💊 Tech Revolutionizing Medicine: Amazon Tests Drones Dropping Rx, Sound Waves Destroy Tumors, Blockchain Streamlines Emergency Care, and More! 🩺
Fortnightly Updates on Emerging Technologies in Medicine ⚛️🏥🚀
“In 10 years the electronic medical record will be the minor player, in terms of where a person’s health history lives. Most of that information will be kept on the phone or in a secure cloud, and the patient will be highly engaged with collecting, curating and sharing that data. Most doctor visits will be like calling up a YouTube meets virtual human docs and there will also be an aspect of virtual reality.” - Leslie Saxon
Dear Med AI Enthusiast,
Welcome to this fortnightly supplement to The ‘Med AI’ Capsule weekly newsletter, your inside look at how emerging technologies, other than AI, are transforming medicine.⚕️🤖💊
In today’s supplement:
3 News Updates
2 Research Updates
1 Upcoming Event, and more…
Reading Time: 5 minutes
News Updates 📰
1. 💊 Amazon Testing Drones That Drop Rx at Your Doorstep 📦
Why Important: This allows medications to be delivered in under an hour, faster than traditional methods. It can improve access and convenience for acute treatments.
Caution: The service is limited to certain areas so far. Safety regulations for drone delivery are still evolving. Some may have privacy concerns.
2. 👂 FDA Approves Sound Waves That Destroy Liver Tumors 🦀
Why Important: This noninvasive ultrasound treatment breaks down tumors without surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation. It has fewer side effects and a quicker recovery.
“Histotripsy is an exciting new technology that, although it is in early stages of clinical use, may provide a noninvasive treatment option for patients with liver cancer. Hopefully it can be combined with systemic therapies for a synergistic therapeutic effect.” - Mishal Mendiratta-Lala, professor of radiology with Michigan Medicine
Caution: More testing is needed to confirm safety and efficacy. The treatment is currently only approved for liver tumors. There are still unanswered questions about long-term benefits.
3. 💊 Virtual Patients and Robots Help Train Nurses 👩⚕️
Why Important: Lifelike mannequins and VR simulations let students practice assessments and procedures safely. This builds skills and confidence before working with real patients.
“It's great for you to be able to sample it here before working with a real patient. It gives students that real world effect where we have a safe environment, but we have critical patients that, typically, you’re not going to see all of them on the floor." - Jessica Melcher, a simulation operations specialist with Purdue Global.
Caution: Simulations can't fully replicate the unpredictability of actual clinical environments. Ongoing training with live patients is still essential.
Med AI Research Updates 🔬
1. 🔗 Blockchain May Optimize Emergency Care
Key Findings: A review found that blockchain has been applied to data sharing and documentation in emergency medicine. It enables collaboration without compromising privacy. Ethereum and Hyperledger Fabric were the most common platforms used.
Conclusion: Blockchain has the potential to transform emergency medical services through data integration. This could benefit patients and providers.
Limitations: Implementing blockchain is complex and costly. Scalability, security, privacy, and interoperability issues persist. More evidence is needed beyond proof-of-concept trials.
2. 🎮 Video Games May Help Detect Eye Disease
Key Findings: A pilot study found games that generate a Vision Performance Index could differentiate some measures between eye disease patients and controls. Accuracy and color detection scores varied.
Conclusion: Video game-based vision testing shows potential for broad, out-of-clinic screening. It may identify abnormalities needing further evaluation.
Limitations: A small sample size limits conclusions. Disease severity differences may have impacted the results. Validity and reliability are still unproven. Gaming strategy may influence measures.
Upcoming Event 🧑💻
Industry Showcase 📢
Algorithmiq - uses quantum computing to solve problems in life sciences that are beyond the reach of classical computers. They develop algorithms for near-term quantum computers to address challenges in biology, chemistry, and physics.
Avaneer Health - aims to simplify processes, reduce costs, create transparency, and improve outcomes in healthcare systems through blockchain solutions.
Reducept - an end-to-end pain education and management program for healthcare professionals that uses immersive VR therapy to reduce chronic pain without medication.
Let’s wrap it up with a fun fact!
The first VR headset was patented in the 1960s and was named the Telesphere Mask by inventor Morton Heilig. (source)
Stay tuned for our upcoming editions as we explore the latest breakthroughs and dive deep into the transformative power of emerging technologies, shaping a healthier future.
Warm regards,
P.S.: If you're a medical professional intrigued by artificial intelligence, but not sure where to start, feel free to reach out to me for personalised guidance.
You can also check out and join our vibrant Med AI WhatsApp Community for Medical Professionals.
