Innovative Technologies Improve Patient Care

IT IS PREDICTED the global digital health market will reach $206 billion by 2020. According to MobiDev, a global software development company, the eight major technology trends to watch during the next two years include telemedicine, Internet of Medical Things, cloud computing, augmented and virtual reality, chatbots, predictive analytics, blockchain and, especially innovative for helping to improve the speed and accuracy of diagnosis and treatment, artificial intelligence (AI). It’s a transforming time for our industry, allowing healthcare to boost performance and productivity, while at the same time delivering new patient-centric services.

We are pleased to highlight in this innovation-themed issue some of the most recent developments in AI. As our article “The Future of Medicine with Artificial Intelligence” explains, embracing AI is crucial to keep practitioners in touch with the industry. Today, much of AI’s focus is on using machine learning, algorithms and software to assist healthcare professionals improve clinical results. Some of the more progressive technologies in place are the use of computer algorithms to earlier detect sepsis in hospital patients, predict the potential side effects of drug combinations, identify diabetic retinopathy, the most frequent cause of blindness in adults, and even monitor patients’ vitals to help make diagnoses based on symptoms.

Strides are also being made, albeit slowly and with many setbacks, in developing vaccine technology to prevent Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In our article “Stopping Alzheimer’s with a Preventive Vaccine?” we explain the two divergent camps of research: tauists who believe plaques and tangles are symptoms of AD and amyloidists who believe they are the cause. Of the more than 70 vaccines in development, we highlight the seven most promising. Yet, while many are hopeful the mystery behind this tragic disease that affects mostly seniors will one day be solved, it likely won’t happen anytime soon.

While nutrition is often seen as a sideline healthcare issue, the link between nutrition and health may in fact be the next revolution in reversing DNA damage that causes disease. We take an in-depth look at the study of using nutrition to benefit health through the care and feeding of genes in our article “Nutrigenomics: How Genes and Nutrition Interact.” New technologies such as genetically modified organisms and 3D-printed foods could one day impact genetic expression and improve health outcomes, but will face many challenges, including environmental considerations, understanding personal genotypes, reliance on observational vs. experimental studies, and lack of patient and provider buy-in. To date, nutrigenomics has been investigated mostly in relation to obesity. But, it is hoped this form of personalized nutrition will one day provide individualized nutrition for better health.

As always, we hope you enjoy this issue of BioSupply Trends Quarterly, and find it both relevant and helpful to your practice.

Helping Healthcare Care,

Patrick M. Schmidt

Publisher