Medical devices have become an essential part of the healthcare industry, and they are shaping the future of healthcare in a variety of ways. Here are some of the roles medical devices play in shaping the future of healthcare:
Improving patient outcomes: Medical devices can provide accurate and real-time data about a patient’s health, allowing doctors to monitor and diagnose conditions with greater accuracy. This can lead to early detection, faster treatment and improved patient outcomes.
Early detection: By gathering and analysing data, medical devices can provide an accurate understanding of current health conditions and potential risks. This allows for early detection of illnesses and disorders, leading to quicker treatment and better outcomes
Personalized treatment: Medical devices can gather data on a patient’s history and needs, and provide personalized treatment based on these insights. This can lead to better outcomes as the treatment is tailored specifically for the patient.
Automated monitoring: Medical devices can provide real-time feedback on health conditions, allowing doctors to monitor and adjust treatments accordingly
The fields where medical devices are being used to improve healthcare include:
Surgical Procedures: Medical devices are being used in surgical procedures such as minimally invasive surgeries, computer-assisted surgeries with robotics and navigation systems. These devices help surgeons identify key anatomical structures, provide more accurate cutting and stitching, and improve their surgical accuracy.
During a surgical procedure, medical devices are used in several critical areas such as:
Surgery preparation: Medical devices can be used to examine the surgical area, scan the patient, and provide surgeons with pre-surgery guidance and visuals.
Surgery execution: Medical devices can provide precise surgical guidance for cutting, stitching, and navigation during the surgery. They can also help identify areas such as blood vessels and delicate tissue, which have to be avoided.
Surgery monitoring: Medical devices can monitor a patient’s health parameters during a surgery and alert doctors if any complications occur.
Some example of path-breaking surgeries where medical devices have been used successfully include:
Robotic assisted surgery: Robotic surgical systems have been used in many types of surgical procedures such as heart surgery, brain surgery, and even laparoscopic surgeries. These systems provide greater surgical control and accuracy than traditional methods, leading to better patient outcomes.
Computer-assisted surgery: Computer-assisted surgical systems have been used in various types of surgeries, including orthopaedic, spinal, and ENT (ear, nose, and throat). They provide real-time surgical guidance, and have improved accuracy and precision in surgical procedures.
Diagnostic Imaging: Medical devices such as ultrasound, CT, MRI, etc are used for diagnostic purposes, offering precise information, resulting in accurate diagnosis and improved outcomes.
Monitoring and Care Management: Medical devices are being used in remote monitoring and care management for patients with chronic diseases. Medical devices are being used extensively in patient monitoring and care management, providing real-time data on a patient’s health and enabling doctors to provide more timely and personalized care. Here are some examples:
Medical devices can be used in several ways in patient monitoring and care management:
Healthcare at home: With the advancement of medical devices, healthcare is now made available at home and is monitored continuously.
Remote patient monitoring: Medical devices collect data such as heart rate, body temperature, and blood pressure, and allow doctors to monitor the patient’s health remotely. This can help identify problems quickly and enable doctors to take precautionary measures.
Telemedicine: Telemetric systems provide doctors with real-time information on a patient’s condition, allowing for better and more timely care management.
Efficacy and cost-savings: Medical devices can help save costs in various ways such as:
Reduced hospital stay: Medical devices can significantly reduce the patient’s hospital stay, thereby saving costs.
Preventing complications: Medical devices can help prevent complications such as infections and surgical mishaps. This saves costs for the patient and the hospital as there is less need for follow-up treatments.
Medication costs: Medical devices can help ensure accurate medication distribution, leading to more efficient use of medication. This saves costs by avoiding any waste of medications.
India has made significant progress in the use of medical devices for treatment. Here are some key milestones:
- India has more than doubled the number of medical facilities per 1,000 people since 2003.
- Medical devices such as ventilators have been developed that can be used in rural, remote areas, where there is limited access to specialist care.
- Use of telehealth has increased drastically in recent years, with several telemedicine platforms and websites providing access to medical services remotely.
- Government initiatives such as Ayushman Bharat program has focused on strengthening primary healthcare facilities.