Philips lists 10 tech trends expected to gain traction in 2024
Healthcare providers worldwide are working to improve operational efficiencies and innovate care delivery models to tackle workforce shortages, mounting workloads and economic pressures, health technology company Philips said on Tuesday.
They also recognise their responsibility to improve healthcare equality and reduce the sector’s carbon footprint for the preservation of the planet’s health, the company added.
Below are 10 healthcare technology trends that the company expects to gain further traction this year..
AI-powered workflow automation and optimisation: Healthcare organisations are turning to automation and artificial intelligence (AI) as a way of accelerating routine tasks and measurements to alleviate the burden on healthcare professionals.
AI can take the complexity out of cardiac ultrasound through full 3D quantification and modelling of the heart and other automated measurements. This helps sonographers acquire and analyse images the right way, while enabling clinicians to provide better and more efficient cardiac care.
In the next few years, automation will get a further boost from the rise of generative AI in healthcare.
Virtual collaboration addressing staff and expertise shortages: This technology can mitigate the impact of staff and expertise shortages, as well as improve access to care in remote and rural areas where specialist staff are in particularly short supply.
Tele-intensive (or tele-ICU) programs will also continue to gain traction to enhance bedside care. Meanwhile, AI-powered monitoring technology can reduce the burden on on-site staff, complementing rather than replacing them.
Such virtual collaboration models also allow older and experienced healthcare professionals to mentor and guide their younger peers remotely, preserving valuable knowledge and expertise that may get lost due to retirement and resignation.
Integrated diagnostics supporting multi-disciplinary collaboration: Advancements in integrated diagnostics will enable different healthcare specialists to exchange patient data more easily, helping them work together more efficiently and effectively.
For cancer patients, that means their cancer can be diagnosed and treated more precisely at an early stage when they have better chances of favourable treatment outcomes.
Improved interoperability for better monitoring and care coordination: Interoperability has been a perennial challenge in healthcare, stemming from the complex and fragmented nature of most healthcare IT and data infrastructures.
New interoperability capabilities can bring together disparate medical devices and systems into one interface to create a comprehensive overview of a patient’s condition. This helps empower caregivers to make treatment recommendations confidently from anywhere in the hospital, alleviating the pressure caused by information overload.
Recent innovations such as visual patient avatars can provide additional insights by translating critical yet complex patient data into an easy-to-understand display.
Early risk detection and intervention based on predictive analytics: Already today, predictive analytics is helping healthcare providers forecast and manage patient flow, allowing them to deploy staff and resources where they are needed the most.
Through ongoing monitoring of medical equipment such as MR scanners, predictive analytics can also help identify when certain hardware parts may need maintenance or replacement.
In the clinical realm, predictive analytics can support early detection of patient health risks based on vital signs and other patient data. These capabilities can be invaluable in acute care, where a patient’s life may depend on timely intervention.
Using technology to tackle health disparities: Billions of people around the world still cannot access the health services they need, and even in countries with well-funded health systems, health disparities are on the rise. The need for more equitable and sustainable healthcare has never been more urgent.
Smart technology that helps establish and maintain healthy routines: People continue to want health technologies that fit seamlessly into their lives, and are tailored to their evolving needs and preferences. This healthcare technology trend will expand and drive healthier behaviours.
For instance, electric toothbrushes that sync with AI-powered applications can collect brushing data and offer personalised recommendations to improve users’ routines.
Addressing healthcare IT’s environmental impact: Digital solutions are eminently scalable, and so support broader prevention, improved triaging, and lower cost of care, enabling a shift from resource-intensive clinical settings to lower-cost settings and the home.
And for the 3.5 billion people around the world who currently do not have access to healthcare, digital healthcare technology can expand access to much-needed sustainable models of healthcare.
A trend of health technology companies, healthcare systems, suppliers and other stakeholders teaming up to reduce healthcare IT’s environmental impact for a sustainable future is expected to continue this year and beyond.
Green procurement transforming the healthcare supply landscape: Responding to the pressing need to decarbonise healthcare, health technology companies, healthcare systems and other stakeholders have been driving sustainable ways of working across every part of the healthcare value chain.
Fueled in part by the significant expansion of environment, social and governance (ESG) disclosure requirements around the world, the adoption of sustainable procurement will be necessary strategies for health systems and governments hoping to mitigate climate change and biodiversity loss while safeguarding human health and advancing health equity.
Teaming up to reduce healthcare’s impact on the planet: A trend of healthcare systems actively adopting strategies to reduce their environmental footprint is expected to continue with the widespread recognition of the effect environmental health has on human health.
However, roader nature risks may be overlooked as organisations see higher financial impacts from climate risks. Thus, a trend towards the adoption of ‘natural capital accounting’ is expected to increase to support better decision-making around resource use management, and more companies committing to science-based targets for nature.
On the planetary scale, collaboration across the value chain is vital as an individual organisation’s biodiversity footprint may not be huge, while ecosystem regeneration is more effective if spatially fragmented initiatives are integrated.
