[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":355},["ShallowReactive",2],{"slug-future-of-gastroenterology":3},{"post":4,"relatedPosts":203,"relatedBooks":354},{"id":5,"date":6,"date_gmt":7,"guid":8,"modified":10,"modified_gmt":11,"slug":12,"status":13,"type":14,"link":15,"title":16,"content":18,"excerpt":21,"author":23,"featured_media":24,"comment_status":25,"ping_status":25,"sticky":26,"template":27,"format":28,"meta":29,"categories":30,"tags":34,"project_category":53,"contact_email_category":54,"yst_prominent_words":55,"class_list":62,"better_featured_image":90,"acf":139,"yoast_meta":148,"_links":150},24258,"2019-07-04T14:00:05","2019-07-04T12:00:05",{"rendered":9},"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F?post_id=24258&_wpnonce=06bd1d4328&status=auto-draft&type=post","2023-03-06T15:58:35","2023-03-06T14:58:35","future-of-gastroenterology","publish","post","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Ffuture-of-gastroenterology",{"rendered":17},"Into The Future of Gastroenterology With Digestibles And Microbiome Testing",{"rendered":19,"protected":20},"\n\u003Ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #eee; border-top: 4px solid #444;\" cellpadding=\"5px\">\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd style=\"width: 100%;\">\n\u003Cp style=\"color: #555;font-size: 12px;line-height: 14px\">THIS ARTICLE HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED SINCE 2019. THE INFORMATION SHARED IN THE ARTICLE WAS ACCURATE AT THE TIME OF ITS PUBLICATION, BUT IT MAY BE OUT OF DATE NOW. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fmagazine\">BROWSE OUR LATEST ARTICLES HERE\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Ftd> \u003C\u002Ftr>\u003C\u002Ftbody>\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Gluten? Lactose? Stomach pain? Digestive troubles? Way too many people suffer from gastrointestinal issues, and much fewer are aware of the digital technologies that can come to their aid. Did you know that digestibles could successfully replace the dreaded colonoscopy? Or have you heard about microbiome testing? What about the swarm of health apps supporting dietary restrictions? We took a deep breath and jumped into the universe of digital technologies just to bring you as much information about the future of gastroenterology as possible. Will you jump after us?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>IBS,\ncolorectal cancer, and other animals\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Referring to Gerald Durrell’s autobiographical work, gastroenterology\nis a universe that deals with a swarm of diseases related to the digestive\nsystem, including the intestines, liver, pancreas, or the biliary tree,\nalthough it is often only identified with colorectal cancer and irritable bowel\nsyndrome (IBS) that are becoming more and more common nowadays. And perhaps\nalso with one of the most unpleasant medical examinations ever – colonoscopy. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>While a significant amount of people suffer from digestive problems, it is still considered a rather intimate, embarrassing, and\u002For minor medical issue, which might not even be shared with the family physician\u003C\u002Fstrong>. If you believe that’s not true just think about which one would you share with a complete stranger: your skiing injury or that you have been experiencing constipation for the last week. A \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fnews.abbvie.com\u002Fnews\u002Fnew-survey-reveals-more-than-half-americans-are-living-with-gastrointestinal-symptoms-and-not-seeking-care-from-doctor.htm\">survey conducted among more than 2,000 U.S. adults in 2013\u003C\u002Fa> proves the point: 72 percent of the respondents said they have experienced at least one of the following gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms a few times a month or more: diarrhea, gas, bloating, stomach pain, frequent bowel movements, unexplained weight-loss, and non-specific GI discomfort. Surprisingly, a majority of the surveyed participants (74 percent) have lived with their symptoms for more than six months. Despite this, more than half (56 percent!) of those who have experienced such discomfort have not spoken with their primary care doctor because they do not believe their problems require physician attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>As a consequence, statistics show that \u003Cstrong>far more people are affected by digestive diseases, such as IBS, gastroesophageal reflux disease, ulcerative colitis (UC), or Crone’s disease (CD) and the like, than we assume and the later clinicians start the diagnostic and treatment process, the more serious issues might occur\u003C\u002Fstrong>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp> \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.niddk.nih.gov\u002Fhealth-information\u002Fhealth-statistics\u002Fdigestive-diseases\">In the U.S.\u003C\u002Fa>, 60 to 70 million people are affected by all digestive issues, while \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdhf.ca\u002Fdigestive-disorders\u002Fbarretts-esophagus\u002Fstatistics\u002F\">more than 20 million Canadians\u003C\u002Fa> suffer from such disorders every year. In Asia, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.medtechintelligence.com\u002Ffeature_article\u002Fgastrointestinal-diseases-rise-in-asia\u002F\">trends show\u003C\u002Fa> that due to the industrialization, changes in diet, improved sanitation, and the increased use of antibiotics, gastrointestinal diseases are on the rise. According to another report from 2018, the five most common digestive cancers – colorectal, gastric, pancreatic, liver, and oesophageal cancer – are responsible for over 590,000 cases each year in the European Union. If current population trends continue, the number of deaths from these cancers across the EU per year will increase by over 40 percent by 2035. That’s an alarming forecast, and we should do everything that we can to mitigate these bleak numbers. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FGastroenterology.jpg\" alt=\"future of gastroenterology\" class=\"wp-image-24259\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FGastroenterology.jpg 1920w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FGastroenterology-768x240.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FGastroenterology-1536x480.jpg 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FGastroenterology-512x160.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: www.nmhs.net\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Better digestive health comes with\ndietary considerations\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Digestive troubles have a lot to do with the modern, urban lifestyle, plenty of stress, and inversely proportionally little quality time for eating, although our digestive system should be taken seriously and with the utmost respect. It’s a fascinating biological achievement: for example, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.healthline.com\u002Fhealth\u002Ffun-facts-about-the-digestive-system#2\">did you know that the stomach has the ability to stretch\u003C\u002Fa> and hold up to 4 pounds of food at one time? Or have you been aware of the facts that the small intestine is about 22-23 feet long, and your body can move your food through the digestive system even while you are standing on your head? That’s because it is not connected to gravity but works with muscles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>No matter how considerately the digestive system is built, though, it seems that in many cases it cannot keep up with the heaps of stress and irregular diets that you can get out of the fast-moving world\u003C\u002Fstrong>. Sooner or later your belly will send signals such as uncomfortable stomach troubles if you don’t pay attention to it. A healthy lifestyle with plenty of physical activity and a balanced diet could help keep your stomach issues on track and prevent the development of serious health issues. Thus, we looked around how digital health could help keep your digestive system healthy, and what technologies could do in case you already have to manage gastrointestinal conditions. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FFood-Map.jpg\" alt=\"future of gastroenterology\" class=\"wp-image-24261\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FFood-Map.jpg 1000w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FFood-Map-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FFood-Map-512x342.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: www.vitality360.co.uk\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Don’t just guess what’s on your plate\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>In the future, dietary restrictions due\nto gastroenterological conditions could be managed easier with food scanners. Gluten?\nLactose? Carbohydrates and fats? Currently, we have absolutely no idea \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fthe-future-of-food-the-food-of-the-future\u002F\">\u003Cstrong>what we are eating – not to speak\nabout what we should\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cstrong>.\n\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Ffood-scanners\u002F\">\u003Cstrong>Food scanners promised they would be\nable to tell\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cstrong>\nhow many grams of sugar a piece of fruit contains, or what the alcohol\npercentage of a drink is\u003C\u002Fstrong>. Canadian \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Ftellspec.com\u002F\">TellSpec\u003C\u002Fa> announced its aim is to develop a\nhandheld food scanner that can inform users about specific ingredients and\nmacronutrients, but the market launch is unfortunately in delay. The Israeli\ncompany \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.consumerphysics.com\u002Fmyscio\u002F\">SCiO\u003C\u002Fa> introduced\na technology similar to TellSpec’s but is designed to identify the molecular\ncontent of foods, medicines, and even plants. The company says that in\nmilliseconds the ingredients and molecular make–up of the foodstuff will appear\non the user’s smartphone. However, their promises have yet to be fulfilled, as\nthe scanner that they introduced on the market \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ftechcrunch.com\u002F2016\u002F09\u002F16\u002Fscio-the-pocket-sized-molecular-analyzer-is-making-everyone-angry\u002F\">does\nnot exactly deliver what the demo did\u003C\u002Fa>. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>On the other hand, the Nima gluten-sensor can help patients with celiac disease to eat out not having to think about the ingredients in their food all the time. The portable gadget was named \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Ftime.com\u002F4115398\u002Fbest-inventions-2015\u002Fitem\u002Fthe-sensor-that-sniffs-out-gluten\u002F\">one of Time Magazine’s 25 best inventions of 2015\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fstrong> It is a nicely designed tool able to tell you from a small food sample within two minutes whether the food on your plate contains gluten. It is very handy, as based on thousands of restaurant visits, the Nima community found that 1 out of 3 foods that are claimed to be gluten-free actually contains gluten. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The firm already applied its technology to detect another, potentially lethal food allergen, peanut. We tested both portable sensors (\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Ftesting-food-gluten-home-nima-sensor-review\">here\u003C\u002Fa> and \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Ffighting-against-a-small-enemy-the-nima-peanut-sensor-review\">here\u003C\u002Fa>), and we have to say: they work wonders. We firmly believe that the future will bring similar portable food sensors and scanners so that people with all kinds of dietary restrictions could have peace of mind while eating out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"435\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002Fnima-sensor.jpg\" alt=\"Nima Sensor Review\" class=\"wp-image-17549\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002Fnima-sensor.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002Fnima-sensor-768x384.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002Fnima-sensor-512x256.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F03\u002Fnima-sensor-458x229.jpg 458w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: investorsdigest.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Home sensors, health apps and a gut pill as a gastroenterologist\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Nevertheless, food sensors and scanners are only a tiny fracture of the bigger picture. \u003Cstrong>Digital health technologies could support the successful management of chronic gastrointestinal diseases, such as IBS, from eating through physical activities to medical monitoring – through a combination of health apps, sensor-based technologies, and telemedicine. That’s not only beneficial but also necessary as experts say that \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\u002Fpmc\u002Farticles\u002FPMC5108695\u002F\">\u003Cstrong>most patients with these gastrointestinal conditions spend less than a few hours per year in face-to-face communication\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cstrong> with their healthcare providers, and the remainder of the year is spent in “self-management.”\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>As disease management is a significant challenge, a \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\u002Fpmc\u002Farticles\u002FPMC5108695\u002Ftable\u002FT1\u002F?report=objectonly\">swarm of health apps\u003C\u002Fa> appeared to help patients with gastrointestinal troubles. For example, the Bathroom scout provides information about the nearest restroom facilities, which is extremely useful in embarrassing stomach situations. On another note, \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Flisasdietapp.weebly.com\u002F\">Lisa’s Diet\u003C\u002Fa> helps log the details of ingested meals and find possible correlations between the food and the severity of accompanying symptoms. \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.wellapps.com\u002Fproducts\u002Fgimonitor\">GI Monitor\u003C\u002Fa> does something similar: keeps a real-time record of stomach troubles and helps find links among lifestyle, diet, and symptoms. And, for example, \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fmypaindiary.com\u002F\">My Pain Diary\u003C\u002Fa> keeps a record of the level of pain that the user experiences and strives to find environmental factors to pinpoint triggers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Moreover, in the future, patients could use various home sensors to monitor their digestive system, and even discuss the findings with their doctor remotely. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fatmobiosciences.com\u002F\">Atmo Biosciences\u003C\u002Fa>, for example, developed a gas-sensing capsule, which can electronically report important data about the human gastrointestinal system by detecting gases in real-time from known locations within the gut. The results could be used for diagnosis, resulting in targeted treatment, and earlier relief of symptoms and reduced healthcare costs. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1110\" height=\"624\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FAtmo-Biosciences_Gut-pill.jpg\" alt=\"future of gastroenterology\" class=\"wp-image-24262\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FAtmo-Biosciences_Gut-pill.jpg 1110w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FAtmo-Biosciences_Gut-pill-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FAtmo-Biosciences_Gut-pill-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FAtmo-Biosciences_Gut-pill-512x288.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1110px) 100vw, 1110px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: www.planetinnovation.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>With microbiome for better\ndiagnostics \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In\nthe future, not only food and home sensors could support patients in keeping\ndietary restrictions, but various methods could also help with the diagnostics\nof gastrointestinal conditions. In the last years, microbiome testing started\nto gain ground, and we believe that it is just the beginning. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Experts are saying that microbiome acts like an organ itself, and it’s central to the body’s operations. It is believed that people carry about \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.globalhealingcenter.com\u002Fnatural-health\u002Fwhat-is-the-microbiome\u002F\">three pounds of bacteria in their intestines\u003C\u002Fa>. Everyone’s individual microbiome, which is the collection of genes within these microorganisms, is as unique as their fingerprint and comprised of hundreds of different types of bacteria. \u003Cstrong>It affects aging, digestion, the immune system, cognitive functions – and even mood. A study from UCLA found that gut bacteria might influence mood and brain function. Moreover, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.independent.co.uk\u002Flife-style\u002Fhealth-and-families\u002Fanxiety-and-depression-caused-by-stress-linked-to-gut-bacteria-living-in-intestines-scientists-find-10422303.html\">another study published in Nature Communications\u003C\u002Fa> found a clear link between gut microbiota and the triggering of the behavioral signs of stress. Thus, testing gut bacteria could help with diagnosing conditions as well as understanding our bodies much better.\u003C\u002Fstrong> \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>There are already companies that offer microbiome testing: the very first start-up offering this service was \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fubiome.com\u002F\">Ubiome\u003C\u002Fa> (a company that \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.justice.gov\u002Fusao-ndca\u002Fpr\u002Fubiome-co-founders-charged-federal-securities-health-care-fraud-conspiracies\" target=\"_blank\">didn’t end very well\u003C\u002Fa>) but the number of companies focusing on the gut microbiome is on the rise. \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.viome.com\">Viome\u003C\u002Fa>, the Estonian \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.microbiome.ee\u002Fen\u002F\">Microbiome\u003C\u002Fa>, or the California-based \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.thryveinside.com\u002F\">Thryve\u003C\u002Fa> all offer such services. We tested the latter \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fdo-you-have-the-guts-to-be-healthy-the-thryve-microbiome-test-review\">here\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The company sequences microbiome and offers personalized recommendations based on the gut bacteria, such as personalized probiotics or which types of bacteria to increase in the body to become healthier. Although their predictive power is rather limited at the moment, with the advancement of DNA sequencing technologies, as well as the details of microbiome testing and its application in gastroenterology, in the future, such tests could facilitate more efficient diagnostics for gastrointestinal or liver diseases. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"580\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FMicrobiome.jpg\" alt=\"future of gastroenterology\" class=\"wp-image-24263\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FMicrobiome.jpg 580w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FMicrobiome-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FMicrobiome-512x288.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: www.nature.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Digestibles and pillcams for less\ninvasive colonoscopy\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Another\nstrand of innovation that could greatly help diagnostics in gastroenterology focuses\non the nano. Who would believe that tiny robotic creatures might become the\nbiggest fighters against conditions in the intestines? That’s what’s happening,\nthough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Researchers working in nanotechnology are experimenting with exceptionally \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.gizmag.com\u002Fscallop-microbots-swim-body-max-planck\u002F34589\u002F\">micro-sized – smaller than a millimeter – robots that literally swim through your bodily fluids\u003C\u002Fa>, and one possible way to apply them to the digestive system is the creation of (well, what a surprise in the name) \u003Cstrong>“digestibles“. These tiny pills or gadgets combined with a sensor could track digestion and the absorption of drugs after swallowing them and could send back valuable information to clinicians. The FDA approved the first digital pill \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fedition.cnn.com\u002F2017\u002F11\u002F14\u002Fhealth\u002Ffda-digital-pill-abilify\u002Findex.html\">\u003Cstrong>with a digital ingestion tracking system in 2017\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cstrong>.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In addition, our miniature helpers could even liberate us from the dreaded colonoscopy. \u003Cstrong>To lessen the burden on the patients when it comes to the exam, innovators developed capsule endoscopy as an alternative screening method to the traditional, unpleasant and painful colonoscopy. The technology is already more than 20 years old, and \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\u002Fpmc\u002Farticles\u002FPMC3131168\u002F\">\u003Cstrong>the FDA approved the device for investigations of the small intestines in 2001\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cstrong>.\u003C\u002Fstrong> \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>As a result of the successful first studies, Medtronic developed the PillCam COLON system that features a small camera inside an ingestible capsule that provides a direct view of the colon and support for confident diagnosis. In the future, we expect classic colonoscopies to entirely disappear in favor of such pillcams. Imagine that the medical exam will go down like the following: the doctor asks you to swallow a tiny, pill-like camera. Afterward, you both follow on a large screen where the digestible cam moves in the meandrous intestine system. Better visibility, much less discomfort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FPillCam.jpg\" alt=\"future of gastroenterology\" class=\"wp-image-24264\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FPillCam.jpg 1280w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FPillCam-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FPillCam-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FPillCam-512x288.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: www.youtube.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Virtual\nreality could lessen the pain\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Brennan\nSpiegel and his research team at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center have been \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fvirtual-reality-used-clinical-practice\">experimenting\nwith virtual reality (VR) for years\u003C\u002Fa>, especially how it could\nmitigate chronic pain. For example, in \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fmental.jmir.org\u002F2017\u002F1\u002Fe9\u002F\">their recent clinical\ntrial,\u003C\u002Fa> out of 100 people who self-reported persistent, daily\npain, half had the chance to play a VR game called Bear Blast. The other half\ngot to watch 2-D relaxation videos of lakes and babbling brooks. While they \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.wired.com\u002Fstory\u002Fopioids-havent-solved-chronic-pain-maybe-virtual-reality-can\u002F\">experienced\na small bit of relief, the VR group reported feeling 25 percent less pain than\nwhen they started.\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>At\na recent conference, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gastro.org\u002Fnews\u002Fvirtual-reality-is-coming-to-gi\">\u003Cstrong>Spiegel envisioned the application of\nthe technology in functional diseases, such as IBS\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cstrong>, in which there is already strong\nevidence of a mind-gut component to symptom flares. \u003C\u002Fstrong>He\nsaid, “VR can help patients engage with their body differently, changing how\nthey react to symptoms and leading to better coping mechanisms.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In one example, \u003Cstrong>Spiegel displayed a video of a woman experiencing severe pain due to liver ascites testifying to substantial pain relief after a VR experience that included images that took her far from her hospital room\u003C\u002Fstrong>. He reported that gastrointestinal pain relief is so consistent with VR treatment that failure to respond prompts him to reevaluate patients for missed organic pathology. That means that in the future, we can expect VR treatment to become part of the gastroenterology toolkit when it comes to managing chronic pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1196\" height=\"692\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FVirtual-Reality.jpg\" alt=\"future of gastroenterology\" class=\"wp-image-24265\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FVirtual-Reality.jpg 1196w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FVirtual-Reality-768x444.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FVirtual-Reality-512x296.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1196px) 100vw, 1196px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: www.fusionetics.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>As digestibles, home sensors, health apps, microbiome testing, or even advancements in virtual reality show, the future gastroenterology is moving more and more towards self-management, especially in the cases of chronic conditions. The treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, such as IBS, cannot and should not rely exclusively on the patient-doctor meetings, as that’s too rare and the patient needs constant advice, information, data, as well as continuous counseling to be able to keep up with dietary restrictions or build up a completely new lifestyle if necessary. Digital health technologies can and will help significantly to empower patients and support them on their successful journey towards disease management. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #eee; border-top: 4px solid #444;\" cellpadding=\"10px\">\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd style=\"width: 100%;\">\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>At The Medical Futurist, we are building a community for making a bold vision about the future of healthcare reality today.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FFIbMejImnxs\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\">\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003Cp>If you’d like to support this mission, we invite you to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">join The Medical Futurist Patreon Community\u003C\u002Fa>. A community of empowered patients, future-oriented healthcare professionals, concerned health policymakers, sensible health tech developers, and enthusiastic medical students. If there were ever a time to join us, it is now. Every contribution, however big or small, powers our research and sustains our future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">\u003Cstrong style=\"background-color: #e71d3299; color: #000;\">Click here to support The Medical Futurist from as little as $3\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa> – it only takes a minute. Thank you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\n\u003C\u002Ftbody>\n\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\n",false,{"rendered":22,"protected":20},"\u003Cp>Gluten? Lactose? Stomach pain? Digestive troubles? Way too many people suffer from gastrointestinal issues, and much less are aware of the digital technologies that can come to their aid. Did you know that digestibles could successfully replace the dreaded colonoscopy? Or have you heard about microbiome testing? What about the swarm of health apps supporting dietary restrictions? We took a deep breath and jumped into the universe of digital technologies just to bring you as much information about the future of gastroenterology as possible. Will you jump after us?\u003C\u002Fp>\n",6,24275,"closed",true,"","standard",{"_acf_changed":20,"footnotes":27},[31,32,33],521,488,496,[35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52],425,1401,1402,1403,1404,599,1405,850,207,1007,246,1397,271,1398,289,1399,317,1400,[],[],[56,57,58,59,60,61],1617,1857,1883,2029,3825,5411,[63,14,64,65,66,67,68,69,70,71,72,73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89],"post-24258","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-future-medicine","category-genomics","category-health-sensors-trackers","tag-technology-2","tag-gut","tag-stomach","tag-lactose","tag-digestion","tag-diet","tag-gastroenterologist","tag-gluten","tag-digital-health","tag-dieting","tag-future","tag-gastro","tag-health","tag-gastroenterology","tag-innovation","tag-digestibles","tag-microbiome","tag-gastrointestinal",{"id":24,"alt_text":91,"caption":27,"description":27,"media_type":92,"media_details":93,"post":5,"source_url":138},"future of 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took a deep breath and jumped into the universe of digital technologies to bring you as much news about the future of gastroenterology as possible.",{"self":151,"collection":157,"about":160,"author":163,"replies":166,"version-history":169,"predecessor-version":173,"wp:featuredmedia":177,"wp:attachment":180,"wp:term":183,"curies":199},[152],{"href":153,"targetHints":154},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F24258",{"allow":155},[156],"GET",[158],{"href":159},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts",[161],{"href":162},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftypes\u002Fpost",[164],{"embeddable":26,"href":165},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fusers\u002F6",[167],{"embeddable":26,"href":168},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=24258",[170],{"count":171,"href":172},9,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F24258\u002Frevisions",[174],{"id":175,"href":176},49831,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F24258\u002Frevisions\u002F49831",[178],{"embeddable":26,"href":179},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F24275",[181],{"href":182},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=24258",[184,187,190,193,196],{"taxonomy":185,"embeddable":26,"href":186},"category","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories?post=24258",{"taxonomy":188,"embeddable":26,"href":189},"post_tag","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftags?post=24258",{"taxonomy":191,"embeddable":26,"href":192},"project_category","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fproject_category?post=24258",{"taxonomy":194,"embeddable":26,"href":195},"contact_email_category","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcontact_email_category?post=24258",{"taxonomy":197,"embeddable":26,"href":198},"yst_prominent_words","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=24258",[200],{"name":201,"href":202,"templated":26},"wp","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.w.org\u002F{rel}",[204],{"id":147,"date":205,"date_gmt":206,"guid":207,"modified":209,"modified_gmt":210,"slug":211,"status":13,"type":14,"link":212,"title":213,"content":215,"excerpt":217,"author":23,"featured_media":219,"comment_status":25,"ping_status":25,"sticky":26,"template":27,"format":28,"meta":220,"categories":221,"tags":222,"project_category":237,"contact_email_category":239,"yst_prominent_words":240,"class_list":251,"better_featured_image":268,"acf":294,"yoast_meta":309,"_links":312},"2026-03-09T10:25:37","2026-03-09T09:25:37",{"rendered":208},"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F?post_id=24217&_wpnonce=2776351789&status=auto-draft&type=post","2026-03-13T13:04:38","2026-03-13T12:04:38","top-40-digital-health-trends-infographic","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Ftop-40-digital-health-trends-infographic",{"rendered":214},"Top 40 Trends In Digital Health In One Infographic",{"rendered":216,"protected":20},"\n\u003Cp>Digestible sensors? Artificial organs? Medical tricorders? Does any of these already exist, is their development in progress, or do they only appear in our imagination? The world of medical innovations is complex and diverse, full of promising technologies but also hype and marketing. That’s why we collected the most relevant trends that shape digital health in one infographic that also explains at which stage the delivery of these innovations stands, and which medical process and actor they influence. \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Finfographics\u002Fdigital-health-trends\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">Check out the infographic here\u003C\u002Fa>!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>How to analyse digital health trends?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Together with publishing \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.amazon.com\u002FGuide-Future-Medicine-Technology-Human-ebook\u002Fdp\u002FB00N3Z7NMC\" target=\"_blank\">The Guide to the Future of Medicine\u003C\u002Fa>, The Medical Futurist released an infographic about 40 trends shaping digital health. It analysed how promising each of the trends was, whether they would benefit patients or doctors; and if they would improve prevention, diagnostics, treatments or long-term consequences. This illustration became so popular that we keep updating it, it currently exists in its third reincarnation. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Despite the updates, the basis for visually explaining the trends hasn’t changed. We still take three perspectives answering three questions to efficiently interpret the forces shaping the world of medical innovation. These are the following:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Col class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003Cli>Does the trend affect patients or healthcare professionals?\u003C\u002Fli>\n\n\n\n\u003Cli>Which stage of the delivery of healthcare and the practice of medicine is affected by the trend? Does it appear in prevention, data input and diagnostics, therapy and follow-up, or does it rather impact patient outcomes and the consequences of certain conditions?\u003C\u002Fli>\n\n\n\n\u003Cli>Is the outcome of the trend already available, is its development in progress, or does it still need some time to materialise?\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Fol>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>For instance, along these lines, the infographic could tell that direct-to-consumer (DTC) artificial intelligence would impact prevention and diagnostics, it would mean a huge difference for patients, but its availability and applicability are further down the road. We still have to wait for a couple of years, if not decades, for DTC AI to appear in the family physician’s office. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003Ca class=\"img\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002Fdigital-health-trends.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1187\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002Fdigital-health-trends.png\" alt=\"Digital Health Trends\" class=\"wp-image-33289\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002Fdigital-health-trends.png 1187w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002Fdigital-health-trends-768x699.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002Fdigital-health-trends-1536x1398.png 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F03\u002Fdigital-health-trends-2048x1864.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1187px) 100vw, 1187px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>As the example shows, the infographic could explain in a simple and very visual way where trends in digital health innovation stand at the moment, and that can be very useful to regulators, policy-makers, healthcare professionals, and patients. If you are interested to dive deeper into the digital health universe and\u002For learn about the necessary forecasting skills that would allow you to spot meaningful technologies and recognise empty hype, take a look at our \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.thinkific.com\u002Fcollections\" target=\"_blank\">digital health course\u003C\u002Fa>. The first chapters are free, so you can decide if it is for you before committing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Now, let’s see a couple of examples in detail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>In silico clinical trials will revolutionise drug testing\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>According to the infographic, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fthe-future-of-clinical-trials-artificial-patients-synthetic-data-and-real-time-analysis\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">in silico clinical trials\u003C\u002Fa> will impact medical professionals’ work, especially in the area of patient outcomes and consequences, however, we have to get there – and it may take several years as completely simulated clinical trials are not feasible with current technology and understanding of biology. That’s why they are marked yellow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>What does \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Ffuture-of-clinical-trials\u002F\">the concept of an in silico\u003C\u002Fa> clinical trial mean? It’s basically an individualised computer simulation used in the development or regulatory evaluation of a medicinal product, device, or intervention. Imagine if we could test thousands of new potential drugs on billions of virtual patient models in minutes. What would it take to achieve such a capability? At the very least, virtual patients must almost perfectly mimic the physiology of the target patients, with all the variations that actual patients show. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"432\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2023\u002F02\u002Ftmf_article_354-01-768x432.png\" alt=\"tmf VR AR MR virtual reality, augmented reality, extended reality, woman, headset, organ, heart\" class=\"wp-image-49459\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2023\u002F02\u002Ftmf_article_354-01-768x432.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2023\u002F02\u002Ftmf_article_354-01-370x208.png 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2023\u002F02\u002Ftmf_article_354-01-1536x864.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fhummod.org\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">HumMod\u003C\u002Fa> is one of the most advanced simulations in this respect. It provides a top-down model of human physiology from whole organs to individual molecules. It features more than 1,500 equations and 10,000 variables such as bodily fluids, circulation, electrolytes, hormones, metabolism, and skin temperature. HumMod aims to simulate how human physiology works, and claims to be the most sophisticated mathematical model of human physiology ever created. HumMod has been in development for decades and it is still far from completion. It may take decades to get there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Nanorobots in the blood are still\nrather human fantasy\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Looking at the infographic, it becomes visible that nanorobots are marked red. That means that nanoparticles and nanodevices one day may become reality and may operate as precise drug delivery systems, cancer treatment tools or tiny surgeons; however, at the moment we are very far from it. They would highly impact the way therapies would be carried out and how medical professionals would conduct follow-up activities, but it largely remains to be seen how they could be implemented in practice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"432\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F11\u002Ftmf_article_342-01_digital-health-hospital-768x432.png\" alt=\"hospital, digital health, device, doctor\" class=\"wp-image-48231\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F11\u002Ftmf_article_342-01_digital-health-hospital-768x432.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F11\u002Ftmf_article_342-01_digital-health-hospital-370x208.png 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F11\u002Ftmf_article_342-01_digital-health-hospital-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2022\u002F11\u002Ftmf_article_342-01_digital-health-hospital.png 1800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>But let there be no mistake, there are \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fscitechdaily.com\u002Fscientists-develop-nanomachines-that-can-penetrate-and-kill-cancer-cells\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">ongoing experiments\u003C\u002Fa> with \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fhealthnews.com\u002Ffamily-health\u002Fdental-and-oral-health\u002Fdental-nanorobots-innovation-to-improve-root-canal-treatment\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">nanorobots\u003C\u002Fa> carrying out \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.futurity.org\u002Frobots-swarm-brush-floss-teeth-2762622-2\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">various tasks\u003C\u002Fa>. For example, researchers from the Max Planck Institute have been experimenting with exceptionally micro-sized – smaller than a millimeter – \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fnewatlas.com\u002Fscallop-microbots-swim-body-max-planck\u002F34589\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">robots that literally swim through your bodily fluids\u003C\u002Fa>; and could be used to deliver drugs or other medical relief in a highly targeted way. These scallop-like microbots are designed to swim through non-Newtonian fluids, like your bloodstream, around your lymphatic system, or across the slippery goo on the surface of your eyeballs. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Medical drones are for real\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>For a moment, let our feet again touch the ground. While it will be far away in the future when nanorobots might deliver drugs through our veins to the precise place where the medication should have its effect, drones already deliver medical supplies across regions with no infrastructure, to remote areas, or in emergency situations. As medical drones already improve the work of medical professionals, especially in the treatment and follow-up area, they are indicated with the color green on the infographic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"432\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F05\u002Ftmf_article_271-01-768x432.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-34581\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F05\u002Ftmf_article_271-01-768x432.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F05\u002Ftmf_article_271-01-370x208.png 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F05\u002Ftmf_article_271-01-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F05\u002Ftmf_article_271-01.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Just take the example of UPS, \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmttr.net\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">Matternet\u003C\u002Fa>, and WakeMed Hospital in the US. In March 2019, they announced a partnership so that UPS started delivering medical samples via unmanned drones at WakeMed hospital’s various facilities. \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ftechcrunch.com\u002F2019\u002F03\u002F26\u002Fups-partners-with-drone-startup-matternet-for-medical-sample-deliveries\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">With the approval of the Federal Aviation Administration and North Carolina’s Department of Transportation\u003C\u002Fa>, UPS and Matternet conduct routine daily flights that transport medical samples. Previously, WakeMed relied on courier cars, which were subject to road delays, so the introduction of medical drones will likely optimise transportation processes. As other examples, we could also mention the work that \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.flyzipline.com\" target=\"_blank\">Zipline\u003C\u002Fa> is doing in \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fdigital-health-in-rwanda\" target=\"_blank\">Rwanda\u003C\u002Fa> and \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fkenyanwallstreet.com\u002Fzipline-drone-delivery-company-completes-test\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">Kenya\u003C\u002Fa>, or the \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ftechcrunch.com\u002F2022\u002F10\u002F04\u002Fziplines-drones-to-deliver-medicine-in-salt-lake-city-area\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">United States\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>All-in-all, the infographic represents the way we see the development of key trends and innovations in the process of delivering care. And it might be a useful resource for key stakeholders in medicine and health delivery who are in a position to shape regulations, policies, or the architecture of medical care on lower levels for many years to come. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #eee; border-top: 4px solid #444;\" cellpadding=\"10px\">\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd style=\"width: 100%;\">\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>At The Medical Futurist, we are building a community for making a bold vision about the future of healthcare reality today.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FFIbMejImnxs\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\">\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003Cp>If you’d like to support this mission, we invite you to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">join The Medical Futurist Patreon Community\u003C\u002Fa>. A community of empowered patients, future-oriented healthcare professionals, concerned health policymakers, sensible health tech developers, and enthusiastic medical students. If there were ever a time to join us, it is now. Every contribution, however big or small, powers our research and sustains our future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">\u003Cstrong style=\"background-color: #e71d3299; color: #000;\">Click here to support The Medical Futurist from as little as $3\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa> – it only takes a minute. Thank you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\n\u003C\u002Ftbody>\n\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"rendered":218,"protected":20},"\u003Cp>Digestible sensors? Artificial organs? Medical tricorders? Does any of these already exist, are their development in progress, or do they only appear in our imagination? The world of medical innovations is complex and diverse, full of promising technologies but also hype and marketing. That’s why we collected the most relevant trends that shape digital health in one infographic that also explains at which stage the delivery of these innovations stands, and which medical process and actor they influence. Check out the infographic here!\u003C\u002Fp>\n",24250,{"_acf_changed":20,"footnotes":27},[31],[223,224,225,49,226,227,228,229,230,35,231,232,45,233,234,235,236],1385,287,1386,1387,304,1388,313,347,134,205,1008,275,1360,286,[238],952,[],[58,241,242,243,244,245,56,246,247,248,249,250],2945,3335,3349,1571,3813,1621,1709,1723,1739,1787,[252,14,64,65,66,67,68,69,253,254,255,86,256,257,258,259,260,72,261,262,82,263,264,265,266,267],"post-24217","tag-patients","tag-infographics-2","tag-doctors","tag-outcome","tag-medical","tag-treatment-pathways","tag-medicine","tag-patient","tag-ai","tag-diagnostics","tag-medical-professionals","tag-healthcare","tag-therapy","tag-infographic","project_category-policy-makers",{"id":219,"alt_text":27,"caption":27,"description":27,"media_type":92,"media_details":269,"post":147,"source_url":293},{"width":94,"height":95,"file":270,"sizes":271,"image_meta":292},"2019\u002F07\u002F0702_future_of_medicines_16x9.png",{"medium":272,"large":275,"thumbnail":278,"medium_large":281,"1536x1536":282,"2048x2048":287},{"file":273,"width":127,"height":128,"mime-type":102,"source_url":274},"0702_future_of_medicines_16x9-370x208.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002F0702_future_of_medicines_16x9-370x208.png",{"file":276,"width":130,"height":131,"mime-type":102,"source_url":277},"0702_future_of_medicines_16x9-768x432.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002F0702_future_of_medicines_16x9-768x432.png",{"file":279,"width":125,"height":125,"mime-type":102,"source_url":280},"0702_future_of_medicines_16x9-150x150.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002F0702_future_of_medicines_16x9-150x150.png",{"file":276,"width":130,"height":131,"mime-type":102,"source_url":277},{"file":283,"width":284,"height":285,"mime-type":102,"source_url":286},"0702_future_of_medicines_16x9-1536x864.png","1536","864","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002F0702_future_of_medicines_16x9-1536x864.png",{"file":288,"width":289,"height":290,"mime-type":102,"source_url":291},"0702_future_of_medicines_16x9-2048x1152.png","2048","1152","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002F0702_future_of_medicines_16x9-2048x1152.png",{"aperture":136,"credit":27,"camera":27,"caption":27,"created_timestamp":136,"copyright":27,"focal_length":136,"iso":136,"shutter_speed":136,"title":27,"orientation":136},"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002F0702_future_of_medicines_16x9-scaled.png",{"related_posts":20,"related_posts_footer":295,"cta_type":299,"cta_color":27,"subtitle":27,"related_books":300,"key_takeaways":304},[296,297,298],50545,33799,50219,"subscribe",[301,302,303],37033,24762,30419,[305,307],{"title":306},"\u003Cp>Digestible sensors? Artificial organs? Medical tricorders? Do any of these already exist, is their development in progress, or do they only appear in our imagination?\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"title":308},"\u003Cp>We collected the most relevant trends that shape digital health in one infographic that also explains at which stage the delivery of these innovations stands, and which medical process and actor they influence. Check out the infographic here!\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"yoast_wpseo_title":310,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":311,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":212},"Top 40 Digital Health Trends In One Complex Infographic","We collected the most relevant digital health trends in one infographic that explains at which stage medical innovations stands. Check it out!",{"self":313,"collection":318,"about":320,"author":322,"replies":324,"version-history":327,"predecessor-version":331,"wp:featuredmedia":335,"wp:attachment":338,"wp:term":341,"curies":352},[314],{"href":315,"targetHints":316},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F24217",{"allow":317},[156],[319],{"href":159},[321],{"href":162},[323],{"embeddable":26,"href":165},[325],{"embeddable":26,"href":326},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=24217",[328],{"count":329,"href":330},24,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F24217\u002Frevisions",[332],{"id":333,"href":334},60471,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F24217\u002Frevisions\u002F60471",[336],{"embeddable":26,"href":337},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F24250",[339],{"href":340},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=24217",[342,344,346,348,350],{"taxonomy":185,"embeddable":26,"href":343},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories?post=24217",{"taxonomy":188,"embeddable":26,"href":345},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftags?post=24217",{"taxonomy":191,"embeddable":26,"href":347},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fproject_category?post=24217",{"taxonomy":194,"embeddable":26,"href":349},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcontact_email_category?post=24217",{"taxonomy":197,"embeddable":26,"href":351},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=24217",[353],{"name":201,"href":202,"templated":26},[],1789987449542]