The emergence of HealthTEC – How Data can change lives
The emergence of HealthTEC
Many people will be aware that the NHS has partnered with DeepMind. they are using their Deep Learning technologies to unlock hidden insight into the patient record data of the biggest nationalised health service in the world. This is a vast data set which it is probably fair to describe as impenetrable. This was one of the early signals of the emergence of HealthTEC as a Sector.
DeepMind amongst other partners like UCL and Hitachi have been chosen to help the NHS make use of the data and open the possibilities that are contained within it.
However, this is barely scratching the surface of what the emerging HealtchTEC sector is capable of. From the point of view of analysing existing data and finding new ways to generate and make use of data. As well as make improvements to the wider provision of health care.
In 2019, 359 US digital health startups raised $7.4B from 627 investors
Some areas are more visible or you may have experienced like the use of Apps and video to access a Doctor. Others take place behind the scenes like the increased use of Computer Vision to assist in diagnosis on scans. This can hugely speed up the processing of these scans and also massively reduce the workload of medical professionals allowing for cost savings or other optimisations.
An area that many will not have considered but Wyatt Partners have had the chance to experience first-hand working with Hitachi is the use of Simulation Modelling to focus on optimisations from the ground up starting with the design of the Hospital itself.
This type of skill is not new in manufacturing and has been used to optimise production lines for new products for some time, but bringing it to Hospitals with the Human Capital and endless variables of multiple processes brings huge challenges, however, the gains are clear.
• Better experience for patients and staff alike
• Shorter waiting times
• Optimising the best treatment pathways
• More lives saved or improved
• Money saved
With the emergence of HealthTEC, the use of Data & technology in Healthcare covers so many areas that are almost unfathomable. Here’s a list of some areas, not already mentioned
• Smart cameras can measure vital signs like blood pressure and heart rate
• Smart bands can monitor your mental health as well as your physical
• Ai can get patients on the right drugs and treatments quicker leading better long-term health for chronic problems like diabetes and lowering the time and cost of treatment freeing money for other areas.
• Genome Sequencing – genetic testing showing the likelihood of medical problems or tendencies potentially almost as ubiquitously as a blood test
• Virtual reality for training surgeons, making the next generation of doctors better-skilled earlier in their careers and allowing experienced surgeons to pass on their knowledge and techniques more widely.
Data Science, Machine Learning, Robotics, and Ai are at the heart of these technologies making data professionals and coders as central to the future of healthcare as the Doctors and Nurses themselves.
Give your opinion if you think we missed any areas.
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