Digital Healthcare Technology Trends in 2023

Technologies have been transforming the healthcare sector over the past ten years through numerous advancements in disease detection, treatment, and prevention. Without the rapid development of AI-driven technology and the digitization of healthcare operations in response to more harsh global conditions and the increased need for affordable and high-quality medical treatment, this shouldn't have occurred.

It's crucial to keep an eye on the trends influencing healthcare technology in 2023 as we move forward. Modern hospitals and care facilities rely heavily on legacy infrastructure and software, but it's necessary to think about how those systems might be integrated with newer technology or eventually replaced by more dependable ones. Improvements in performance, productivity, efficiency, and security should be prioritized without compromising dependability or accessibility.

If you're ready to investigate the technological advances propelling the healthcare industry toward digital transformation this year, here are the top technologies that have the ability to alter your firm.

Trend #1: Smart Healthcare

If you're ready to investigate the technological advances propelling the healthcare industry toward digital transformation this year, here are the top technologies that have the ability to alter your firm.

Artificial Intelligence For Diagnostics and Drug Development

Outside of treating and responding to the epidemic, artificial intelligence has other applications. AI is extremely useful for increasing the efficiency of information processing and decision making. Machine learning is particularly useful in the healthcare business for the development of novel drugs and the efficiency of diagnosis processes.

AI is assisting in the analysis of CT scans to detect pneumonia in those being treated for the effects of COVID-19. Microsoft created Project InnerEye, an AI tool for radiotherapy. This significantly speeds up the patient's 3D contouring procedure, reducing completion time to minutes rather than hours. The code for the project is available on GitHub. Another Microsoft AI system, Project Hanover, is designed to catalog biomedical research papers from PubMed. This shortens the time it takes to diagnose cancer and aids in determining which medications should be used for each patient.

AI For Mental Health

Artificial intelligence advancements are not limited to physical health. Researchers at MIT and Harvard University used machine learning to track trends and mental health in relation to the COVID-19 outbreak. They were able to evaluate hundreds of online Reddit messages using an AI model and discovered that issues of suicidality and loneliness had virtually increased over time. This has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of big populations' mental health.

AI may also be used to detect symptoms of illnesses caused by chemical changes in our brain, which result in a variety of mental symptoms. Dementia is one of these disorders. Alzheimer's disease, which is characterized by communication, cognitive, and memory impairments, is one of the most frequent kinds of dementia. These disorders cause a variety of mental symptoms and can progress for decades without being identified. Simultaneously, early detection of dementia is one of the most effective strategies to cure the disease or, in some cases, reverse the source of symptoms.

With improvements in deep learning and AI audio processing, it is now possible to analyze human speech to detect early signs of dementia. Simply put, a speech processing AI model can be trained to distinguish between healthy and dementia-related speech patterns. Such models can be used for screening or self-checking Alzheimer's disease, and can detect it years before serious symptoms appear.

AI For Better Cancer Diagnostics

For decades, biopsy was the only reliable method of diagnosing cancer disorders, which involved the extraction of tissue for analysis. This, however, does not provide a complete image of the organ tissue. Histopathology methods of today rely on digital scanning of a specific area that can be altered by cell mutations. Pathologists can investigate significantly bigger portions of human beings at once using entire slide pictures or WSI.

Working with WSI appears difficult because to the image's high resolution. While WSI scans are incredibly revealing, it takes hours of careful zooming in and out and scrolling from region to area before inspection yields a result. As a result, AI apps that can process WSI utilizing computer vision and convolutional neural networks have emerged. This method assists healthcare practitioners by highlighting the region of interest where probable cancer cells might be found, minimizing diagnostic time.

According to the results, the AI approach for WSI analysis not only produces good results but also requires minimum preparation for model training. Since WSI scanners have become a standard feature of medical institutions, this promotes their adoption throughout the healthcare business. Mobidev conducted its own experiment using WSI data, and you can read about our approach and results in a separate article.

Natural Language Processing

Chatbots have the potential to increase telehealth efficiency. UCLA researchers integrated chatbot technology with AI algorithms to develop a Virtual Interventional Radiologist (VIR). This was designed to enable patients self-diagnose and to aid clinicians in diagnosing such patients. Chatbots powered by Natural Language Processing aren't yet ready to perform primary diagnosis, but they can help. They are also well-equipped to assist patients in gathering information before effective treatment can begin.

Data Is The Cornerstone Of AI In Healthcare

Data is the most crucial factor driving artificial intelligence's success in healthcare. In particular, training data. Machine learning software will never outperform the quality of its training dataset. The model will perform better if we provide it with more data of higher quality and breadth. It is critical that your AI team is made up of competent software developers and data scientists who can collaborate to achieve the best outcomes.

Trend #2: Telemedicine Remote MEdical Services

Telehealth has come a long way since the pandemic began in 2020. Care practitioners will regularly hold video conference discussions with patients via the Internet in 2022 to discuss concerns and offer suggestions. The infrastructure for this has greatly improved. By 2026, telehealth is predicted to be worth $185.6 billion. With that in mind, what does the future hold?

Regulation Compliance

Before we get into that, one of the most crucial aspects of telemedicine is HIPAA compliance. Although certain restrictions were eased during the pandemic's peak in 2020, it is critical for healthcare providers to assess the applications they use to connect with their patients. Are they safe and qualified to handle sensitive health information?

Video Calls Using WebRTC

In many cases, a more dedicated solution that can explicitly adhere to legal privacy standards is required. WebRTC, an open-source API-based system that connects web browsers and mobile applications and enables for the transmission of audio, video, and data, is one of the most significant technologies that will be required if you need a dedicated telemedicine app. This is particularly useful for teleconferencing features.

Data Storage And Cloud Hosting

While most cloud storage systems are relatively safe, they are not always consistent with regulatory standards governing protected health information. HIPAA-compliant cloud hosting solutions are crucial for any healthcare organization that requires electronic health records to retain performance and efficiency (EVR).

Not only can this information enhance these surgeries, but it may also be a collaborative and distant endeavor that aids in training purposes. The headset's head-mounted camera view allows other doctors to monitor the surgery and provide suggestions. The device's holographic nature can also be used to enhance training. Similar applications are possible with emerging AR headsets. More specialized software solutions will be required in the future to expand its applicability to numerous sorts of procedures.

However, teleconferencing and data storage aren't the only capabilities that could be beneficial to your company. Other potentially beneficial features include security, location services, appointment management, secure messaging, healthcare provider evaluations, visit history, and wearable connection.

Some applications may require fitness data from consumer devices like Google Fit and Apple HealthKit. The ability to manage these connections in a secure and effective manner can tremendously benefit both the patient and the caregiver.

Trend #3: Augmented Reality For Digital Healthcare

Extended reality, which encompasses augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality, has enormous potential in the healthcare profession. AR and VR technology have the potential to significantly improve the healthcare business, from assisting surgery to assisting telehealth applications.

Augmented Reality In Healthcare

Augmented and mixed reality are beneficial in a wide range of healthcare contexts. Surgeons' usage of mixed reality headsets such as Microsoft Hololens 2 is one of the most prominent and useful applications of this technology. The headgear can provide the surgeon with real-time information while allowing them to utilize both hands during the procedure.

AR isn't just for headgear and operating rooms. The device can also assist nurses in locating veins to collect blood from.

To work, augmented reality development mainly relies on artificial intelligence and specialized sensors. Whether you are creating for mobile devices or other types of hardware, you will need sufficient data and software knowledge. To make these solutions successful, AR developers place a strong emphasis on combining AI with the software frameworks of target hardware.

Medical Metaverse

There is considerable disagreement regarding whether Facebook's rebranding to Meta and emphasis on social virtual reality experiences is acceptable. It is ultimately up to you whether or not you are willing to invest in this. Even if the metaverse is massively exaggerated, virtual reality has some possibilities in healthcare settings.

Training is one of the most useful applications of VR in healthcare that is currently in use. Creating virtual training environments for doctors can assist them in improving their abilities and preparing for procedures. VR can potentially be utilized for treatment in some situations. The Virtual Reality Medical Center, for example, offers VR treatment to treat phobias such as fear of heights and PTSD.

Maplewood Senior Living in Connecticut also offers a virtual reality therapy program for the elderly, which can help them uncover prior memories and improve their mental well-being.

Meta's turn toward cartoon-style sessions may be valuable for VR therapy, but its success as a replacement for regular teleconferencing remains to be seen. However, some innovations in this domain, such as spatial audio, have the potential to improve telehealth system efficacy by providing a more immersive digital experience.

Trend #4: IoT and Wearables in Healthcare

Wearables and IoT technologies' potential in the healthcare industry has expanded dramatically as they have gained popularity. Many have dubbed this microprocessing trend the Internet of Medical Things for applications in telemedicine and telehealth technologies.

At the start of 2021, there were 11.3 billion IoT devices connected. The global IoT medical devices market is expected to grow from USD 26.5 billion in 2021 to USD 94.2 billion by 2026. IoT cannot be disregarded as the healthcare business becomes more connected through these technologies.

Wearables

Wearable technology advancement is one of the most significant innovations in the healthcare industry. The capacity to remotely monitor a patient's state throughout the day, or for an individual to check their own status, is extremely valuable. According to a Deloitte survey, 39% of consumers own a smartwatch. With consumer smartwatches becoming more widely available, it is important to recognize their potential for usage in healthcare applications.

Heart rate is one of the most basic features that a smartwatch can provide that can be valuable for monitoring a person's health. A smartwatch, however, can measure more than just this. With pedometers and blood oxygen saturation sensors, these gadgets may also track physical wellness. Without appropriate equipment, low blood oxygen saturation is difficult to detect. Because this is a potentially fatal disease, smartwatches equipped with this sensor have the potential to save lives.

Smartwatches are also becoming more capable of measuring blood vitals in their users. Photoplethysmography (PPG) is an optical technique that can detect changes in blood volume and composition. Because it has been downsized for use on smartwatches, it can now provide users with more data about their blood vitals than ever before. This data can be used by healthcare providers to help counsel patients and complete diagnoses.

Smartwatches aren't the only wearables with applications in the healthcare profession. The impact of bio patches and smart hearing aids is comparable. Without the usage of a smartwatch, bio patches can provide a better insight of a person's vitals. Artificial intelligence can also be utilized to improve hearing aid noise isolation.

Smart Pills

The concept of a smart pill, which transforms The Internet of Things into The Internet of Bodies, is one of the most profound applications for IoT technology in healthcare. Smart pills are edible electronics that can provide vital information about patients while also acting as medications. The first FDA-approved smart medication was released in 2017.

With the industry heading toward the use of multiple microcontrollers at the same time, getting all of these computers to interact with each other can be difficult. Another barrier that must be overcome is that practically every manufacturer utilizes their own proprietary protocol to connect their products. This can make assimilation challenging.

Many environmental conditions can interrupt communications, making connectivity a concern. To counteract this, local microcontroller buffering solutions must become more robust. Security is also always a problem.

Trend #5: Data Privacy In Healthcare

Privacy and security are essential priorities in the healthcare industry, in addition to efficiency and quality of care. Kroger pharmaceutical data was exposed in a data breach in February 2021 using Accellion's FTA secure file-transfer service. They are far from alone. According to HealthITSecurity.com, over 550 firms experienced data breaches that affected over 40 million people last year.

Making sure your company is HIPAA compliant is an important first step toward avoiding costly data breaches. If you serve patients all over the world, you should think about the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union.

Some healthcare providers can connect with patients using software such as Facetime and Skype, which may not be fully compatible with national standards. Although the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has already eased enforcement standards for organizations during the public health emergency, it is critical not to rely on that discretion. As the pandemic subsides, enforcement will gradually return to normal. Getting ahead of the curve now can help you avoid costly fines later.

Although compatible video conferencing software is currently available, occasionally a more customized solution is required. This is especially true if the present data infrastructure does not interface well with the solutions available. More importantly, if a healthcare practitioner wants to use an existing system to exchange ePHI with patients via third-party software, they must first seek a business partner exception from the vendor, which can be time-consuming and difficult.

There is still no guarantee that the third-party software will completely safeguard patient data. Furthermore, it is challenging to keep information secure during remote medical calls. ePHI data must be transmitted in specified formats, and these requests can complicate the procedure.

Trend #6: Organ Care Technology And Bioprinting

Organ transplants are an essential element of the healthcare sector, with the global transplantation market expected to reach $26.5 billion by 2028. According to Matthew J Everly, around 2,000 heart transplants are performed in the United States each year. However, over 50,000 people are predicted to require a heart transplant. What can be done to assist all of these heart disease patients?

Organ Care Technology

Improving organ care technologies is one approach to this problem. This entails caring for the organ when it is outside of the body. Transmedics' Organ Care System, which is used by Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center, is a fantastic example. This gadget can retain a heart, lung, or liver outside the body for several hours by providing correct care, heat, and nourishment.

It's likely that the future of this technology will rely on artificial intelligence to take action without the participation of a doctor in order to sustain the organ for longer periods of time.

Perhaps more crucially, machine learning may be able to better evaluate whether or not an organ under preservation is acceptable for transplantation. The sooner this is determined, the sooner a life could be saved.

Bioprinting New Organs

Other options, in addition to keeping organs alive outside of the body, should be investigated. Although it may appear to be science fiction, 3D printed organs are a very real, albeit developing, technology that has already entered clinical trials. Ears, corneas, bones, and skin are all clinically tested organs for 3D bioprinting.

The procedure is not dissimilar to standard 3D printing. A computerized model of the tissue must first be generated. Because the materials utilized in the printing process are truly live cells called bioink, the resolution and matrix structure must be carefully considered. They must then use stimulation to test the organ's functionality.

One method of preventing organ rejection is to use the cells of the patient requesting transplantation. These cells can be cultured and then developed into the bioink required for printing.

Bioprinting has been attempted in the past but has yet to enter the mainstream. AI analysis of organs and recipient patient features may allow organs to be better tailored to be compatible with their new hosts.

Future Of Digital Healthcare

As the year 2022 approaches, healthcare technology will continue to advance in all areas. Although security will improve across the board, threats are constantly developing and must be addressed through prevention rather than response. Because of breakthrough and growing technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and extended reality, care quality and efficiency will continue to improve.

Time and money are both at stake when selecting how to update your healthcare company. It's critical that you work with a software engineering team that understands your demands and goals.

Reach out to begin with a talk, followed by an action plan!