all stakeholders must question the lasting impacts of this experience, which is as unprecedented as it is intense”

AI (artificial intelligence), robots, nanotechnology...

Artificial intelligence (AI) has many applications in healthcare. One of the most important applications is diagnostics, as there have been several situations in which AI has been able to identify diseases like skin cancer (melanoma) and diabetic retinopathy better than experts. In the field. Beyond diagnosis, AI can be used to perform routine tasks, manage data, design treatments, manage drugs, and more.

AI can even be used on robots, and then these robots can act as medical assistants, taking lab samples, assisting with surgeries, and disinfecting hospital rooms. Without question, there is a lot of room for new developments in the field of AI in the fields of health, and AI presents many challenges, but it would be possible to see results that will change a life.

Another innovative technology in the medical field is nanotechnology (NST), or nanoscience, for diagnosis. Nanoscience concerns objects that have at least one dimension less than 100 nanometers (nm) – one nanometer is one-billionth of a meter or 1×10 -7 meters. Essentially, nanotechnology can be used to recognize single cells and identify genetic content that could mean disease in a human. This then allows drugs to reach specific damaged cells while avoiding healthy cells.

 

Advantages and disadvantages of medical technological innovations

However, before completely relying on new technologies body and soul, it is worth considering the advantages and disadvantages of technology. Although the benefits outweigh the costs, there are still a few downsides to consider.

The advantages of medical technological innovations:

• Increased efficiency of health systems;
• Increased accessibility of health care;
• Past disease predictions;
• Better analysis of health data and increased readability of medical documents;
• Faster surgery and patient recovery times;
• Development of suitable drugs and vaccines quickly.

The disadvantages of medical technological innovations:

• Pushes to an addiction to the Internet connection and cyberchondria ;
• Increased risk of security breaches for data sharing;
• Higher risk of miscommunication in virtual meetings depending on the quality of the connections;
• Lack of empathy and impersonal AI reporting, or frustration if technology fails;
• Increase in some costs for updates, depending on geographic location.