 you suffer a heart attack or develop diabetes. Although no such device exists as yet, today’s smartwatches can already warn wearers if, for instance, they have an irregular heartbeat.
3Better health care
If you live in the countryside or on an island, the family doctor is often some distance away. Telemedicine offers a solution in such cases. Cutting-edge blood pressure devices and pacemakers can automatically transmit data to the doctor, while video consultations help decide whether an actual visit is necessary.
The ability of artificial intelligence (AI) to evaluate large volumes of data in fractions of a second means, for instance, that AI could compare X-rays or CT scans in global databases and help achieve a reliable diagnosis far faster. According to initial studies, for example, AI can help doctors detect skin cancer using photos of suspicious changes to the skin.
Digitalization promises many new treatment options in the future. A few examples are robots that help with operations, tiny microrobots that move through our bloodstream recording values such as blood pressure, and the use of virtual reality to treat diseases such as dementia or Parkinson’s.
6More efficient processes
State-of-the-art technology is already relieving the strain on staff at medical practices and hospitals. Digital treatment and patient data is available at the touch of a button, and medical devices can be equipped with tiny transmitters so that everyone always knows exactly where they are currently in use. All kinds of other possibilities are also conceivable in the future, such as robots reliably taking blood samples from patients.
7Better nursing care
In the case of nursing and geriatric care, too, robots controlled by AI could take over heavy physical work such as washing, turning, and lifting patients. This would give nursing staff more time to attend to individual patient needs. Rehabilitation robots that help stroke victims, for example, regain their mobility are another potential application.
8Risk and side effects
Does this technological progress therefore really promise mankind the chance of a longer, healthier life? Or should we be worried that the technology will be misused? However, risks and side effects cannot be ruled out when it comes to the digital future of medicine.
… and the risks
Despite all of the advantages, we cannot lose sight of the risks associated with the digitalization of the healthcare sector.
1Farewell to privacy?
Health is a private matter. Our health data accompanies us throughout our lives and is not interchangeable. None of us would want it to influence employers’ staffing decisions or be used by insurance companies to calculate their premiums, so it must be clearly regulated who is allowed to access which data – and who isn’t. This is a task for companies and, above all, for legislators.
2Hacker attacks on our health?
Health data is valuable. Hackers can steal sensitive data and hold the victims to ransom. They can also put people’s lives at risk by paralyzing the infrastructure of hospitals or medical practices. When developing new health system technologies, it is therefore vital to include effective IT security solutions in the planning from the outset.
3Is technology infallible?
To err is human, as the saying goes, which means artificial intelligence is not infallible either. Algorithms learn using the data provided and recognize patterns in this data. The quality of the algorithm’s results ultimately depends on how it is trained – by humans. The criteria based on which algorithms make decisions must therefore meet ethical and legal requirements.
4Do robots make you lonely?
No machine can replace human contact, and such contact is particularly important to people who are old or sick. Consequently, robots can complement doctors, nurses, and carers, but not replace them. Clear rules are required for their use to ensure technical progress does not exacerbate the problem of loneliness.
This entails a number of basic prerequisites
1Discussing ethical issues
How much digitalization do we want to allow in 