From generative AI to surgical robots, healthcare technology is a rapidly evolving vehicle for innovation.
In 2024, technological advances will change the way healthcare is delivered around the world.
“The future of healthcare will be defined by people with the ability, ambition and vision to introduce disruptive technologies that improve the patient experience,” said Ken Washington, Medtronic’s senior vice president and chief technology and innovation officer. “If we can accelerate the pace of innovation to better serve more patients, we believe 2024 will be a groundbreaking year for the healthcare technology industry.”
Medtronic is a company of technology experts, so we asked a few of our experts what trends will have the biggest impact on healthcare in 2024. Here are their predictions:
Artificial intelligence and healthcare will become synonymous
The AI revolution in healthcare has already begun. As with any disruptive technology, there are skeptics, but we also see an increasing number of Americans who are optimistic about some of AI’s current applications. In the future, generative AI will enable healthcare professionals to do their jobs better and faster. Already, the technology is helping with medical research and clinical record summarization, reducing the time it takes to develop healthcare technologies. By performing routine tasks that consume healthcare professionals’ time, AI will help address hospitals’ chronic staffing shortages. Similarly, it will continue to help diagnose more diseases, especially through advanced imaging diagnostics.
Wearables and apps: a powerful partnership
Chatbots are history. More and more consumers are taking control of their health through the integration of wearables and “companion” apps. As consumers become more comfortable tracking their health and thinking about health instead of chronic care, we will see more “wearables” coming to market. Similarly, apps will become a standard feature of most new medical devices such as insulin pumps and ECG monitors.
Healthcare technology becomes greener
Today, consumers expect healthcare to be as sustainable as transportation, food, and housing. As a result, more healthcare technology companies are incorporating decarbonization into their long-term business strategies and undertaking new waste disposal and packaging reduction efforts. Remote patient care can also help further reduce transportation emissions.
Surgical robots will become smarter
The rise of (surgical) robots is well underway as the technology becomes more widely adopted in operating rooms around the world. In fact, the global surgical robotics market is expected to reach $16 billion in 2030, nearly four times what it is today. Already, some surgical robots are connected to AI platforms to enhance surgical decision-making. In the future, we will see more surgical robots with AI and enhanced capabilities. We will also see surgical robots further integrate augmented and virtual reality technologies, especially as training tools for surgeons.
Health systems will place greater emphasis on data equity, privacy and access
Have you heard of data equity? If you haven’t yet, you will in 2024. As AI plays a larger role in healthcare, it will be imperative to collect, analyze, interpret, and distribute data without bias. Some industry watchers believe blockchain technology can help. However, for now, we are seeing more companies investing more in data privacy and taking a stand on the ethical use of AI. Expect to see more of these measures and stronger efforts to integrate equity throughout the healthcare journey. Also, watch for more healthcare technologies to be open-sourced to build a stronger, more equitable healthcare system that is accessible to more people around the world.
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