Changes to healthcare happen almost daily. Even down to the minor changes that individual hospital wards make to the way they practice healthcare, the medical world is forever developing and adapting to the day, let alone the year or even the decade.
Yet, there are specific healthcare innovations that will define the decade. Some have changed the way the world practices medicine, bridging the gap between patients and a gold-standard service that leading healthcare services around the globe aim to deliver.
Below, we will explore the top 5 healthcare innovations that will define the decade.
Brain Mapping
Brain mapping is not exactly new, but the advancements made over the last few years, in particular the last two, will define how medical professionals use the technology for the next decade. Technological advancements now mean doctors can intricately map each area of the brain, understanding the difference between a normal brain and one of a person with autism, Parkinson’s disease, brain injuries, cancer, the list goes on.
Surgical Equipment
Surgical equipment has come a long way over the last decade and will continue to advance to allow surgeons and their teams to perform groundbreaking surgeries. The self-retaining retractor is a primary example of innovative equipment. The Galaxy II — the name for the innovative device made by June Medical — reduces the risk of infection, the need for extra hands to hold the retractor open, and gives surgeons more control over what they’re doing.
Drone Delivered Supplies
Drone technology has advanced massively over the years and is used in a wide variety of industries. In the UK, drones transported COVID-19 test kits between hospitals running low on supplies. In the US, talks have begun about drones delivering medical supplies from blood to organs. Currently, hospitals use transport vehicles and blood bikes.
However, drones could cut out any potential delays caused by traffic. The US is also exploring drones to deliver defibrillators, with studies showing they can deliver one quicker than an ambulance can arrive on the scene.
Regenerative Medicine
Regenerative medicine is exciting. The thought of having the ability to regenerate body parts would have been inconceivable ten years ago, and now it is a technology that has come to fruition. The focus of regenerative medicine had previously been around regenerating body parts. However, recently, scientists have been able to regenerate cartilage, a tough tissue that notoriously cannot repair itself.
Gene Editing
Gene editing has given specialists the ability to change gene sequences. Enzymes target parts of the gene coding, allowing sections of the DNA coding to be removed and replaced. To think that is now possible is mind-blowing. That could mean that people suffering from genetic mutations, such as down syndrome, could one day have their gene coding altered to give them a better quality of life.
Advancements in medicine are why we now have successful vaccines, life-saving surgeries, and services that support people with troubling health needs. Technology is at the forefront of innovation, giving professionals the chance to explore once inconceivable innovations that will revolutionize medicine over the decade.