From improving clinical information systems to aiding the treatment of viral diseases like COVID-19, adopting technology has been a lifeline in healthcare for the last few decades. With these unprecedented solutions and the growing demand for telemedicine and other tech-based treatment options, Big Tech companies like Microsoft and IBM have continued to strengthen partnerships with medical practitioners and researchers to enhance healthcare software development.
Recently, there has also been a growing trend of big consumer brands collaborating with health-tech startups to bring healthcare solutions to new heights of innovation and convenience. In light of these events, we present some healthcare trends in 2023. Some of these trends are forcing much-needed regulatory changes, and others reinforce the need for enhanced data privacy in dealing with patients’ medical records.
Artificial Intelligence
2023 has witnessed significant breakthroughs in the use of AI-powered technology for healthcare services. The major trend is the adoption of generative AI tools to analyze data from a patient’s health records, medical scans, test outcomes, and so on.
In March, Microsoft announced the launch of DAX Express, an AI-powered medical documentation platform for healthcare providers. It described it as the “first to combine proven conversational and ambient AI with the advanced reasoning and natural language capabilities of OpenAI’s GPT-4.”
With IBM’s replacement of the Watson Health unit with Merative and the introduction of a new “enterprise-ready AI and data platform,” WatsonX, later this year, we can expect a more integrated, responsible, and advanced approach to leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and data in the healthcare sector for 2023.
Advances in Virtual Care
Virtual care, otherwise known as telehealth or telemedicine, grew tremendously during the global lockdown occasioned by Covid-19. Today, federal and state regulators in the US are adapting to the unprecedented application of new technologies and services designed for virtual care. In a 2023 publication by Havard Business Review on this subject, the growth opportunity of virtual healthcare was linked to a study that shows that 94% of virtual care recipients want telehealth services to be preserved.
Virtual care technology for seniors is also worth considering in 2023. This is because we continue to see trends in senior living communities and caregivers that rely on home sensor systems and medical alert devices to help older adults manage their health at home.
Mental Health Technology
From depression to different types of OCD, apps used to manage mental disorders are becoming indispensable tools in mental health care. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that the number of mental health apps available in iTunes and Android app stores is increasing yearly, reaching thousands. Often connected with wearable technology, these apps can measure symptoms such as sleep patterns or heart rates to determine a person’s risk of mental health and recommend treatment options.
Extended reality
The gaming industry has long been associated with extended reality (XR), which refers to VR and AR. However, for medical students’ learning and healthcare providers’ practice, the benefits of extended reality tools hold much promise in 2023 and beyond. Whether analyzing virtual organisms or conducting virtual experiments, augmented reality enables students to link academic concepts with real-world applications.
In treating mental disorders, software companies like XRHealth provide VR/AR tools to enhance therapeutic interventions and improve patient outcomes.
Personalized Medicine and Genomics
Personalized medicine is a model that disregards the use of a one-size fit approach to medical treatments. Here, medical options are used selectively on the individual to address rare medical conditions and minimize side effects.
Personalized healthcare takes deep consideration into genomic sequencing before any medical intervention is done. Because of the high level of precision involved, experts believe gene therapy can significantly address many chronic diseases worldwide, including cancer. The growth of these healthcare trends can be seen in the rise of thousands of cell and gene therapy facilities in different parts of the world.
IoT and Medical Devices
In 2023, reduced cost and speed of health care will give rise to the demand and supply of medical devices powered by the Internet of Things (IoT). In recent years, smart wearable devices and sensors have been in demand to manage and monitor personal health and wellness.
A 2021 projection by Deloitte Global suggests that around 320 million health and wellness wearables will be shipped to consumers globally in 2022. As the adoption of these devices grows, and healthcare providers become more at ease with their implementation, the figure is set to rise to almost 440 million by 2024.
Nanomedicine
The slow adoption of nanomedicine in global healthcare is partly due to the high cost of research and manufacturing processes required to develop and produce nanoscale materials, nanoparticles, and nanodevices. But we can not lose sight of the significant developments that are setting the stage for the broad application of nanomedicine in the future. In recent years, we have seen the success of nanomedicine in treating cardiovascular diseases and COVID-19. For example, mRNA vaccines such as Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna were developed using nanomaterials that efficiently deliver genetic instructions into cells.
Summary
The healthcare tech trends mentioned here are in no way an exhaustive list. But they are among the leading and most influential trends shaping the healthcare industry today.
