[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":329},["ShallowReactive",2],{"slug-how-could-we-reconcile-health-technologies-and-environmental-sustainability":3},{"post":4,"relatedPosts":191,"relatedBooks":328},{"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":48,"contact_email_category":49,"yst_prominent_words":50,"class_list":58,"better_featured_image":81,"acf":126,"yoast_meta":135,"_links":138},22414,"2018-11-24T09:25:39","2018-11-24T07:25:39",{"rendered":9},"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F","2022-05-27T10:07:08","2022-05-27T08:07:08","how-could-we-reconcile-health-technologies-and-environmental-sustainability","publish","post","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fhow-could-we-reconcile-health-technologies-and-environmental-sustainability",{"rendered":17},"How Could We Reconcile Health Technologies And Environmental Sustainability?",{"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 2018. THE INFORMATION SHARED IN THE ARTICLE WAS ACCURATE AT THE TIME OF ITS PUBLICATION, BUT IT MAY BE OUT OF DATE NOW.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>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\u003C\u002Ftbody>\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The growth of the digital health market entails the appearance of newer and newer fitness trackers, wearables, health sensors – leaving the older models to the sock drawer or worse, the dustbin. What happens to health tech’s waste and what options do people have who don’t want their gadgets to end up in the trash towns of developing countries?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003C!--more-->\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>More plastic than fish in the oceans soon\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“If the present trends continue, by 2050 our oceans will have more plastic than fish”, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.independent.co.uk\u002Fenvironment\u002Fworld-environment-day-un-plastic-pollution-waste-ban-bags-recycling-a8384311.html\">said Antonio Guterres\u003C\u002Fa>, Secretary-General of the United Nations to mark World Environment Day in June 2018. Not only the oceans started to be filled up with waste. The world looks more and more like a \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.theworldcounts.com\u002Fcounters\u002Fshocking_environmental_facts_and_statistics\u002Fworld_waste_facts\">colossal dustbin\u003C\u002Fa>. Dozens of videos on social media show sea shores buried under a thick layer of thrown-away plastic, metal or other non-degradable materials – from discarded computer screens through orange juice bottles until cotton buds for cleaning ears, all usually in the third world. The landscape is devastating, and what’s more depressing – the animals dying due to it. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nationalgeographic.com\u002Fmagazine\u002F2018\u002F06\u002Fplastic-planet-animals-wildlife-impact-waste-pollution\u002F\">The dead albatross, its stomach bursting with refuse. The turtle stuck in a six-pack ring\u003C\u002Fa>, its shell warped from years of straining against the sturdy plastic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Humanity suffocates from its own waste – and lets the planet, its fauna and flora drown with it. \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.worldbank.org\u002Fen\u002Fnews\u002Fimmersive-story\u002F2018\u002F09\u002F20\u002Fwhat-a-waste-an-updated-look-into-the-future-of-solid-waste-management\">The report of the World Bank Group says\u003C\u002Fa> that \u003Cstrong>driven by rapid urbanization and growing populations, global annual waste generation is expected to jump to 3.4 billion tons over the next 30 years, up from 2.01 billion tons in 2016. A huge part of that waste comes from households, from individuals, from people – from us.\u003C\u002Fstrong> An attempt at reducing our own trash on the individual level should be on everyone’s mind – as we don’t (yet) have a second planet Earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>That’s why we decided to look around how the digital health scene deals with its own waste. How environmentally conscious companies think and act regarding their products? What options do users and patients have to get rid of their used wearables or trackers in an eco-friendly manner?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-22416\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"354\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002FPlastic-pollution-in-the-ocean.jpg\" alt=\"sustainability \" class=\"wp-image-22416\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002FPlastic-pollution-in-the-ocean.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002FPlastic-pollution-in-the-ocean-768x313.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002FPlastic-pollution-in-the-ocean-512x209.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>Garbage in the Beach and beautiful seascape in the background, Egypt, Red Sea. Source: www.imperial.ac.uk\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>E-Waste – the fastest growing category of trash\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>As the majority of digital health products constitute electronic devices made of metal, plastics, ceramics, and other non-degradable materials, e-waste is the most likely category that discarded medical innovations would fall into. According to the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.itu.int\u002Fen\u002FITU-D\u002FClimate-Change\u002FPages\u002Fewaste\u002Fglobalewastestatisticspartnership.aspx\">report\u003C\u002Fa> of the UN, the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.itu.int\u002Fen\u002FPages\u002Fdefault.aspx\">International Telecommunication Union\u003C\u002Fa> and the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.iswa.org\u002F\">International Solid Waste Association\u003C\u002Fa>, \u003Cstrong>e-waste has been the fastest growing category of trash that in 2016 alone added up to a hefty 44.7 million metric tons (49.3 million tons) worldwide.\u003C\u002Fstrong> A study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology suggests that the US discarded 258.2 million computers, monitors, TVs and mobile phones in 2010, of which only 66 percent was recycled. Nearly \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fourworld.unu.edu\u002Fen\u002Ftoxic-e-waste-dumped-in-poor-nations-says-united-nations\">120 million mobile phones were collected, most of which were shipped to Hong Kong, Latin America, and the Caribbean\u003C\u002Fa>. The shelf life of a mobile phone is now less than two years, but the EU, US and Japanese governments say many hundreds of millions are thrown away each year or are left in drawers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>As the market of consumer electronics widens year after year also due to the growth in the global sales of mobile phones – which reached \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gartner.com\u002Fnewsroom\u002Fid\u002F3876865\">455 million units in the first quarter of 2018\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cstrong>, the scale of the e-waste problem will only increase\u003C\u002Fstrong>. And not enough people seem to pay attention. According to the above UN report, only 20 percent of the e-waste was officially tracked and recycled adequately in 2016. The remaining 80 percent? It’s \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fensia.com\u002Fnotable\u002Felectronic-waste\u002F\">not consistently documented, and most of the useless and outmoded electronics end up being dumped, traded or recycled\u003C\u002Fa> in haphazard, potentially harmful ways. When disposed of incorrectly, for instance by open burning, e-waste can harm people and the environment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-22417\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"653\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002FE-Waste.jpg\" alt=\"sustainability\" class=\"wp-image-22417\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002FE-Waste.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002FE-Waste-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002FE-Waste-512x384.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>Source: www.gazelle.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Where does your discarded tracker end up?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>As the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.credit-suisse.com\u002Fcorporate\u002Fen\u002Farticles\u002Fnews-and-expertise\u002Flong-term-investment-key-trends-in-health-technology-201807.html\">health technology market is rapidly expanding\u003C\u002Fa>, both health technology producers and users have to ask the question what happens to the millions of health trackers, wearables and sensors after they are no longer in use. What’s the fate of the millions of cables and chargers? Will the old versions of VR googles, AR glasses, 3D, printed devices be thrown into the bin – or get hidden in a sock drawer and discarded 5 years later when no one remembers what they were used for anyway – as soon as the new models reach the shops?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>An \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.verywellfit.com\u002Fhow-to-recycle-donate-or-resell-your-walking-gadgets-3435919\">American company, uSell.com polled 1,000 people to get to know what they do with unused gadgets\u003C\u002Fa>. It turned out 42 percent kept their devices for at least two years or longer without using them ever again, 10 percent got rid of the gadgets after 7 months to a year, and 30 percent of Americans kept the equipment only for maximum half a year. \u003Cstrong>Nevertheless, you don’t necessarily have to throw your sleep tracker next to your Nokia 3210 feature phone, there are several ways how to recycle or reuse wearables or trackers.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Numerous companies have the option to receive old electronics – some offer discounts if you bring in your old product and replace it with a newer version, others are just accepting any type of electronics – including fitness trackers and health sensors\u003C\u002Fstrong>. In the US, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nytimes.com\u002F2015\u002F12\u002F03\u002Ftechnology\u002Fhow-to-sell-or-recycle-old-electronics.html\">Amazon, Gazelle and Best Buy all have their trade-in programs\u003C\u002Fa>. More recently, large tech companies including Apple and phone carriers like Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile USA and AT&T have begun trade-in programs \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.nytimes.com\u002F2013\u002F05\u002F05\u002Fopinion\u002Fsunday\u002Fwhere-do-old-cellphones-go-to-die.html?module=inline\">for cell phones\u003C\u002Fa>, offering consumers credit toward buying new phones. The companies then often resell the old cells internationally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-22418\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"578\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002FE-Waste-Recycling.jpg\" alt=\"sustainability\" class=\"wp-image-22418\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002FE-Waste-Recycling.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002FE-Waste-Recycling-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002FE-Waste-Recycling-512x340.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>Source: www.eastern-procurement.co.uk\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.recyclehealth.com\u002F\">\u003Cstrong>Recycle Health\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cstrong>, the solution for digital health trackers\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>If you happen to have a tracker that you don’t need but assume that others could make good use of it, send it to Recycle Health. No matter whether you have an unused Whithings, Garmin, Jawbone or Fitbit, it will get a second life with the three-year-old non-profit organization. \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>They established the so-called Tracker Lending Library: they package 25 refurbished Fitbits and send them to doctors’ offices in low-income regions, for physicians to give to interested patients. With a little help with setup and use, patients can walk out the door with a working tracker on their wrist, for use until their follow-up visit. The organization also supports the initiatives of the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.childobesity180.org\u002Fabout-us\">ChildObesity180\u003C\u002Fa> organization, which aims at reducing child obesity among others with the help of digital health trackers and wearables. The overall goal of Recycle Health is truly noble: to help older and lower income individuals have access to devices – and get to know how the gadgets are used. \u003Cstrong>The Medical Futurist team hopes that others will take this example – we need more initiatives like that: the combination of eco-consciousness and access to technology.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-22419\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"489\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002FDonate-Trackers.png\" alt=\"sustainability\" class=\"wp-image-22419\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002FDonate-Trackers.png 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002FDonate-Trackers-370x208.png 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002FDonate-Trackers-768x432.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002FDonate-Trackers-512x288.png 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>Source: https:\u002F\u002Fvitals.lifehacker.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>How to recycle pacemakers?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>A Dutch company, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Forthometals.com\u002F\">Orthometals\u003C\u002Fa>, responds to a question that rarely crosses people’s minds. What happens to the millions of prosthetics, breast implants, and pacemakers now in use after someone dies? Breast implants and replacement hips are currently not removed at death as there is no apparent reason to do so. However, what happens at cremation? Titanium or cobalt implants do not burn up, and any batteries will explode when heated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>To tackle this problem, the company started collecting metals – and by now, they accumulate about 250 tons of such materials every year from crematoriums around Europe. Afterward, Orthometals sells the hardware to automobile and aeronautical industries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Nevertheless, pacemakers can also be reused without modifying their functions. As a second–hand implant may be the only way that millions of people can afford this life–saving equipment, the charity \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.pace4life.org\u002F\">Pace4Life\u003C\u002Fa> collects functioning pacemakers from funeral parlors for use in India.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-22420\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"432\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002FRecycle-pacemakers.jpg\" alt=\"sustainability\" class=\"wp-image-22420\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002FRecycle-pacemakers.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002FRecycle-pacemakers-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002FRecycle-pacemakers-512x288.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>Source: www.whyy.org\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>What can you do as a health tech user?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>As you see, there are not that many options for reusing or recycling wearables, trackers or health sensors – and unfortunately, the majority is most likely to end up either as an element in our “not used things” storage box or as e-waste somewhere in Africa\u003C\u002Fstrong>. By the way, there’s hope to meaningfully recycle e-waste in developing countries, too. We bow down in front of the genius of the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fedition.cnn.com\u002F2017\u002F11\u002F28\u002Fafrica\u002F3d-printer-electronic-waste\u002Findex.html\">innovative lab in Lomé, the capital city of Togo in West Africa, where they built the first “Made in Africa” 3D printer using e-waste\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Anyhow, if you don’t want your smartwatch, sleep tracker or step counter to turn into e-waste, donate it to a charity such as Recycle Health to make use of it\u003C\u002Fstrong>. We truly need a lot more similar organizations in the US, in Europe and practically in every corner of the world to help reuse and recycle useful but unused technology. Otherwise, we should also ask digital health tech companies directly whether they have any waste management policy – and if they don’t have, what’s the reason behind that? \u003Cstrong>E-waste is a serious problem, and everyone has to make the right steps – no matter how small those are – to make our planet more sustainable.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\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>The growth of the digital health market entails the appearance of newer and newer fitness trackers, wearables, health sensors – leaving the older models to the sock drawer or worse, the dustbin. What happens to health tech’s waste and what options do people have who don’t want their gadgets to end up in the trash towns of developing countries?\u003C\u002Fp>\n",6,22422,"closed",true,"","standard",{"_acf_changed":20,"footnotes":27},[31,32,33],511,499,800,[35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47],618,1146,1147,1148,207,1149,271,1150,289,1151,425,1152,1153,[],[],[51,52,53,54,55,56,57],1571,1577,1617,1883,3327,3843,4043,[59,14,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,69,70,71,72,73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80],"post-22414","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bioethics","category-healthcare-design","category-healthcare-policy","tag-health-technology","tag-digital-health-tech","tag-sustainability","tag-green","tag-digital-health","tag-planet","tag-health","tag-environment","tag-innovation","tag-recycling","tag-technology-2","tag-e-waste","tag-electronic",{"id":24,"alt_text":82,"caption":27,"description":83,"media_type":84,"media_details":85,"post":5,"source_url":125},"TMF, sustainability","TMF, sustainability, watch, arm","image",{"width":86,"height":87,"file":88,"sizes":89,"image_meta":122},870,489,"2018\u002F11\u002F052-sustainability.png",{"medium":90,"large":96,"thumbnail":101,"medium_large":105,"large_old_512x288":106,"thumbnail_old_150x150":111,"medium_old_370x208":113,"medium_large_old_768x432":116,"large_old_512x288_old_512x288":119},{"file":91,"width":92,"height":93,"mime-type":94,"source_url":95},"052-sustainability-370x208.png",370,208,"image\u002Fpng","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002F052-sustainability-370x208.png",{"file":97,"width":98,"height":99,"mime-type":94,"source_url":100},"052-sustainability-768x432.png",768,432,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002F052-sustainability-768x432.png",{"file":102,"width":103,"height":103,"mime-type":94,"source_url":104},"052-sustainability-150x150.png",150,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002F052-sustainability-150x150.png",{"file":97,"width":98,"height":99,"mime-type":94,"source_url":100},{"file":107,"width":108,"height":109,"mime-type":94,"source_url":110},"052-sustainability-512x288.png",512,288,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002F052-sustainability-512x288.png",{"file":102,"width":112,"height":112,"mime-type":94,"source_url":104},"150",{"file":91,"width":114,"height":115,"mime-type":94,"source_url":95},"370","208",{"file":97,"width":117,"height":118,"mime-type":94,"source_url":100},"768","432",{"file":107,"width":120,"height":121,"mime-type":94,"source_url":110},"512","288",{"aperture":123,"credit":27,"camera":27,"caption":27,"created_timestamp":123,"copyright":27,"focal_length":123,"iso":123,"shutter_speed":123,"title":27,"orientation":123,"keywords":124},"0",[],"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002F052-sustainability.png",{"related_posts":127,"related_posts_footer":131,"cta_type":27,"cta_color":27,"subtitle":27,"related_books":20},[128,129,130],13016,13347,14256,[132,133,134],13296,13929,15518,{"yoast_wpseo_title":136,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":137,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":15},"How Could We Reconcile Health Technologies And Environmental Sustainability? - The Medical Futurist","What happens to health tech’s waste? How does sustainability in digital health look? How can you make sure your gadgets don't end up in trash towns?",{"self":139,"collection":145,"about":148,"author":151,"replies":154,"version-history":157,"predecessor-version":161,"wp:featuredmedia":165,"wp:attachment":168,"wp:term":171,"curies":187},[140],{"href":141,"targetHints":142},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F22414",{"allow":143},[144],"GET",[146],{"href":147},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts",[149],{"href":150},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftypes\u002Fpost",[152],{"embeddable":26,"href":153},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fusers\u002F6",[155],{"embeddable":26,"href":156},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=22414",[158],{"count":159,"href":160},14,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F22414\u002Frevisions",[162],{"id":163,"href":164},46521,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F22414\u002Frevisions\u002F46521",[166],{"embeddable":26,"href":167},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F22422",[169],{"href":170},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=22414",[172,175,178,181,184],{"taxonomy":173,"embeddable":26,"href":174},"category","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories?post=22414",{"taxonomy":176,"embeddable":26,"href":177},"post_tag","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftags?post=22414",{"taxonomy":179,"embeddable":26,"href":180},"project_category","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fproject_category?post=22414",{"taxonomy":182,"embeddable":26,"href":183},"contact_email_category","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcontact_email_category?post=22414",{"taxonomy":185,"embeddable":26,"href":186},"yst_prominent_words","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=22414",[188],{"name":189,"href":190,"templated":26},"wp","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.w.org\u002F{rel}",[192],{"id":134,"date":193,"date_gmt":194,"guid":195,"modified":197,"modified_gmt":198,"slug":199,"status":13,"type":14,"link":200,"title":201,"content":203,"excerpt":205,"author":23,"featured_media":207,"comment_status":25,"ping_status":25,"sticky":26,"template":27,"format":28,"meta":208,"categories":209,"tags":211,"project_category":225,"contact_email_category":226,"yst_prominent_words":227,"class_list":238,"better_featured_image":254,"acf":282,"yoast_meta":283,"_links":286},"2017-04-25T16:41:56","2017-04-25T14:41:56",{"rendered":196},"http:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F?p=15518","2022-05-10T19:16:08","2022-05-10T17:16:08","digital-health-ever-done-for-us","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fdigital-health-ever-done-for-us",{"rendered":202},"What Has Digital Health Ever Done For Us? Well, At Least 60 Things!",{"rendered":204,"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 2017. 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>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\u003C\u002Ftbody>\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I have 60 responses to the pressing question on every skeptic, healthcare-oriented person’s mind: what has digital health ever done for us?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003C!--more-->\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I’m sure you remember the scene from one of the most brilliant Monty Python movies ever made: Life of Brian. The insurgent commando plans the abduction of Pilate’s wife in return for all the horrors they had to endure from the Roman Empire. And then they ask the rhetorical question: what have they ever done for them. Apart from sanitation, medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, a fresh water system and public health, what have the Romans ever done for them?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"What Have The Romans... - Monty Python's Life of Brian\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FQc7HmhrgTuQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Similarly, I get a lot of questions after my keynotes and online either from patients or physicians about what digital health has ever done for us. They ask this as if digital health was non-existent or not useful. As if medicine should be practiced and healthcare should be delivered like it has been for hundreds of years. While we need to preserve real values such as the human touch and the creativity of physicians, the future will be and must be technological and digital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The era of technological advances we live in brought new opportunities for improving care; and digital health is the essence of the transition. So instead of a long philosophical essay about why digital health is the only way to go, I give you 60 responses to the pressing question: what digital health has ever done for us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Look at medical robots! How they\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.xenex.com\u002F\">Disinfect a hospital room in minutes\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.bbc.com\u002Fnews\u002Ftechnology-36528253\">Greet patients in a hospital\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.davincisurgery.com\u002F\">Allow one-day surgeries\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.intouchhealth.com\u002F\">Support telemedicine\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.aethon.com\u002Ftug\u002Ftughealthcare\u002F\">Carry 400 kilograms of medication\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.gizmag.com\u002Fscallop-microbots-swim-body-max-planck\u002F34589\u002F\">Deliver drugs through the blood stream\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.medgadget.com\u002F2013\u002F07\u002Frobotic-phloebotomist.html\">Take a blood sample\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.parorobots.com\u002F\">Reduce stress for elderly patients\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Let paralyzed people walk again\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fmedical-drones\u002F\">Deliver blood samples and equipment\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"758\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F09\u002Frobear-new-care-support-robot-bear-nurse-that-can-lift-patients-gently-transfer-them-between-1.jpg\" alt=\"robot nurse\" class=\"wp-image-14026\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F09\u002Frobear-new-care-support-robot-bear-nurse-that-can-lift-patients-gently-transfer-them-between-1.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F09\u002Frobear-new-care-support-robot-bear-nurse-that-can-lift-patients-gently-transfer-them-between-1-768x669.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F09\u002Frobear-new-care-support-robot-bear-nurse-that-can-lift-patients-gently-transfer-them-between-1-512x446.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F09\u002Frobear-new-care-support-robot-bear-nurse-that-can-lift-patients-gently-transfer-them-between-1-287x250.jpg 287w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Look at \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fartificial-intelligence-will-redesign-healthcare\u002F\">\u003Cstrong>artificial intelligence\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cstrong>! How it\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Mines medical records\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Designs treatment plans\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fresearcher.watson.ibm.com\u002Fresearcher\u002Fview_group.php?id=4384\">Analyzes radiology images\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.babylonhealth.com\u002Fdownload-the-app\u002F\">Provides medical consultation\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Assists in medication management\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fprecision-medicine-best-hope-fight-cancer\u002F\">Allows precision medicine\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.atomwise.com\u002F\">Finds potential new drugs\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fturbine.ai\u002F\">Seeks out new drug combinations\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.zorgprismapubliek.nl\u002F\">Analyzes healthcare spending\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Ffuture-of-clinical-trials\u002F\">Improves clinical trials\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fonkonetwork-drastically-reduces-pre-treatment-waiting-time-oncology-patients\u002F\">Reduces waiting times\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F04\u002Fartificial-intelligence-in-digital-health-1.jpg\" alt=\"artificial intelligence in digital health\" class=\"wp-image-15524\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F04\u002Fartificial-intelligence-in-digital-health-1.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F04\u002Fartificial-intelligence-in-digital-health-1-768x288.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F04\u002Fartificial-intelligence-in-digital-health-1-512x192.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F04\u002Fartificial-intelligence-in-digital-health-1-458x172.jpg 458w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Look at social media and smartphones! How they\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Help crowdsource medical diagnoses\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.sermo.com\u002F\">Assist physicians in connecting to each other\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.smartpatients.com\u002F\">Encourage patients find other patients\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.webicina.com\u002F\">Provide reliable resources\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fthe-future-of-diabetes-management-8-reasons-why-we-face-extraordinary-times\u002F\">Keep patients motivated\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"581\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F04\u002F170302-doctor-diagnosis-mn-2002_077c79ae7f593639baa5e0976ace150f.nbcnews-ux-2880-1000.jpg\" alt=\"Smartphone healthcare\" class=\"wp-image-15531\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F04\u002F170302-doctor-diagnosis-mn-2002_077c79ae7f593639baa5e0976ace150f.nbcnews-ux-2880-1000.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F04\u002F170302-doctor-diagnosis-mn-2002_077c79ae7f593639baa5e0976ace150f.nbcnews-ux-2880-1000-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F04\u002F170302-doctor-diagnosis-mn-2002_077c79ae7f593639baa5e0976ace150f.nbcnews-ux-2880-1000-512x342.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F04\u002F170302-doctor-diagnosis-mn-2002_077c79ae7f593639baa5e0976ace150f.nbcnews-ux-2880-1000-375x250.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Look at health sensors! How they\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fthe-future-of-food-the-food-of-the-future\u002F\">Tell us the contents of food\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Measure vital signs\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fhow-i-optimized-my-sleep-with-technology\u002F\">Improve sleep quality\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Ffitbit-helped-change-lifestyle-great-fitbit-surge-review\u002F\">Help exercise more\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Ffirst-medical-tricorder-viatom-checkme-pro-review\u002F\">Diagnose diseases on the go\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fwhat-healthcare-should-learn-from-stanley-kubricks-2001-a-space-odyssey\u002F\">Empower patients\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fliving-with-an-artificial-pancreas\u002F\">Create an artificial pancreas\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"560\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F04\u002Fhealth-sensors-in-digital-health.jpeg\" alt=\"Health sensors in digital health\" class=\"wp-image-15525\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F04\u002Fhealth-sensors-in-digital-health.jpeg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F04\u002Fhealth-sensors-in-digital-health-768x494.jpeg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F04\u002Fhealth-sensors-in-digital-health-512x330.jpeg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F04\u002Fhealth-sensors-in-digital-health-388x250.jpeg 388w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Look at \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F5-ways-medical-vr-is-changing-healthcare\u002F\">\u003Cstrong>virtual reality\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cstrong>! How it\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.psious.com\u002F\">Treats phobias\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.virtuallybetter.com\u002F\">Handles depression and anxiety\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Addresses PTSD\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Ffirsthand.com\u002F\">Helps reduce pain\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.immersivetouch.com\u002F\">Supports the preparations for an operation\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.virtamed.com\u002Fen\u002F\">Enhances medical training\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.gesturetekhealth.com\u002F\">Improves rehabilitation\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"525\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F04\u002Fvr-pain-relief.jpg\" alt=\"Virtual Reality Pain Relief\" class=\"wp-image-15507\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F04\u002Fvr-pain-relief.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F04\u002Fvr-pain-relief-768x463.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F04\u002Fvr-pain-relief-512x309.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F04\u002Fvr-pain-relief-414x250.jpg 414w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Look at \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Faugmented-reality-in-healthcare-will-be-revolutionary\u002F\">\u003Cstrong>augmented reality\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cstrong>! How it\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fvein-scanners-examples-for-disruption\u002F\">Finds veins\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Shows where defibrillators can be found\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F2014\u002F02\u002F04\u002Fbreastfeeding-mothers-getting-help-from-google-glass\u002F\">Helps mothers with breastfeeding\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Provides information about drugs\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.medsightstech.com\u002F\">Assists surgeons\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Facilitates medical training\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"405\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F04\u002Faugmented-reality-in-digital-health.jpg\" alt=\"Augmented reality in digital health\" class=\"wp-image-15526\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F04\u002Faugmented-reality-in-digital-health.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F04\u002Faugmented-reality-in-digital-health-768x358.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F04\u002Faugmented-reality-in-digital-health-512x238.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F04\u002Faugmented-reality-in-digital-health-458x213.jpg 458w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Look at 3D printing! How it\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.sciencedaily.com\u002Freleases\u002F2016\u002F05\u002F160504121802.htm\">Creates personalized bone replacement\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Prints out drugs\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fplaster-casts-on-a-broken-limb-in-2016-please-print-out-mine\u002F\">Builds customized casts\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002F3dprintingindustry.com\u002Fnews\u002Fmedical-clinic-bolivian-rainforest-might-use-3d-printing-23735\u002F\">Makes finger splints layer by layer\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.notimpossible.com\u002F\">Produces personalized prosthetics\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Forganovo.com\u002F\">Forms functional human tissues\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"489\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F02\u002F3d-printing-prosthetics.jpeg\" alt=\"3D Printing Prosthetics\" class=\"wp-image-15423\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F02\u002F3d-printing-prosthetics.jpeg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F02\u002F3d-printing-prosthetics-370x208.jpeg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F02\u002F3d-printing-prosthetics-768x432.jpeg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F02\u002F3d-printing-prosthetics-512x288.jpeg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2015\u002F02\u002F3d-printing-prosthetics-444x250.jpeg 444w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Look at nanotechnological devices! How they\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Deliver drugs to cancerous tissues\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.gizmag.com\u002Fscallop-microbots-swim-body-max-planck\u002F34589\u002F\">Swim through blood\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fspectrum.ieee.org\u002Fvideo\u002Frobotics\u002Fmedical-robots\u002Fvideo-miniature-robots-perform-surgery\">Perform microsurgery\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"490\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F03\u002Fnanotechnology.jpg\" alt=\"Nanotechnology - Future of Healthcare\" class=\"wp-image-15290\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F03\u002Fnanotechnology.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F03\u002Fnanotechnology-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F03\u002Fnanotechnology-768x433.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F03\u002Fnanotechnology-512x288.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F03\u002Fnanotechnology-444x250.jpg 444w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Look at genomics! How it\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh1>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fmydna-review\u002F\">Helps detect sensitivity to drugs\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fanalyse-your-dna-in-your-living-room\u002F\">Determines risks for diseases\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fwhat-could-crisprcas9-do-tomorrow\u002F\">Edits genomes\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Identifies microbiome\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FNutrigenomics\">Suggests what to eat\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Digital health and the related technologies are amazing! They don’t take away anything from us but extend our capabilities in health, healthcare and medicine. But only if we embrace them and know how to get the most out of them.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>And how can we get the most out of technologies? If we get gradually better and better in skills that make us human. Everything else from repetitive tasks to big data analytics should be taken care of by technologies.\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":206,"protected":20},"\u003Cp>I have 60 responses to the pressing question on every skeptic, healthcare-oriented person’s mind: what has digital health ever done for us?\u003C\u002Fp>\n",15532,{"_acf_changed":20,"footnotes":27},[210,32],521,[212,213,214,215,43,216,217,218,219,220,221,222,223,224,39],246,545,260,262,329,377,130,410,134,445,144,145,517,[],[],[228,51,229,53,230,231,232,233,234,235,236,54,237],2877,2945,3237,1631,1633,1681,1683,1723,1831,2015,[239,14,60,61,62,63,64,240,66,241,242,243,244,76,245,246,247,248,249,250,251,252,253,72],"post-15518","category-future-medicine","tag-future","tag-sensors","tag-genetics","tag-genomics","tag-nanotechnology","tag-robotics-2","tag-3d-printing-2","tag-social-media","tag-ai","tag-virtual-reality","tag-artificial-intelligence","tag-augmented-reality-2","tag-gc1",{"id":207,"alt_text":27,"caption":27,"description":27,"media_type":84,"media_details":255,"post":134,"source_url":281},{"width":86,"height":256,"file":257,"sizes":258,"image_meta":279},348,"2017\u002F04\u002Fabstract_digitalhealthtools_2.png",{"medium":259,"large":262,"thumbnail":266,"medium_large":269,"large_old_512x205":270,"medium_old_458x183":274},{"file":260,"width":92,"height":93,"mime-type":94,"source_url":261},"abstract_digitalhealthtools_2-370x208.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F04\u002Fabstract_digitalhealthtools_2-370x208.png",{"file":263,"width":98,"height":264,"mime-type":94,"source_url":265},"abstract_digitalhealthtools_2-768x307.png",307,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F04\u002Fabstract_digitalhealthtools_2-768x307.png",{"file":267,"width":103,"height":103,"mime-type":94,"source_url":268},"abstract_digitalhealthtools_2-150x150.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F04\u002Fabstract_digitalhealthtools_2-150x150.png",{"file":263,"width":98,"height":264,"mime-type":94,"source_url":265},{"file":271,"width":108,"height":272,"mime-type":94,"source_url":273},"abstract_digitalhealthtools_2-512x205.png",205,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F04\u002Fabstract_digitalhealthtools_2-512x205.png",{"file":275,"width":276,"height":277,"mime-type":94,"source_url":278},"abstract_digitalhealthtools_2-458x183.png",458,183,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F04\u002Fabstract_digitalhealthtools_2-458x183.png",{"aperture":123,"credit":27,"camera":27,"caption":27,"created_timestamp":123,"copyright":27,"focal_length":123,"iso":123,"shutter_speed":123,"title":27,"orientation":123,"keywords":280},[],"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F04\u002Fabstract_digitalhealthtools_2.png",{"related_posts":20,"related_posts_footer":20,"cta_type":27,"cta_color":27,"subtitle":27,"related_books":20},{"yoast_wpseo_title":284,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":285,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":200},"What Has Digital Health Ever Done For Us? 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