10 Technologies That Will Vanish From Healthcare By 2050

When we think about the future of healthcare, it’s essential to look beyond just technologies. We must also consider the processes, their components, and the habits that shape our daily practices. 

Crafting a hypothetical list of what might disappear by 2050 – an impossibly distant future – helps us gain insight today into what will almost certainly be phased out of everyday medical and healthcare work. By doing so, we can start preparing not only technologically but also culturally for the changes to come.

Here we collected a list of 10 technologies and/or things that will definitely not be part of clinical work in two and a half decades – some might even be surprising to be part of it today…

1. Pagers

In the age of smartphones, it’s surprising that pagers still exist at all—yet they do. While you might find doctors and nurses in their forties who have only seen these devices on TV shows like ER, the reality is that in many hospitals, pagers remain a crucial part of communication. The reason is simple: they are practically indestructible. You can drop them, toss them in the toilet, and they keep on working. They never run out of battery power, are incredibly affordable, and function reliably in emergency conditions where cellular service, SMS, and cellular data might fail. Moreover, they can’t be hacked and can operate in environments with sensitive equipment without causing interference.

However, no matter how loyal and beloved these “cockroaches” of hospital communication may be, in 25 years, we will almost certainly no longer encounter them.

2. Paper-based administration

The healthcare sector has seen a shift from paper records to administrators, electronic medical records, voice-to-text applications, and looks forward to the potential of Multimodal Large Language Models (M-LLMs). 

This evolution, it’s important to note, isn’t linear. Progress is influenced by a myriad of external factors, such as regulatory environments, technological advances and available tools, financial assets, and the internal motivation of specific healthcare institutions. On top of the widely varying means available to different players, multiple stages of this evolution can, and often do, coexist, as one is not necessarily replacing the other. But we can bet that by 2050, we’ll be over the age of paper medical records.

3. Fax machines

Yet again, our eyebrows might jump high: fax machines? In 2024? Really? And yes, fax machines remain surprisingly prevalent in hospitals and healthcare facilities. The reason is straightforward: fax works regardless of the specific medical record-keeping software each hospital uses. Medical record systems are often proprietary and incompatible with those from other institutions, making fax a simple and effective workaround for sharing documents.

But software incompatibility isn’t the only reason fax persists in healthcare. Fax is also considered secure enough to meet stringent privacy regulations, such as HIPAA in the U.S. While other digital communication methods are more vulnerable to breaches – through leaked email addresses, passwords, or compromised cloud platforms – fax machines are much harder to hack and much easier to isolate in case of troubles. 

Meeting privacy standards for faxing medical records is relatively straightforward, requiring only “reasonable safeguards” to ensure patient information remains protected. However, by 2050, as technology evolves and becomes more interoperable, it’s highly likely that fax machines will finally be phased out of medical communication.

4. Physical hospital pharmacies

Hospital pharmacies certainly face a significant transformation as automation and robotics advance. By 2050, the traditional physical hospital pharmacy, as we know it today, may have become obsolete. Automated systems will take over the dispensing of medications, ensuring precision and efficiency exceeding human capabilities. These systems will be integrated into the hospital infrastructure, handling everything from prescription orders to the actual preparation and delivery of medications.

The delivery of medications to patients is also expected to undergo a revolution with drones and autonomous delivery services. These technologies will enable rapid, on-demand delivery directly to patients’ rooms or homes, reducing the need for a centralised physical pharmacy. Overall, the role of hospital pharmacies will evolve, shifting towards oversight and management of these automated processes rather than manual dispensing activities.

5. Traditional waiting rooms

The rise of telemedicine, various AI-powered health management apps and remote care is set to significantly reduce the need for traditional waiting rooms in clinics and hospitals. As more medical appointments shift to virtual platforms, patients will increasingly receive care from the comfort of their own homes. This trend will diminish the necessity of physical waiting areas, as fewer patients will need to wait on-site for in-person consultations.

In this future scenario, waiting rooms may be repurposed or scaled down significantly, reflecting a healthcare environment where face-to-face appointments are reserved for only the most critical cases. By 2050, traditional waiting rooms as we know them today could largely disappear, making way for a more digital, patient-centered approach to care.

6. Handwritten prescriptions

The days of handwritten prescriptions are numbered. By 2050, they will likely be entirely replaced by electronic prescribing systems. These offer significant advantages, like better legibility, which reduces the risk of errors caused by misinterpretation. E-prescriptions also integrate directly with pharmacy systems, streamlining the medication dispensing process and minimizing the chance of mistakes due to incorrect dosage or drug interactions.

This shift not only improves patient safety but also increases efficiency within the healthcare system. With e-prescriptions, healthcare providers can quickly send prescriptions to pharmacies, monitor medication histories, and receive alerts about potential contraindications. As a result, the handwritten prescription—a staple of medical practice for centuries—will become a relic of the past.

7. Physical medical charts in patient rooms

The old-school medical charts that hang at the foot of a patient’s bed or on the door of their room are set to disappear. Eventually, these paper charts will be fully replaced by integrated digital systems, offering real-time access to patient data. Healthcare professionals will rely on digital displays or wearable devices that provide immediate, up-to-date information on a patient’s condition, treatment plans, and medical history.

This shift can also improve communication among healthcare teams, ensuring that everyone is working with the most current data. 

8. Traditional blood draws by the staff

The uncomfortable and invasive nature of traditional blood draws using needles may soon become a thing of the past. By 2050, non-invasive technologies are expected to revolutionise the way we collect and monitor blood. Innovations such as microneedle patches, transdermal sensors, and lab-on-a-chip devices will likely eliminate the need for routine venipuncture in most cases, providing painless and more convenient alternatives for both patients and healthcare providers.

Non-invasive technologies will allow for continuous monitoring and more frequent testing without the discomfort of needle-based blood draws. Patients could wear a small device that collects and analyses blood samples in real time, without the need for frequent lab visits.

Today’s cutting-edge devices, like blood drawing robots, can get good old friends in a few decades, but they will probably not disappear as some future medical tests will still require larger blood samples. 

9. Bulky machines like ECG carts and ultrasound

The bulky machines commonly found in hospitals today, such as ECG carts and ultrasound systems, are likely to be phased out by 2050. Advances in miniaturisation and portable technology are already paving the way for more compact, mobile, and user-friendly devices.

Future versions of these machines will likely be wearable or handheld, providing the same – if not better – functionality without the need for large, cumbersome equipment. This shift will make diagnostics more accessible and convenient, enabling healthcare providers to perform tests quickly and efficiently, even in non-traditional settings like patients’ homes or remote areas.

10. Manual diagnostic imaging interpretation

The manual interpretation of diagnostic images by radiologists and other specialists is another area poised for transformation. By 2050, AI and machine learning algorithms are expected to handle much of the routine interpretation of scans such as X-rays, MRIs, and CTs. These algorithms will offer highly accurate real-time analysis, freeing up specialists to focus on more complex and nuanced cases that require human expertise. 

AI will not only enhance the speed and efficiency of diagnostic imaging but also improve accuracy by detecting patterns and anomalies that may be missed by the human eye. While radiologists and imaging specialists will continue to play a vital role, their work will likely shift towards overseeing AI interpretations and dealing with challenging cases that require advanced clinical judgment.

It is not just about swapping old tools for new ones

By 2050, healthcare will have certainly undergone profound changes. These changes are not just about swapping old tools for new ones. They represent a broader transformation in how healthcare is delivered. By anticipating these shifts and preparing for them today, we can ensure that the future of medical care better meets the needs of both patients and providers.

As we phase out outdated practices and technologies, it’s important to stay focused on the ultimate goal: improving patient outcomes and making healthcare more accessible, effective, and compassionate. The future of healthcare forms based on what we leave behind, but also on making the most of the possibilities ahead.