There has been an explosion of consumer based electronics that has captured the attention of many buyers. The introduction of new smart phones, tablets, video games, and items such as 3D TV dominate the news and trends in electronics. But, there is one area that should be watched with more interest, and that is the development of medical devices.
The major areas of interest that are driving the development of new medical devices are an aging population, increasing healthcare costs around the world, the desire to have access to diagnosis and treatment in remote and emerging nations, and scarce medical expertise. All of these factors are leading to major changes in the way we request and receive treatment.
Manufactures and developers of medical instruments have been working on two major areas; miniaturization and portability. Monitoring of heart patients is already being done where the patient has limited access to a medical facility. Critical information is being sent by wireless communication either by cell tower or satellite to the doctor for analysis. But, here is the problem to consider for the future. How will we send patient information wirelessly and still maintain reliability, security, and patient confidentiality? There are a number of alternatives depending on where in the world the patient is located and if a wireless system is available. For example, there is an increasing use of cell phone cameras being used to send photos of x-rays and cat scans, as well as rashes and other diagnostic information. These cameras can be fitted with a simple added lens to make it function as a microscope. But, what we do not have yet is a global standard of communication or even a universal "standard of care" protocol. So, while the world of medical devices marches on, we are facing challenges to provide better world health at a reasonable cost.
But, to me, the trend is clear; it will not be long before we go to the doctor's office and have a non-invasive device attached and we begin sending information wirelessly. Tweet, tweet, tweet...
The major areas of interest that are driving the development of new medical devices are an aging population, increasing healthcare costs around the world, the desire to have access to diagnosis and treatment in remote and emerging nations, and scarce medical expertise. All of these factors are leading to major changes in the way we request and receive treatment.
Manufactures and developers of medical instruments have been working on two major areas; miniaturization and portability. Monitoring of heart patients is already being done where the patient has limited access to a medical facility. Critical information is being sent by wireless communication either by cell tower or satellite to the doctor for analysis. But, here is the problem to consider for the future. How will we send patient information wirelessly and still maintain reliability, security, and patient confidentiality? There are a number of alternatives depending on where in the world the patient is located and if a wireless system is available. For example, there is an increasing use of cell phone cameras being used to send photos of x-rays and cat scans, as well as rashes and other diagnostic information. These cameras can be fitted with a simple added lens to make it function as a microscope. But, what we do not have yet is a global standard of communication or even a universal "standard of care" protocol. So, while the world of medical devices marches on, we are facing challenges to provide better world health at a reasonable cost.
But, to me, the trend is clear; it will not be long before we go to the doctor's office and have a non-invasive device attached and we begin sending information wirelessly. Tweet, tweet, tweet...
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