The COVID-19 pandemic has boosted many technological trends, namely those focused on distant medical care, early diagnosis, and higher security for both doctors and patients. The expansion of some of these trends like telemedicine, Artificial Intelligence, and cloud computing is unprecedented and will cause permanent change both in the healthcare sector and in our lives. Before we get to the top-3 trends that will affect the medical sector in 2021, here are some honorable mentions:AR/VR
Augmented and virtual reality for the healthcare and medical sector works in three directions:- It adds to the mass medical learning and helps students to visualize body mapping and go through surgical training.
- These technology-based solutions improve robotic surgeries and help doctors conduct complex operative interventions.
- AR and VR-based technologies are used directly by patients. Specific programs can reduce the stress level and be a significant part of physical therapy.
3D bioprinting
According to some predictions, during the next five years, the market for three-dimensional bioprinting is about to become four times larger. This trend can be is easily explained by the numerous benefits the technology brings to the healthcare sector.Nanomedicine
Being the medical use of nanotechnology, the nanomedicine market is expected to grow from $149 billion in 2019 to $387 billion in 2027. Nanomedicine is used in diagnosis, vaccine development, and cell biology, finding applications in all spheres of medical care, starting from infectious diseases and up to oncology. There are three more trends which have started to grow several years ago. Today they influence the whole IT sphere and will surely stay with us during the next decades.Telemedicine and the Internet of Medical Things
According to McKinsey research, the telemedicine trend has burst during the pandemic but as it has revealed its multiple benefits to both patients and doctors, it won’t stop growing. In terms of money, the telemedicine market that was equal to $45.5 million in 2019 will seize $175.5 million by 2026.To get a share in this highly-competitive market, new companies have to take enormous care of their customers’ experience with their software and wearables. Patients should be comfortable with telehealth solutions, which means that both wearable devices and telemedicine apps should not only be a part of the remote health monitoring and virtual care but also be secure and easy to use. If you’re about to develop your own medical app or software that will connect clinics, health providers, and patient, thinks of the main functions and features your SaMD or application should include:- It must be secure for the user and comply with data protection, medical security, and HIPPA regulations.
- It has to identify the location of a patient. This option will be particularly demanded during the vaccinations so that the health providers can track patients.
- It should make the appointment management easier, for example, with the help of video and audio communication and messaging.
- It has to track healthcare provider reviews and the patient visit history.
- It should store wireless history through wearable integration.
