2020 is upon us, a new decade of countless possibilities. From social progress to environmental concerns, the 2010’s were a time of change, and we predict that more change will come in the following years. With the advancements in medical technology in the 2010’s, the future of healthcare innovation in 2020 and beyond is looking quite bright. Here are some of our predictions for healthcare innovation in 2020.

 

Portability of Healthcare

 

The electronic health record app is but one existing advancement in portable healthcare technology, along with a myriad number of medical applications that can be freely downloaded on a phone. Considering the 2010’s favorable opinion on portable and user-friendly technology (as evident by the boom of smartphone production and the creation of such devices like Google Glass) the Apps and other easy-to-use handheld instruments might find become more popular in 2020. Innovations such as the Bioscarf are already seeing use, offering a pollutant-protecting health gadget that filters the air with a built-in N95 air filter. A patient-centric approach to portable medical technology would be a lucrative and humanitarian trend in the coming decade.

 

Cybernetics Enhancements

 

The use of advanced machinery for medical procedures is nothing new. Things like precision-based robotic surgeons and mechanical prosthetics are seeing more common use in the medical field. However, the unification of bionic and cybernetic matter might be seeing further enhancement, considering the research already being done with regards to cybernetics. Innovations such as mechanical prosthetics might give way to restoring a person’s neural pathways with cybernetics, allowing technology to restore injuries or degeneration in people’s nervous systems, such as in Alzheimer’s.

 

 

 

EHR improvement

 

On another less overtly sci-fi but entirely relevant note, Electronic health records might begin improving in 2020 and beyond. A.I.-based diagnosis, for example, might allow for a more thorough analysis of a patient’s symptoms and help doctors gather data more efficiently, while precision medicine might eschew traditional EHR altogether, gathering data directly from the patient’s genetic make-up to create a personalized treatment. The EHR is one of the most ubiquitous pieces of medical technology, yet its drawbacks (increases clerical work on physicians, alienates patients from the caregivers, etc.) need to be addressed, especially with all the new innovations in healthcare making strides in the medical world right now.

 

Conclusion

 

2020 has potential. A new decade of medical advancements can help both patients and physicians in their duties and needs. Things as ambitious as VR-based sensory therapy to more mundane innovations like mobile apps for medical professionals might break new ground in the future. Whatever advancements may occur, physicians will also try to do what’s best.