Rx for healthcare

In 2020, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services finalized a set of rules giving patients greater control over their medical records and how they are shared. Companies like Nuance and DrFirst are building AI-powered apps that facilitate the sharing of healthcare data by standardizing and streamlining recordkeeping. During patient visits, for example, the AI can automatically fill out electronic healthcare records with patient symptoms and other relevant data.

Traditionally, medical staff have trained with cadavers, live patients, mannequins, and actors at hospitals and clinics. During the pandemic, however, healthcare providers didn’t want to put nurses and doctors at unnecessary risk by sending them on-site. Many turned to VR. One system, designed by Oxford Medical Simulation, is already in use at British and U.S. hospitals and medical schools. It allows training via virtual scenarios. Physicians examine the virtual patient’s symptoms, ask questions, and engage in realistic dialogue.

Once a patient leaves the physician’s office, they become much harder to care for. This is particularly true in areas without access to full-time hospitals. One solution: medical devices that monitor a patient’s health remotely. Digital wearables track vital signs like blood pressure and transmit health alerts to a patient’s care team, allowing for quick action before a problem becomes serious or results in a costly chronic condition.