AI has taken industries by storm. Its capabilities ranging from executing simple tasks to solving complex problems has undoubtedly made it a major driving force behind every task, be it any industry, or especially “healthcare.” AI has unquestionably revolutionized healthcare by dramatically improving the outcomes.

Research suggests, "The global health IT market is predicted to be worth a staggering $223.16 billion by 2023, driven only in part by AI and machine learning."

Despite all these buzz and hype around AI, adoption of AI in this vertical is still in its infancy, unlike other industries. And personally, I am quite fascinated about how technologies are shaping industries, which compelled me to share some insights gained. Below, I have compiled a few technology trends in healthcare to watch out for in 2019. Now, it’s time for healthcare to catch up.

1. Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) — “The IoT healthcare market is expected to reach $136.8 billion worldwide by 2021”—  Allied Market Research.

• Improved drug management

• Improved diagnosis and treatment

• Better remote monitoring of chronic diseases

• Enhanced patient experience 

2. Telemedicine — Telemedicine has been around for decades in some way or the other. But with the massive digital transformation that industries have witnessed for over last two decades.  It allows healthcare providers to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients using common technology like phones and computers to provide clinical services to patients over a long distance.  Especially, Telemedicine is finding enormous success in the field of mental healthcare. Patients requiring emotional support can call a therapist at a single click.

3. Wearables in Healthcare — Isn't it disgusting visiting a dispensary often for getting a blood test, weight check, etc.? But with AI taking the healthcare industry by storm, these things are becoming a thing of past.  Now, even a smartphone with a healthcare application can perform your blood tests, ECGs, etc. this automation in healthcare has also made it possible to send automatic prompts to the patients about the right time of their routine check-ups.

4. Chatbots — Chatbots have already been a buzz in every industry for a while now. But the healthcare industry is yet to unveil the full-fledged adoption of AI chatbots sooner. Besides its cost-saving benefits, it can help in scheduling doctor's appointment, notifying nurses in case of critical condition and monitoring the health status of the patient. The conversational chatbots can even interact with patients directly and get the best possible treatment. Overall, chatbots have a considerable role to play in the healthcare industry in the coming days.

5. Cloud Computing — Cloud computing is another revolutionary in healthcare. Patients have to no longer wait for the doctor's appointment, and they can see their reports through the cloud.  All health records are nowadays being stored in the cloud so that a patient can access their reports 24/7.

Conclusion

2019 will be a game changer in the overall healthcare sector. It will entirely change the patient experience by providing them with 24/7 assistance. Let's watch out for upcoming trends and its global impact in the health sector.