Technology
Despite the imperfection of the healthcare system even in the most developed countries, scientific progress does not stand still. New technologies are already allowing us to predict that in less than ten years, medicine will become more individualized and many services will be available at a distance, while patients will become take a direct part in your recovery. What innovations in the field of health will allow humanity to move to a qualitatively new level, where there will be no place for human error?
Existing technologies make it possible to provide more services outside the traditional system. Telemedicine is developing rapidly, and systems such as Bosch's Health Buddy allow doctors to consult patients through an electronic system, viewing all problems in data streams and prescribe medications, preventing a situation when the patient is already admitted to the hospital.
Recent studies at Japan's Showa University have shown that a remote monitoring system for patients with asthma has reduced hospital visits by 83 percent. This gives hope that in ten years, remote care will help keep patients healthy when they are at home.
It is also hoped that people themselves will be more sympathetic to their health. Developing social networks allow individuals to find psychological support, gather relevant information, and make decisions with the help of others. Competent online resources that provide patients with detailed information about various diseases will allow a person to have the necessary data and make more informed decisions.
By 2020, medical decisions will be made based on improved data thanks to technology. There are now new sensors that constantly read physiological data while you go about your usual activities, which will provide specialists with more accurate data and diagnose the disease based on reliable indications.
Diabetics now have the ability to constantly measure blood sugar, and systems like Corventis, which are a so-called “smart bandage” and measure vital signals such as heart rate is already on its way to onset.
Scientists are increasingly learning something new about human genes and this knowledge can be applied to choose the most effective treatment for a particular patient. Scientists have recently established a link between genetic markers and the success of certain chemotherapy drugs in breast cancer patients. If this continues, by 2020, specialists will be able to prescribe drugs to patients according to their genetic characteristics.
By 2020, patients will finally be taking their medications on time and at the right dosage. According to the World Health Organization, only half of all patients take their medications correctly. Future technologies will provide people with the right support, knowledge and response to help them stick to their recovery plan. Today, there are already microchips manufactured by Proteus Biomedical that can be embedded in tablets and swallowed so that the doctor knows exactly when the patient has taken the pill.
In the future, electronic documentation systems, statistics on diagnoses, treatment and results will be developed, all of which will be available in extensive databases. The patient will not only be able to choose the best type of treatment, but also the doctor who will best understand his illness.