By Venkata Suman Cherukuri
The global diagnostic industry has grown exponentially in recent years. The onset of COVID-19 along with the rise in lifestyle and infectious disease have pushed the demand for quick and accurate testing. People too are more open in making the best use of available diagnostic facilities for prevention and early detection of diseases.
The future of global diagnostics, however, will be driven by technology. While some technologies have already bettered the current state of diagnostics, there are a few that are expected to transform the future of this industry in the coming years.
Digitalization, robotization and automation are giving rise to smart laboratories and smart imaging systems that can readily handle the increasing demands from healthcare providers and consumers at greater speed and lower cost. Here are the five noteworthy tech-trends that will redefine the diagnostic industry by 2030.
1. Portable Smart Diagnostics
Small portable biosensors like smartwatches can collect substantial health information such as heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate and are great for self-monitoring too. They are wonderful tools for accurate data collection as compared to real-time diagnostics and it is efficient in providing instant feedback.
2. Clinical decision support
Clinical decision support (CDS) tools are designed to help sift through a plethora of digital data and are helpful in suggesting next steps for treatments. They are quick in alerting about available information, can even detect an underlying issue and help medical professionals to make an informed decision.
3. Automation
Automation has emerged as cutting-edge medical innovation. Delays due to repetitive or tedious sample loading steps can delay a test result, and can impact a patient’s recovery especially in case of an accident. The introduction of relevant automation platforms can expedite the turnaround time and significantly improve the overall quality of testing.
4. Nanotechnology
The incorporation of nanotechnology can help to improve diagnosis, and is expected to be a path-breaking tool in the coming years. Here, nanoparticles are used to deliver diagnostic agents to specific cells or tissues, enabling more accurate and early diagnosis of diseases.
Various nanomaterials are now used to develop ideal imaging agents and provide better contrast, controlled bio-distribution, and multi-model imaging for ultrasound, MRI, PET, and SPECT.
5. Artificial Intelligence in medical imaging
Artificial Intelligence systems can be useful in diagnosing diseases based on medical images. The AI algorithms can analyze medical images such as X-rays, and MRIs and assist healthcare providers in detecting and diagnosing disease accurately and quickly.
These technological innovations are bound to reshape the future of the diagnostic industry besides revolutionizing the health industry.
(The author is Chairman & MD, TRUSTlab Diagnostics. Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of the FinancialExpress.com.)
