Search for: "digital health" - 250 articles found

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Article • Artificial intelligence meets internal medicine

Medical AI: Enter ‘dea ex machina’

In the world of theatre, the ‘deus ex machina’, the god from the machine, is a dramaturgical trick to resolve seemingly unsolvable conflicts. Can artificial intelligence (AI) also be such a universal problem solver for internal medicine? At the Annual Congress of the German Society of Internal Medicine (DGIM), Dr Isabella Wiest explored the potential – and limitations – of AI helpers.

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Article • Generative AI

Large language models: enabler or eroder of cardiovascular care?

Large language models (LLMs) have potential in healthcare settings to help support both patients and clinicians. Cardiologist Dr Robert van der Boon believes they could have several applications, including patient communication and education, clinical decision support and administrative tasks. Delegates to ESC 2024 in London heard roles explored for LLMs in areas of clinical decision-making,…

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Interview • AI, modern mammography, and more

Breast imaging breakthroughs presented at EUSOBI 2024

Minimally invasive surgical interventions, innovative imaging and the use of AI: At the upcoming EUSOBI congress in Lisbon, experts present and discuss the latest advances in breast imaging. We spoke with Tanja Brycker from Hologic ahead of the event about new trends in women’s health, the company’s investment in innovation and education, and what the future of mammography looks like with the…

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Article • Company showcase: Medical Taiwan 2024

Manufacturers from Taiwan present innovative products

Handheld point-of-care diagnostics, magnetic endoscopy, AI-enhanced robotic surgery, smart patient information management, wireless minimally invasive surgery systems, and much more: At the Medical Taiwan Health & Care Expo in Taipei this summer, visitors had the opportunity to see innovative medical products and solutions across a wide range of specialties. We took a closer look at selected…

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Article • Delivering more efficient healthcare

How teleoperation is changing radiology

As opportunities for teleoperations rapidly expand within radiology, the concept is being deployed across an array of modalities to deliver more efficient healthcare. A range of speakers covered the topic of ‘Teleoperations in radiology’ at ECR2024, discussing its benefits in applications in MRI, ultrasound, during the social restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic and military use. However,…

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Article • Medical Taiwan Health & Care Expo

Record attendance for medical solutions from Taiwan

As demand for innovative healthcare solutions is at an all-time high, Medical Taiwan once again attracted a record number of visitors for its 2024 edition. The show’s organizer, the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), proudly reported an increase in attendance by 10% compared with the previous year. During the three-day event in Taipei, the audience was treated to a wide range…

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Article • Addressing diagnostic backlogs

Harnessing the power of AI for women's health

Although the Covid-19 pandemic is behind us, healthcare facilities continue to experience workflow challenges and resource constraints impacting women’s health and a patient’s ability to receive a timely diagnosis. Clinical specialties like breast radiology and cytology are especially susceptible to these issues and continue to experience backlogs, which impact their ability to deliver timely…

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Article • Interactive VR worlds in healthcare

Metaverse in medicine: between potential and pioneering spirit

For many, the term “metaverse” evokes images of VR headsets and the rebranded company behind Facebook – but can the digital parallel universe provide actual benefits for healthcare? Dr Anke Diehl has studied the technology intensively and recognises significant potential for medical applications. However, the expert for digital transformation at Essen University Medicine, Germany, cautions…

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Article • Digital breast tomosynthesis

Transforming breast screening: The role of AI in improving reading workflow

While having more centers adopt digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) for breast cancer screenings into their practice is a positive change, it also presents some challenges for radiologists—particularly the increased number of images for radiologists to review. This challenge has paved the way for AI to offer innovative workflow solutions for radiologists that do not sacrifice accuracy.

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Sustainability

Lab-on-a-chip for a low-carbon future

The field of lab-on-a-chip needs to meet important challenges around sustainability. This includes not only the development of smart analytical systems that are able to sense the changes that are occurring within the environment but also, more generally, the mitigation of single-use plastics in analysis and the use of low-power, recyclable microsystem technologies.

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News • Medical trade fair

MEDICA 2023: Düsseldorf at the centre of the global healthcare industry

The world's leading medical trade fair MEDICA 2023 starts on Monday in Düsseldorf with more than 5,300 exhibiting companies from almost 70 nations and the kick-off event for the accompanying 46th German Hospital Day, which will be attended by Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (via video link) and NRW Health Minister Karl-Josef Laumann. COMPAMED 2023 will take place parallel to MEDICA. As…

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Article • Portable imaging

Going mobile: advances in point-of-care ultrasound

Ultrasound technology now plays a vital role in clinical diagnosis and management. Significant advances in point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) have made it a versatile tool for assessment, diagnosis, and follow-up across various fields. New developments continue to expand its applications, improving patient care and outcomes.

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Article • Need for diversity in training datasets

Artificial intelligence in healthcare: not always fair

Machine learning and AI are playing an increasingly important role in medicine and healthcare, and not just since ChatGPT. This is especially true in data-intensive specialties such as radiology, pathology or intensive care. The quality of diagnostics and decision-making via AI, however, does not only depend on a sophisticated algorithm but – crucially – on the quality of the training data.

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News • Platform for new companies

MEDICA 2023: Start-ups are shaking things up

MEDICA trade fair (Nov 13-16, Düsseldorf) is a major event for start-ups entering the health sector. Hundreds of young developers seek business contacts for cooperation concerning funding, production, approval, marketing or sales of their products.

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Article • Five-year EU project to avoid heart damage in oncology patients

Cardiac collaterals in breast cancer therapy

Modern cancer therapies are tough on the tumours, but often, also on the heart of the patients. The “CARDIOCARE” project aims to reduce the cardiac burden of anti-cancer therapies through more patient-tailored treatment approaches. At the ESC 2023 cardiology congress, Professor Katerina Naka from the project’s consortium explained why older patients are at the highest risk of cardiotoxic…

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News • Message from our partner

Unleash the full potential of AI and robotics with Automa+ Health 2023

Machines are getting smarter every day, and companies across the world are discovering new ways in which they can use AI to significantly enhance engagement and customer experience. That is why decision-makers from pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and healthcare providers gather to network and discuss the latest innovations, as well as the potential for both AI and robotics, at Healthcare…

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Article • Supplemental imaging

The next breast screening advancement: Contrast-enhanced mammography

With the recent recommendation changes from the European Council in 2022, how radiologists screen for breast cancer is changing. Mammography has long been an essential technology in screening for breast cancer, and in the recommendations the Council formally recognized the advantages of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT). This landmark acknowledges the research on and benefits of DBT, advocating…

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Sponsored • Health & Care Expo

Taiwan goes “beyond healthcare”

Post-pandemic problems, ageing societies, the impact of climate change on human health: To find solutions for new and ongoing healthcare challenges, thinking outside the box is crucial. This year’s Medical Taiwan Health & Care Expo took this approach to heart: True to its motto “beyond healthcare”, the event showcased a wide range of innovative products, promising start-up presentations…

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Article • Radiation protection debate

Patient shielding: a relic from the past of radiology?

Against a backdrop of changing technology and reduced patient dose, a new momentum is emerging within radiology to eradicate patient shielding. The subject has been extensively debated and researched in recent years but there is now a growing consensus to end the practice, apart from with a few exceptions. The topic was the focus of a session at ECR 2023 in Vienna where different perspectives…

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Article • Digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT)

New EU recommendations for breast screening enhance opportunities for early detection

Mammography has been an essential imaging technology for breast cancer detection for decades. As the industry has continued to innovate, one advancement in mammography has particularly changed the landscape of breast imaging: digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), also known as 3D mammography.

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Article • Existing solutions need to mature, experts find

Interactive mobile cancer apps: promising, but formative

Interactive mobile apps have become ubiquitous in daily life. The Covid-19 pandemic has escalated the use of disease-specific monitoring apps. Mobile apps enabling cancer patients to self-manage their physical condition and symptoms can help them to evaluate toxic side effects of their treatments, offer artificial intelligence (AI)-generated recommendations to minimize them, and alert them to…

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News • Expert roundtable at ECR 2023

How AI will shape the future of radiology

The future of medical imaging will be shaped by AI, according to an expert panel hosted by Bayer at ECR in Vienna. Participants explored key trends in radiology and how AI innovation can help patients and their treating physicians.

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Article • Inks and polymers

3D printed pharmaceuticals for personalized therapies

60 percent of all administered drugs do not have the desired therapeutic effect. Even worse: in Germany alone about 60,000 deaths per year are caused by medication. With these shocking statistics Professor Dr Christian Franken started his presentation on “Pills from the 3D printer” at last year’s Medica in Düsseldorf. He hopes that his vision of personalized medication based on 2D and 3D…

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Article • Webcams in neonatology offer clinical value

Baby on-screen 24/7

True or false: Webcams have only recently been introduced in neonatology and are a patient-side component of the Digital Health Portfolio. False! Already in 1989, Professor Dr Roland Wauer at Charité Berlin built his DIY system to transmit images from the neonatology ward.

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Article • How to bring about better patient outcomes with health data

Propelling innovation in healthcare with the help of health data spaces

January 28 saw the celebration of the “Data Protection Day” as it is called in Europe, or respectively the “Privacy Day” as it is referred to outside of Europe. It marks the date on which the Council of Europe’s data protection convention, known as “Convention 108” was opened for signature back in 1981. According to the Council of Europe, it is the ‘only international,…

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Article • Data protection

A shared EU data space for health?

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which came into force in 2018, has reinforced the European Union’s (EU) reputation of being comparatively strict regarding the protection of personal data within its member states. While the GDPR is generally considered a success, setting standards even outside its jurisdiction, critical voices are becoming louder.

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Article • Cancer screening

The need for breast imaging for transgender patients

The need for breast cancer screening of transgender individuals has been a topic of uncertainty until recently, due to lack of reliable patient data, consensus by radiologists, published research, and recommended guidelines. A 2021 survey of Society of Breast Imaging (SBI) members revealed that ‘breast radiologists differ in their practice and knowledge regarding screening of transgender…

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Article • AI-based personalized medical care

I³lung: EU launches lung cancer initiative

This summer, The European Commission launched I3lung, a new research initiative as a part of Horizon Europe, the EU’s research and innovation program. This research initiative aims to create a cutting-edge, decision-making tool to help clinicians and patients select the best lung cancer treatment based on each patient’s specific needs and circumstances.

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Article • Wearables at Medica 2022

Smart ring medical device for 24/7 blood pressure monitoring

A smart-ring medical device is emerging as an effective and discreet wearable for round-the-clock blood pressure monitoring. Using photoplethysmography (PPG) signals to measure the bloodstream 24/7 through the wearer’s finger, a new feature of the “Cart-I plus” ring from manufacturer Sky Labs enables it to constantly monitor hypertension without user intervention.

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Article • At-home diagnostics

Making remote patient monitoring simple

Increasing accessibility of remote and home monitoring for patients with pulmonary diseases can help improve treatment and rehabilitation adherence, and support health systems and hospitals in tackling waiting lists. The various advantages of remote monitoring systems will be highlighted in a Medica session focusing on “Preventing chronic diseases with diagnostics and analytics”.

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Article • AI provides prognostic information

Next-generation deep learning models predict cancer survival

Deaths from cancer are currently estimated at 10 million each year worldwide. Conventional cancer staging systems aim to categorize patients into different groups with distinct outcomes. ‘However, even within a specific stage, there is often substantial variation in patient outcomes,’ Markus Plass, academic researcher from the Medical University of Graz, Austria, explained to Healthcare in…

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Article • Extended reality

The application of XR in mental health care

Mental disorders are among the leading causes of ill-health and disability worldwide, and the demand for a viable solution to battle the mental health crisis has risen. The past two decades have witnessed the emergence of extended reality (XR) as a tool for investigation, assessment, and management in mental healthcare.

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News • Nonfungible tokens

Can NFT technology benefit healthcare?

NFTs, or nonfungible tokens, first made a splash in the art world as a platform to buy and sell digital art backed by a digital contract. But could NFT be useful in other markets such as healthcare?

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Article • Experts point out lack of diverse data

AI in skin cancer detection: darker skin, inferior results?

Does artificial intelligence (AI) need more diversity? This aspect is brought up by experts in the context of AI systems to diagnose skin cancer. Their concern: images used to train such programs do not include data on a wide range of skin colours, leading to inferior results when diagnosing non-white patients.

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Article • Game elements

Gamification in diabetes care

The number of gamified mobile applications is rising rapidly—especially in healthcare. Gamified apps or devices are used in many fields, from mental health therapy to stroke rehab to managing metabolic conditions. This article illustrates how gamification is employed in diabetes care.

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News • Tradefair conclusion

Medica 2021 exceeded expectation, say organisers

After the four-day run, organisers of Medica and Compamed express their satisfaction with the results of the events in Düsseldorf. From 15 to 18 November 2021, the world’s leading information and communication platforms for the medical technology industry and its supplier sector presented a wealth of convincing innovations as well as an accompanying programme that covered a wide range of…

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Sponsored • Trade fair presence

A myriad of French innovations at Medica 2021

This year as every year, the very best in global HealthTech will be converging on Dusseldorf for the Medica trade fair. With more than 127 companies attending the event from November 15-18, France will have one of the largest contingents there. Grouped together under the brand umbrella of “French Healthcare”, the French MedTech companies will be presenting their many innovations to industry…

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Article • Digital infrastructure

Update: 5G in German healthcare

This September, the symposium 5G4Healthcare, organised by the Technical University of Applied Sciences (Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule - OTH) Amberg-Weiden, Germany, explored how 5G can contribute to greater efficiency in healthcare. The event was based on the insights from the 5G4Healthcare project at OTH. Launched in 2020, it is one of six research projects in the 5G innovation programme…

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Article • Physicians forecast benefits for healthcare providers and patients

The impact of technology in 2030

How will digital technology impact healthcare in 2030? If challenges to acceptance and utilisation can be overcome, healthcare providers and patients will benefit significantly, according to physicians participating in a recent online seminar on this topic.

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News • Trade fair presence

Start-ups at Medica: Anticipation for two 'world cups'

Medica trade fair (November 15-18) is once again a welcome field for many healthcare start-ups to present their products. The joint stand at the 'Medica Start-up Park' in Hall 12 has become the central cross-national meeting point for the healthcare start-up scene, the fair's organizers are pleased to report. "We bring innovators and investors together. This time, more than 40 start-ups are…

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News • Multiple biomarker detection

Smart bandage shows promise for chronic wound monitoring

A research team led by Professor Lim Chwee Teck from the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Department of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Health Innovation & Technology (iHealthtech), in collaboration with clinical partners from Singapore General Hospital, has developed a smart wearable sensor that can conduct real-time, point-of-care assessment of chronic wounds wirelessly…

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Sponsored • Exhibition report

Healthcare technology innovations on show at CMEF Autumn 2021

Under the motto "new tech, smart future", the latest edition of the Chinese Medical Equipment Fair (CMEF) showcased technological innovations at the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center. The 4-day event, which covered critical technology advances in AI, deep learning, big data, 5G and much more, also served to display the technological and economic growth in China, with…

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News • Nosocomial infection prevention

Improving hospital hand hygiene compliance with smart measurement system

Water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions and services provider Ecolab launches its Hand Hygiene Compliance Measurement (HHCM) System, a digitally connected technology to systematically monitor and improve hand hygiene in healthcare settings, across Europe. In healthcare settings, clean hands save lives. While the Covid-19 outbreak increased adoption of hand hygiene measures at first,…

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News • Blood clots in the legs

Machine learning algorithm to diagnose deep vein thrombosis

A team of researchers are developing the use of an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm with the aim of diagnosing deep vein thrombosis (DVT) more quickly and as effectively as traditional radiologist-interpreted diagnostic scans, potentially cutting down long patient waiting lists and avoiding patients unnecessarily receiving drugs to treat DVT when they don’t have it.

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Article • Discussing benefits and flaws

AI in cardiology: a marriage made in heaven – or hell?

The role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the most divisive issues in cardiology. Two leading experts argue the pros and cons of its use, exploring its benefits and advantages to cardiac care, as well as highlighting the pitfalls and shortcomings of AI, while underlining the need for clear guidelines and regulations for its use going forward.

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Article • Skin cancer identification

Dermatology & AI: The need to quantify skin tones

Although artificial intelligence (AI) tools and smartphone apps that help identify suspicious moles and potential skin cancers are starting to proliferate, dermatology informatics has far to go before becoming a clinically adoptable technology. Many challenges need to be resolved, not least of which is the need for more image data representing people of colour.

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News • Congress

Patient-centered digitalization in modern healthcare

Patient-oriented innovations and cases of the processes digitalization are presented at the Healthcare Automation and Digitalization Congress 2021 (AUTOMA+ Healthcare Edition 2021). The Congress takes place online, at BGS Online Platform on September, 27-28, 2021, and gathers hospitals, healthcare providers, and pharmaceutical companies to network and share solutions regarding the personalized…

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News • Titanium-alloy knee plates

3D printing simplifies high tibial osteotomy

3D metal printing technology is producing personalised medical-grade titanium-alloy plates that perfectly fit individuals suffering arthritis of the knee. Engineers at the University of Bath’s Centre for Therapeutic Innovation (CTI) working with 3D Metal Printing Ltd, are using the TOKA (Tailored Osteotomy for Knee Alignment) treatment to improve the surgical procedure and fit of high-tibial…

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News • Regulatory issues

Genetic data privacy, the GDPR, and research needs: a delicate balance

The EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has created a great deal of uncertainty about how key requirements should be interpreted. This means that collaborators in international genetic research projects do not always agree on fundamental issues such as whether they are processing personal data, consent requirements under the GDPR and on what basis genetic data can be transferred…

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Article • Cardiology advances

Digital solutions for heart failure patients

Triage HF Plus, highlighted in the BCS conference session ‘Digital Innovation in Cardiology - What's new?’ is a digital heart failure care project that uses a customised algorithm to detect early signs of deterioration in patients with implanted devices. During her presentation ‘Digital solutions to identify worsening heart failure’, consultant cardiologist Dr Fozia Ahmed discussed the…

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Article • Risk reduction, rehabilitation

The role of AI in preventive cardiology

Artificial Intelligence and Big Data in cardiovascular risk reduction and cardiac rehabilitation are offering new opportunities for increased diagnostic accuracy and more personalised exercise prescription. Experts believe it can be harnessed to design tools to enable cardiologists to make better decisions, and have more confidence in the decision-making process. The topic was featured at ESC…

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Article • Cardiology & AI

Machine learning to predict sudden cardiac death

Could machine learning (ML) help to predict sudden cardiac death (SCD)? According to Dr Sanjiv Narayan, Professor of Medicine at Stanford University, California, many exciting studies are using ML to predict sudden death in ways not previously possible. ‘Complex data, such as MRI geometry, very large electronic health records or continuous data streams from wearables, are difficult to probe…

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Article • Precision oncology

Personalized health and genomics: Minimizing collateral damage

A solid diagnosis has always been the first step on any patient’s journey to health. However, diagnostic categories are necessarily oversimplifications. In the last decades, medical professionals and scientists have begun to uncover the true variability in patients’ physiological and biochemical make-up that is the principal cause for individual variations in the way diseases present…

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Article • Hybrid care models

Telemedicine or in-person care: Why not both?

Will telehealth replace traditional in-person healthcare? Healthcare and digital health professionals around the world have moved beyond this question. Telehealth scenarios are here to stay, and so is traditional healthcare. The relevant question is how both can be combined for optimum results. This is the focus of hybrid care models. Jonah Comstock of HIMSS recently presented a webinar on…

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Clinical intelligence

Dedalus and Rx.Health partner to 'liberate' healthcare data

Healthcare software company Dedalus announced its strategic partnership in North America with Rx.Health, an AI-based digital health unification and clinical intelligence platform. The partnership will enable collaboration between Dedalus’ solution, Digital Connect for Health (DC4H) with Rx.Health’s platform that unifies and automates digital health through an EHR connected formulary and 250+…

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Article • Telehealth

Sheba Beyond: Creating Israel’s first virtual hospital

Israel’s first virtual hospital has been created following the advances and applications learned from using telemedicine tools and techniques to care for coronavirus patients in isolation wards. Sheba Beyond was established in January and over the last few months has successfully delivered care to patients across a range of areas. The development of the project was outlined to the DMEA –…

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News • Software solution

Using AI to match cancer patients to early phase clinical trials

Cancer informatics and digital pathology provider Inspirata announced that King’s Health Partners ECMC and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust will pilot its Trial Navigator software as part of an evaluation the organisations are conducting into how artificial intelligence based automation can improve the identification and efficiency of matching patients with cancer to early phase…

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Siemens Healthineers and Flywheel

Partnership for healthcare research collaboration

Medical data management company Flywheel announced a partnership and enterprise license agreement with Siemens Healthineers. Under the agreement, Flywheel will deliver a cloud-based research collaboration solution on the Siemens Healthineers teamplay digital health platform. Rolling out first in North America, the teamplay collaboration solution will enable Siemens Healthineers and its many…

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Article • Screening, early detection, treatment optimisation

AI techniques advancing oncology care

Cancer care and the treatment clinicians can offer patients is being increasingly enhanced by Artificial Intelligence (AI). The technology has a role in diagnosis, with algorithms trained to design and deliver patient care, can match patients to clinical trials they may benefit from, and even help predict outcomes and those at greatest risk.

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Article • Heard at SIIM 2021

AI in radiology: unexpected benefits, unintended consequences

Artificial intelligence (AI) could match the impact of PACS on radiology. Covid-19 stimulated the development and testing of AI diagnostic-aiding tools in radiology, an unintended consequence of the pandemic. More image data sets have been created to train AI software – an unexpected benefit for radiology research.

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News • Deep learning vs Aids

AI app could help diagnose HIV more accurately

Pioneering technology developed by University College London (UCL) and Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI) researchers could transform the ability to accurately interpret HIV test results, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Academics from the London Centre for Nanotechnology at UCL and AHRI used deep learning (artificial intelligence/AI) algorithms to improve health workers’…

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News • Promising research tool

World's first digital cancer cell model

Computer models have been standard tools in basic biomedical research for many years. However, around 70 years after the first publication of an ion current model of a nerve cell by Hodgkin & Huxley in 1952, researchers at Graz University of Technology (TU Graz), in collaboration with the Medical University of Graz and the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, have finally…

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Article • Preprogrammed bias?

AI and the gender gap: Data holds a legacy of discrimination

Technologies based on artificial intelligence (AI) are considered the epitome of progress. However, the data AI algorithms use to draw their conclusions is outdated. It ignores the existence of biological sex and socio-cultural gender and their effects on individual health and disease states. German experts discussed the gender problem in healthcare AI at virtual.MEDICA 2020.

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Article • Workflow optimisation

The potential of AI in breast imaging efficiency

The contribution of Artificial intelligence (AI) has great potential in breast imaging efficiency, Professor Linda Moy MD told attendees at the 2021 Society of Breast Imaging/American College of Radiology (SBI/ACR) Breast Imaging Symposium this April. AI models for breast imaging have focused mainly on the diagnostic classification and detection of breast cancer.

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News • Cardiovascular disease prevention

An ultrasound sensor to measure pulse wave velocity and blood pressure

Nanoelectronics and digital technologies company Imec presents a proof-of-concept for determining arterial stiffness, a risk marker for cardiovascular diseases such as stroke and heart failure, and monitoring blood pressure. Imec’s approach uses an ultrasound sensor to measure the central pulse wave velocity. Measuring pulse wave velocity closer to the heart is also a more reliable proxy for…

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News • Aerosol propagation study

Covid-19: is it safe to play the trumpet and other wind instruments?

Aerosol generated by playing woodwind and brass instruments is less than that produced when vocalising (speaking and singing) and is no different than a person breathing, new research has found. The findings could be crucial to developing a roadmap for lifting Covid-19 restrictions in the performing arts, which have been significantly restricted since the start of the pandemic.

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Article • HIMSS

COVID response boosted by digital transformation

Digital transformation has been a significant factor in the way hospitals have responded to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, at HIMSS21 European Health Conference, experts were also quick to point out that the approach of the ‘human resource’ to the challenges and changes was a key factor.

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News • Coronavirus consequences

Long Covid? There's an app for that

People with long Covid could be monitored with the aid of a ground-breaking mobile phone app and clinical website. The system has been developed to help NHS rehabilitation teams manage the large number of people suffering from the debilitating effects of the illness. Patients will also be able to use the app to track their recovery. The app will initially be available to patients in 27 NHS trusts…

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News • Campaign to reprioritise breast health

Breast cancer: "Screening routine" to combat Covid-related backlog

One of the negative impacts of the coronavirus pandemic has been the suspension or postponement of many cancer screening services. Each year, these services help prevent and detect the presence of cancer at an early stage; timely diagnosis and care are crucial in preventing the spread of cancer. The National Screening Observatory has confirmed this, reporting alarming statistics: during the first…

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News • AI-as-a-service

Carestream accelerates development and delivery of AI applications for medical imaging

Carestream Health is transforming and accelerating the way it develops and delivers AI applications for medical imaging that help improve patient care. The state-of-the-art initiative is based on Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s (HPE) GreenLake for Machine Learning Operations (ML Ops). The machine-learning-optimized cloud service infrastructure makes it easier and faster to get started with ML/AI…

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Article • Digital pathology

Today’s tissue for tomorrow’s research

Specialist biorepositories are helping advance personalised medicine by supporting the availability of human tissue for research using digital pathology techniques. The pivotal role of the Glasgow Tissue Research Facility (GTRF) in making tissue available to shape new therapies and treatments was outlined in a presentation to the online “Transforming Digital Pathology – Integrating AI to Move…

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Article • Intelligent health

Introducing AI across the NHS

Artificial Intelligence in health and care is being introduced across the UK via a major national project that is already producing a range of innovations. Latest developments were outlined to the online Intelligent Health conference in a headlining presentation by Dr Indra Joshi, Director of AI at NHSX, which is a joint unit bringing together teams from NHS England and NHS Improvement, and the…

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News • International nurses day

Nurses are the center of healthcare

Fresenius Medical Care announced an international campaign that recognizes and supports the organization’s nurses and clinical teams throughout Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa.

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News • Intensive care support

AI predicts daily ICU trajectory for critical Covid-19 patients

Researchers used AI to identify which daily changing clinical parameters best predict intervention responses in critically ill Covid-19 patients. The investigators used machine learning to predict which patients might get worse and not respond positively to being turned onto their front in intensive care units (ICUs) - a technique known as proning that is commonly used in this setting to improve…

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News • Inconceivable?

Many fertility apps not exactly fussy about data privacy, study shows

The majority of top-rated fertility apps collect and even share intimate information without the users’ knowledge or permission, a collaborative study by Newcastle and Umea Universities has found. Researchers are now calling for a tightening of the categorisation of these apps by platforms to protect women from intimate and deeply personal information being exploited and sold.

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News • Reducing hospital-related stress and anxiety

Website helps children and parents to prepare for hospitalization

Every year, millions of children around the world are admitted to hospital for having anaesthesia and surgery. Many of them experience preoperative anxiety which negatively affects both their hospital experience and medical outcome, as well as their future relationships with healthcare services from both a short-term and long-term point of view. A new, internationally aimed website offers…

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News • Outcome prediction

Deep learning to maximize lifespan after liver transplant

Researchers from the Canadian University Healh Network (UHN) have developed and validated a deep learning model to predict a patient's long-term outcome after receiving a liver transplant. First of its kind in the field of Transplantation, this model is the result of a collaboration between the Ajmera Transplant Centre and Peter Munk Cardiac Centre (PMCC). The study, published in Lancet Digital…

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Sponsored • Mammography

Advancing the Breast Continuum of Care

The pandemic has presented healthcare systems with new challenges, resulting in backlogs of routine screenings and delayed procedures which threaten the health and wellbeing of patients, as well as the ability of facilities to serve their communities. In order to address these widespread issues, we need to ensure that healthcare professionals are able to operate with precision, confidence and…

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News • Diagnostics team-up

Cooperation to accelerate adoption of AI-powered digital pathology

Royal Philips and Ibex Medical Analytics announced a strategic collaboration to jointly promote their digital pathology and AI solutions to hospitals, health networks and pathology labs worldwide. The combination of Philips digital pathology solution (Philips IntelliSite Pathology Solution) and Ibex’s Galen AI-powered cancer diagnostics platform, currently in clinical use in Europe and the…

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News • Mammography support

AI solution may reduce interval breast cancer rates

Medical technology company iCAD, Inc. announced that ProFound AI for 2D Mammography might notably reduce the risk of interval breast cancer, according to a new retrospective analysis. The aim of the study was to determine if adding AI to reading mammography as a supportive tool may help in decreasing the interval cancer rate in population-based organized mammography screening programs in Germany.

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News • Digital health

Why focus on wearables and home-based hospitals?

Accessible and affordable healthcare is one of the topics of Healthcare Automation and Digitalization Congress. It will take place in Zurich, Switzerland on the 27th - 28th of September, 2021. At the Congress, top-management from healthcare providers and pharmaceutical companies, healthcare professionals, IT managers, and heads from technology companies will discuss the developing ways of the…

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Article • Digital pathology

AI delivers cervical cancer screening to rural areas of Kenya

Experts from Sweden, Finland and Kenya are using digital microscopy combined with Artificial Intelligence (AI) to deliver a rapid and effective cervical screening service to rural locations in Kenya. The project sees AI and digital diagnostics bridge the gap between low-resource settings and the availability of centralised AI-enhanced expertise and pathology services, located in larger cities in…

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News • Acidity analysis

Harnessing AI to identify cancer cells

Healthy and cancer cells can look similar under a microscope. One way of differentiating them is by examining the level of acidity, or pH level, inside the cells. Tapping on this distinguishing characteristic, a research team from the National University of Singapore (NUS) has developed a technique that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to determine whether a single cell is healthy or cancerous…

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News • AI, blockchain, hybrid cloud technology

Cooperation for smarter Covid-19 vaccine management

Moderna and IBM announced their intentions to explore technologies, including artificial intelligence, blockchain and hybrid cloud, that could help support smarter Covid-19 vaccine management. Central to the effort will be a pilot of open, standardized, technology-enabled vaccine distribution approaches aimed to improve supply chain visibility and foster near real-time tracking of vaccine…

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News • Digital health company

Brainlab acquires Mint Medical

Brainlab, a digital medical technology company, announced today the acquisition of Mint Medical GmbH, a Heidelberg-based company that develops image reading and reporting software for clinical routine and research. The acquisition underscores the Brainlab commitment to digital health and aims to improve the structured diagnosis, analysis and treatment of cancer and other diseases to address the…

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Article • At ECR 2021

AI experts tackle organ segmentation and health economics

AI is revamping workflows and experts showed how radiologists can integrate it into their department to improve daily practice and healthcare at ECR. The panel also discussed the health economics side of AI to help radiologists define which products make more economic sense for their department. The session tackled automated organ segmentation, an interesting application for AI in radiology.

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News • Hybrid learning startegy

Digital platform for on-demand EHR system training adopted

The Elisabeth-TweeSteden Hospital (ETZ) based in Tilburg and Waalwijk in the Netherlands is adopting a new digital training platform. It helps clinical staff optimize the use of its electronic patient dossier (EPD) system, Epic. The healthcare organization is rolling out Ancile Solutions’ uPerform platform after successful completion of an initial project in 2020. ETZ is a leading clinical…

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News • Delay in treatment for serious illness

Digital Covid-19 'symptom checkers' may do more harm than good

Digital Covid-19 ‘symptom checkers’ may stop some patients from getting prompt treatment for serious illness, suggests an international case simulation study. Both the US and UK symptom checkers consistently failed to identify the symptoms of severe Covid-19, bacterial pneumonia, and sepsis, frequently advising these cases to stay home, the findings indicate. The availability and use of…

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News • Neuro-map reveals nourishment mechanisms

Food for thought: How our brain keeps its supply up

Our brains are non-stop consumers. A labyrinth of blood vessels, stacked end-to-end comparable in length to the distance from San Diego to Berkeley, ensures a continuous flow of oxygen and sugar to keep our brains functioning at peak levels. But how does this intricate system ensure that more active parts of the brain receive enough nourishment versus less demanding areas? That’s a century-old…

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Article • The iCAIRD project

AI to aid Scottish breast screening

Implementation of artificial intelligence into Scotland’s national breast screening service is moving closer following an initial success with a trial project. While Scotland’s breast screening trial has delivered highs and lows, significant hurdles have been overcome in terms of approvals, governance and patient acceptance.

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News • Software solution

New solutions for breast image reading and mammography workflow optimization

Siemens Healthineers has introduced a new software solution that speeds up the entire reading workflow for breast imaging: Mammovista B.smart. Also new is the Teamplay Mammo Dashboard, a tool for dashboard-based visualization of key performance indicators (KPIs) in the breast imaging process that serves to optimize workflows. With these two new solutions, the company is extending its digital…

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Sponsored • Radiology collaboration

Improved workflow and a touch of Disney magic

Improving workflow is one of the major challenges that radiology departments face. The need to be more efficient, deliver timely and effective patient care, and keep an eye on costs are all factors that seem to be ever-present in the modern imaging department. With the added demands of the coronavirus pandemic as radiology departments continue to play a critical role in the fight against…

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News • Radiology congress in Vienna

Carestream showcases new detector, digital radiography solutions at Virtual ECR 2021

Carestream Health will highlight cutting-edge medical imaging technologies at the largest radiology meeting in Europe—the virtual European Congress of Radiology (ECR) in Vienna, Austria, beginning on March 3. The company will feature a wide range of products that demonstrates its leadership in digital medical imaging capture and processing, and improved user and workflow experiences.

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News • Alarm system 'ELISE'

A digital 'co-pilot' for paediatric intensive care

Working in intensive care units poses special challenges for healthcare workers. They have to safely and reliably detect whether the condition of their seriously ill patients is deteriorating in a life-threatening way, and they have to do so under great time pressure because every minute counts. The stress level increases even more when the patients are children and adolescents. In paediatric…

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Article • MHH SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test Kit

First Covid-19 test 'made in Poland'

To date, testing for SARS-CoV-2 infection mostly has relied on RT-PCR performed on a nasopharyngeal specimen. This testing method is very unpleasant for a patient: the professional tester has to tilt the patient’s head back slightly about 45°-70° to straighten the passage from the front of the nose, insert the swab through the nostril parallel to the palate, and the swab should reach a depth…

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News • Identifying symptoms and predicting diagnosis

Covid-19 detection: Wearables have an edge over traditional diagnostics

Wearable devices can identify Covid-19 cases earlier than traditional diagnostic methods and can help track and improve management of the disease, Mount Sinai researchers report in one of the first studies on the topic. The findings were published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. The Warrior Watch Study found that subtle changes in a participant’s heart rate variability (HRV)…

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News • Health worker shortage

Cooperation to strengthen women physician leaders across Ethiopia

Medics.Academy – a UK company delivering global access to medical education – and the Ethiopian Medical Women’s Association (EMeWA) have signed a partnership agreement to help women physicians in Ethiopia. The project will help EMeWA – an organisation established by female physicians in Ethiopia – to fulfil its vision to establish an excellence center for women physicians through one of…

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Article • Advancing diagnostic accuracy

PSMA PET/CT in prostate cancer evaluation

Hybrid PET/CT imaging can fully play to its strengths and steer treatment towards more effective procedures for diagnosing prostate cancer. The examination of the specific antigen PSMA with hybrid PET imaging enables treatment monitoring with significantly higher diagnostic accuracy than conventional imaging and therefore, Professor Clemens Cyran believes, will soon become the standard diagnostic…

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Article • Applications of machine learning

Training AI to predict outcomes for cancer patients

Predicting cancer outcome could help with a clinical decision regarding a patient’s treatment. In his keynote speech during the online ‘7th Digital Pathology and AI Congress: Europe’, Johan Lundin, Research Director at the Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM) at the University of Helsinki and Professor of Medical Technology at Karolinska Institute, discussed ‘Outcome and…

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Oversight of medical software

FDA Releases Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Action Plan

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration released the agency’s first Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML)-Based Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) Action Plan. This action plan describes a multi-pronged approach to advance the Agency’s oversight of AI/ML-based medical software. “This action plan outlines the FDA’s next steps towards furthering oversight for AI/ML-based SaMD,”…

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News • Scattering suppression for imaging

'Autocorrect' feature to make X-rays safer for children

Clinicians will be able to take a low radiation, digital X-ray image - without the need for an anti-scatter grid - thanks to new innovative ‘scattering suppression software’. Developed by photonics scientists at the Warsaw University of Technology (WUT), working in collaboration with innovation incubator ACTPHAST 4.0 and medical imaging company Italray SRL, the new algorithm ‘auto…

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Article • Lessons learned from the pandemic

Health professionals have to ask: “What’s next?”

The Covid-19 pandemic came as a shock but not a surprise. Bodies around the world have been warning for years of a novel disease that could wipe out millions and crash the global economy. In February 2019, Dr Jonathan Quick, chair of the Global Health Council, told Raconteur: “Our greatest fear is being blindsided by a new virus, most likely due to animal-human spill over, which then readily…

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News • Rapid antigen testing at point of care

AI-assisted SARS-CoV-2 testing: Cooperation for first live project in Munich

Medicus AI announces the successful launch of its first live project under SafePlay, the digital platform supporting rapid antigen testing, which went live in partnership with Roche Diagnostics Germany and 21Dx in Munich this month. Medicus provides operators with a tech-enabled end-to-end solution that supports the logistical aspects of testing, managing the administrative workflow from…

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Article • Robots, chatbots and more

Conversational user interfaces: a new access to healthcare?

The deployment of conversational user interfaces (CUI) or chatbots to healthcare has started gaining momentum. It is fueled by the rising power of artificial intelligence (AI), the increasing popularity of mobile health applications as well as the desire for engagement and usability. The past few years have seen a myriad of innovations in chatbots that can automate and engage in human-like…

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Article • AI, apps and more

Digital health tools to fight Covid-19

A great deal of solutions using new technologies have been released to help tackle the Covid-19 pandemic and a panel of international experts shared a few examples during the Barcelona Health Summit last October. Contact-tracing apps are an interesting option to manage a pandemic, but the creation process can take a long time and must meet several requirements, according to a Dutch official who…

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News • Digital health

AI test rules out Covid-19 diagnosis within one hour

An Artificial Intelligence test has been shown to be able to rapidly screen patients arriving in Emergency Departments for Covid-19, using clinical information routinely available within the first hour of coming to hospital. Results of the CURIAL study, published in The Lancet Digital Health, show that the AI test correctly predicted the Covid-19 status of 92.3% of patients coming to Emergency…

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Article • Assessing potential values

5G: The impact of wireless technology in healthcare

In a virtual roundtable 5G discussion five healthcare IT experts, three senior executives from major USA medical centres and two consultants, discussed questions posed by members of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS).

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News • Congress

Healthcare: Why Focus On Digitalization?

Health industry digitalization is one of the highest priorities in the healthcare sector these times. In perspective, it improves current living standards with quicker and easier access to help. The Healthcare Automation and Digitalization Congress business program will cover digital trends in the healthcare industry. The Congress will take place in Zurich, Switzerland on the 22nd - 23rd of…

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News • Success in Düsseldorf

virtual.Medica receives international resonance

For the first time in the history of MEDICA, the world-leading medical trade fair, and the industry’s number one platform for the suppliers of the medical technology industry, COMPAMED, held from 16 to 19 November 2020, took place entirely online due to the pandemic - but still won over their audiences due to their high degree of international resonance in this format too, as virtual.MEDICA and…

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