Unconventional medical innovations poised to revolutionize healthcare

The healthcare care industry is facing unprecedented scrutiny and numerous challenges in present times. It has, despite the scrutiny, managed to adapt itself to a digital first approach. The healthcare industry was also forced to not only innovate but foster a holistic culture of innovation.

Technology has made virtual healthcare possible; Whereas analytics has led to new insights for the developments of treatments and medication leading to better healthcare outcomes in the long-run. The advent of virtual health has opened up new vistas of opportunity for the healthcare industry. It has led to new data, novel healthcare approaches and various medical innovations. Based on insights, let’s take a quick look at some of the key medical innovations that may revolutionize healthcare in the near future.

Advent of digiceuticals

Remember, riding through rush-hour traffic and being in a long que for your doctor’s appointment? Seems like only yesterday, doesn’t it? That inconvenience may soon become a thing of the past as patients can now access healthcare with telemedicine, at the tap of a button.  It gets better though. The future may also see more “digiceuticals” being prescribed. They work by enhancing well-being with data and analytics sans any medication or in-person administrations Instead, practitioners focus on offering information and encouragement.  While it may sound counter-intuitive, digiceuticals are already in use and have demonstrated effectiveness in certain cases. They are currently being studied for wider use.

A good example of this is where apps were developed to reduce the relentless tinnitus noise by training the brain to lower the volume. The Mayo Clinic to manage patients who are at a risk for heart failure better developed an app that tracks vital health parameters like activity, blood-pressure, and other factors.   The healthcare apps market in India is estimated to reach INR 138 billion in 2024, and is  growing at a CAGR of 31.61 % during the 2019-2024 forecast period, as per ResearchandMarkets.

Use of biochips, implantable devices, and ingestible devices

Technology can play a critical role in improving the speed, efficacy, and efficiency of diagnostic efforts. Conventionally, figuring out the best drugs to treat a bacterial or viral infections would entail in a long-wait for blood cultures. Biochips help resolve this problem by conducting a complete microbial scan in a few hours without culturing. The process can also help highlight mutations that lead to antibiotic resistant microbes. We also find that there is a lot of research being conducted into the trillions of bacteria that exist in every human being’s body, also known as the human microbiome.

This research into the human microbiome has led to an increased understanding of diseases and immune responses as well as new modes of diagnosis. For instance, the gut microbiome plays a role in many physical conditions such as the development of obesity, neurological conditions, cardiovascular disease, and even inflammatory bowel disease.  The use of biochips could help detect the risk for these conditions and develop treatment and healthcare guidelines towards prevention. According to MarketsandMarkets, the biochips market worldwide was estimated to be worth USD 17.75 billion in 2020. This market is expected to grow exponentially during the new normal.

The idea of using devices that can be implanted in a patient’s body with RFID chips that hold a patient’s medical records is being explored. To continually monitor blood chemistry, the use of a subcutaneous sensor is being studied. Research is also being conducted in to ingestible capsule-based devices that perform tasks in gastrointestinal system, from isolating foreign objects to delivering treatment.

 Changing healthcare dynamics

Healthcare today is being forced to adapt to a business model that focusses on seamless patient experiences and better healthcare outcomes. There is also a shift towards advanced diagnostics and prevention for a more holistic healthcare approach. This is fuelling the demand and need for healthcare innovations that empower practitioners to offer more personalized treatment approaches.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ET Edge Insights, its management, or its members

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