Internet OF Things (IoT) and wearables
IoT companies are coming out with more health-related devices and software apps, such as wearable tattoos that can tell if you’ve had enough sun, IoT glucometers, and a blood pressure cuff that can track your sleep patterns. Also, it was just in the press late last year that Google bought Fitbit which will bring big change to the industry because this IoT wearable company will align with Google to become more of a health-focused company. Notable startups that I see as super innovative in the health tech space are Lief which is hardware for psychiatrists to remotely monitor patients and 100Plus smartwatch which monitors users’ heart activity.

Telemedicine

We are all using the cameras on our phones, with apps like FaceTime and Facebook Messenger to talk to each other seeing each other in real-time, looking at facial expressions, it adds so much to a call. The same type of change will happen and is happening in healthcare, with many medical professionals starting to use video and audio streaming technologies like Beam Health, Physitrack and Chiron Health. These new HIPAA-compliant companies are becoming more of the norm and people are adopting the technology quickly. If you take a look at going to see a psychiatrist, for example, there is a stigma sometimes in society to go. The act of getting to a physical appointment, with travel time is a lot on a person. Now, with the tap of a button on your phone, you can talk to a mental health professional within seconds removing the travel time to the provider’s physical office and reducing the mental burden from the patient. Advancements in telemedicine can help in this area in 2020. According to the AMA, Telehealth is up 53%, with continued growth.

Genomics
Genomics is really becoming more commonplace with the rise of 23andMe and Ancestry.com. If you walk into Target or Walmart there are genomics tests available for purchase over the counter making these tests more accessible to everyone. Genomind is another great example of a company working in this space that allows physicians to gain more insights about what medications to give a patient based on their history and genetic background.

In closing, the world is really changing in and around healthcare and I think we have a bright future. As we progress, technology, biotech and other areas will see better information exchange, easier access to healthcare and so much more. Healthcare can be a lagger in terms of change, but I do see change happening. It is exciting to see where the industry is heading in 2020.

About the author: Daniel Kivatinos, Co-Founder and COO of DrChrono

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