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  • February 17, 2021
  • Gareth Morris

The top tech revolutionising healthcare

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Healthcare just got interesting. A wave of futuristic developments are revolutionising the way that patients are diagnosed, treated and cured – and the tech industry is at the heart.

IT and biotech companies are set to benefit significantly from the health industry’s digital revolution – providing the tools, expertise and advancements that will fuel it all. Below, we take a look at the top eight technologies that healthcare companies will be demanding from your business in 2020. 

1. Virtual healthcare

Forget stuffy waiting rooms, late appointments, and surly receptionists – virtual appointments are about to enter the scene. The ability to speak to, see and diagnose patients using video calling, wearable technology and biometric sensors will improve the efficiency of the NHS, increase the speed of diagnosis and provide the option for patients to connect with specialist experts across the globe. 

Demands for virtual technology, especially voice medical assistants, will increase over the next 12 months, alongside the need to secure this technology.  

2. Virtual reality

We’ve already seen VR used extensively in the medical field, especially for training new doctors and surgeons. What we’re about to see is the use of VR in treating common conditions, such as phobias and insomnia, and rehabilitating patients recovering from strokes, anxiety and acute pain. Extensive research is also being conducted in the use of VR to detect and potentially prevent the onset of dementia.

The opportunities for VR in the medical field are virtually endless, and we anticipate strong growth in this sub-industry. 

3. Augmented reality

As AR technology becomes more advanced and accessible, the healthcare industry is becoming more intrigued and involved. In-surgery AR applications allow surgeons to perform small, targeted incisions that minimise body trauma, by seeing an augmented view of inside the patient’s body, overlaid with pertinent information. 

Pharmaceutical companies are also prime customers for AR tech – using visual simulations to educate patients about their pain, demonstrate the benefits of certain drugs and teach people how to take their medication correctly. 

4. Internet of Medical Things

The Internet of Things is commonplace in our homes, offices and cities – and it’s about to expand into the medical field. For the NHS, this could result in a future where a patient’s health is tracked and monitored throughout their entire care using biometric sensors – removing the need for manual records and providing health practitioners with real-time data. With this, brings interesting possibilities for remote healthcare and home hospitals. 

However, you can’t mention the IoT without referencing the security concerns surrounding the technology. Given the sensitive information involved in healthcare, tech companies involved in securing this data can expect to be in demand. 

5. Artificial intelligence

Machine learning has huge consequences for the medical field. Cognitive algorithms are augmenting and accelerating human tasks considerably. For example, just this month, AI has helped cancer researchers to identify five new sub-categories of breast cancer that human analysis failed to spot. In another study, AI processed, read and alerted a radiologist about a patient’s CAT scan 150 times faster than a physician. 

Futhermore, there are countless benefits in terms of predictive analysis in diagnostics where AI is involved. Not only this, but artificial intelligence is also at the forefront of the increase in genetics testing expected in the next five years.

The efficiency and accuracy benefits of healthcare AI will certainly cement and expand its use in the future. 

6. Data science

Data science and predictive analysis are also transforming medical diagnoses – using patient information, family history and environmental statistics to find deeper insights and make accurate diagnoses and predictions. Plus, with the popularity of wearable health tech and the IoT, never has there been more data sets for this technology to work with. 

7. Blockchain

Although still in its early stages, Blockchain has significant potential for the healthcare sector – making medical records more accessible to the right people and secure against the wrong people. We expect to see a lot of experimentation, investment and testing over the next 12 months – ready for large-scale adoption. 

If you’re in this industry, we recommend preparing your workforce with the top technical talent now, before the skills gap makes it difficult. 

8. 3D printing

Artificial limbs are nothing new, but the process of printing them using a 3D printer is. The improvements in bionic and 3D printing technology have made it possible to artificially create limbs and internal organs such as hearts, livers and kidneys. As doctors improve their ability to implant these artificial organs into patients successfully, the demand for improved technology will be great.

This has tremendous consequences for patients on waiting lists or those who require emergency transplants to save their lives. 

The top talent revolutionising healthcare

All of this life-saving and changing technology isn’t possible without the right talent behind it. If you’re looking to benefit from healthcare’s digital transformation, you need the right team to help. Speak to one of our specialist healthcare technical recruiters today to find out how we can help secure you the top talent for tomorrow. 


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