World Health Day, observed on April 7 every year, serves as an important platform to highlight pressing health concerns of global importance.
It also provides an opportunity to delve into the continuing evolution of the healthcare landscape as countries consider the future.
The healthcare sector is driven by the rapidly growing field of medical technology (MedTech), which is expected to reach a staggering $610.2 billion in value globally by 2024, according to Statista Market Insights .
Medtech refers to technologies and devices used in healthcare systems to diagnose, treat, and improve patients.
As technology has become an increasingly integral part of our daily lives, it has transformed not only healthcare delivery but also the way health is perceived and managed around the world.
Here are the tools that are shaping and changing the healthcare industry:
Robotics and automation are revolutionizing many aspects of healthcare delivery.
Technology such as the da Vinci robot allows surgeons to perform complex procedures through small incisions, minimizing scarring and allowing for less invasive surgery.
These systems can improve the surgeon’s accuracy, adaptability, and control over the procedure.
Last year, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, a member of the M42 network, collaborated with colleagues from Cleveland Clinic in the US to perform robot-assisted kidney transplants, a remarkable achievement for the UAE’s healthcare sector.
Like many industries around the world, the advent of artificial intelligence is transforming healthcare.
AI-powered diagnostic tools are making disease detection more accurate, faster, and more efficient than ever before.
Machine learning algorithms can also help healthcare professionals make informed decisions and improve patient outcomes by analyzing vast data sets.
IBM successfully detected acute myeloid leukemia within four hours from a blood sample, demonstrating the superior speed and efficiency of its AI system.
This is in contrast to the 10 days it takes a human expert to make the same diagnosis.
GluCare, a diabetes center in Dubai, is the first in the Middle East to introduce AI-assisted ultrasound technology to improve the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound calcification of thyroid nodules in a single visit.
Unlike traditional approaches that rely solely on physician evaluation, this approach reduces the need for unnecessary procedures by approximately 50%.
Dr. Shanila Raiju, group chief executive officer of Medcare Hospitals and Medical Centers, said AI not only increases the ability of healthcare workers to care for large numbers of patients at the same time, but also has the potential to enhance the preventive nature of healthcare. He said it was a secret.
Telemedicine allows doctors to talk to patients online and recommend treatment, eliminating the need to drive to the doctor’s office.
This technology has helped tens of thousands of people who had limited access to health care because they lived in remote areas, lacked transportation, or were unable to walk.
Founded by Lebanese plastic surgeon Nadine Hahahaharam, Proximie is a global health tech company that has developed an augmented reality platform.
The platform allows surgeons to communicate during surgery by sharing live video streams that include multiple camera views and medical scans, as well as computer-generated overlays for drawing instructions on a shared screen. can do.
Dr. Raiju said the medical center conducts about 54 telemedicine consultations every day.
3D printing technology is driving innovation in patient-specific medical devices, prosthetics, and tissue engineering.
3D printing enables rapid prototyping of complex body parts, enabling customized treatment solutions and improving patient comfort and clinical outcomes.
In 2019, Dubai Health Authority’s Primary Healthcare Center and Rashid Hospital collaborated with 3D printing healthcare startup Shininterex to save the jaw of a 17-year-old girl with a malignant tumor.
With the help of digital planning and 3D printing, we created patient-specific solutions including surgical guides and titanium implants, demonstrating the importance of 3D printing in complex medical procedures.
The UAE government portal predicts that the value of 3D printed medical products such as teeth, bones, organs, devices and hearing aids in Dubai will reach $462.9 million by 2025.
Also in 2020, surgeons in Abu Dhabi used 3D models of malfunctioning organs to save the life of a boy suffering from a complex congenital heart abnormality.
The pediatric cardiac team at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City created a 3D-printed model to plan a lengthy and complex surgery to correct multiple major malformations in Adam Sadra, now 6 years old.
These innovations offer a glimpse into the transformative potential of technology in healthcare, making it not only more efficient and accessible, but also more personalized and effective in protecting the world’s health and well-being. Drive progress for the future.
Updated: April 7, 2024, 3:07 AM
