#Digital health

[cbirt]

The University of Queensland researchers have developed a comprehensive plan outlining the integration of smartwatches into Australia’s healthcare system. However, the researchers agree that significant obstacles must be solved before this becomes a reality.

A significant change in how we monitor our health and general well-being has resulted from recent technological advancements. The smartwatch is one such device with enormous promise. Smartwatches, initially offered as a convenient extension of our cellphones, are now recognized as essential aids in chronic disease prevention. Smart wearables provide numerous capabilities that help people to take control of their health and make good and timely decisions.

The ability of smartwatches to continuously monitor important health metrics is one of its main advantages. Smartwatches can identify anomalies or changes in health measurements and provide early warning indications of potential chronic illnesses by gathering and analyzing this data. Users can obtain insightful information on their general health, enabling them to take proactive measures to treat any new health problems before they worsen.

The delivery of personalized healthcare to those with illnesses like obesity, diabetes, and arthritis could be changed entirely by smartwatches. By utilizing smartwatches, a comprehensive evaluation of a patient’s well-being can be conducted, allowing for personalized care and attention.

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[innonurse]

Denmark: A significant healthtech hub

- By InnoNurse Staff -

According to data platform Dealroom, Danish healthtech firms raised a stunning $835 million in 2023, an 11% rise over the previous record set in 2021.

Read more at Tech.eu

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Other recent news and insights

A 'Smart glove' could improve the hand movement of stroke sufferers (The University of British Columbia)

Oxford Medical Simulation raises $12.6 million in Series A funding to address the significant healthcare training gap through virtual reality (Oxford Medical Simulation/PRNewswire)

PathKeeper's innovative camera and AI software for spinal surgery (PathKeeper/PRNewswire)

Ezdehar invests $10 million in Yodawy to acquire a minority stake in the Egyptian healthtech (Bendada.com)

[thebuildblog]

digital health's bust was always when

happened across digital health recently. while the category itself had a hard time defining itself and what it is to the rest of the world (including healthcare consumers), it has fumbled and stumbled along mostly on bridge financing by investors hoping that an exit could exist somewhere. it likely won't. it is a great lesson. 1. the industry was never going to take anything from healthcare. only healthcare industry can/will kill itself. spunky "unicorn" making an app won't cut it (that is why it did not). 2. how not to marry an audience/customer base to a new innovation/idea.

in reality, healthcare companies could always build these innovations and move customers to them. why would they, really? that's not how innovation works when you have millions to lose, even if it means gaining millions later. you instead try to milk the existing revenue as much as you can, keep it in tact as long as you can, and when you need to, move it along.

which is exactly what happened with digital health.

most founders and investors don't have the patience to navigate, disrupt and change highly regulated industries like this one. this largely in part because the tech/digital industry's roots are software, the kind of things companies installed on computers for productivity help, and so on. it's a big jump to take that scalable model that has little red tape and apply it to a big key player like healthcare with tons of obstacles.

not that it can't be done, just would take something few have. And, there are other ways to make money, and so on.

it doesn't mean that "digital health" won't exist. it means it already does, and unicorns/investors have not succeeded in the end. will it change? maybe. is it likely? no. no reason to participate in a place that is extra hard to make money when you can move onto other things.

this, of course, is what went on there. none of this is a surprise, anyone with any experience in tech, innovation, etc. would recognize this all along, and understood the play.

AI/genAI won't 'save' what was never a good idea/approach in the first place.

[pathetic-gamer]

set a screen timer for tumblr reddit and yt assuming I'd stop wasting so much time on my phone if I was locked out of them after a certain amount of time. so instead I spent the better part of yesterday afternoon scrolling through christies auctions of historical artifacts and looking up any cool lots on Wikipedia. learned about two new kinds of knives, spent exactly 0 fewer hours online.

[vaishnavi1112]

Revealing Facts: A Helpful Guide on HIV/AIDS

You can have HIV without having any symptoms. This is why it’s extremely important to get tested regularly, even if you don’t feel sick.  

According to WHO, the cases of HIV/AIDS have increased lately. HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a virus that attacks a specific type of cell in your body’s immune system, which helps the system in fighting off infections and diseases. If HIV progresses, it can lead to AIDS, a more severe condition where the immune system is badly damaged. HIV is transmitted through unprotected sexual intercourse, sharing needles, or from an infected mother to her baby during childbirth or breastfeeding. There are different symptoms at each stage of infection. Having these symptoms may suggest a person has HIV. If left untreated, HIV can lead tseo more serious health issues.  

Having accurate information is crucial to avoid any false assumptions related to HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS is surrounded by many myths and misunderstandings such as; it is spread through sneezing, coughing or sharing drinks. This is not true, the way it is transmitted is through specific bodily fluids such as blood, semen, vaginal fluids, and breast milk.  

In a world where misinformation about HIV/AIDS is prevalent, it's crucial to clear up these misunderstandings and ensure everyone knows the facts. Normalising getting tested is the first step in managing the virus and preventing the spread of false stigmas about HIV. Let's all do our part by sharing the correct information and supporting those dealing with HIV to create a world without judgement and false ideas about this virus. 

To know more about HIV/AIDS its symptoms, unknown facts, and risk factors, read the blog on Riomed's site.

[mythohumanism]

Scrolling the content stream. It’s pretty repetitive and basic and even boring right? Sure bits of intrigue and dopamine. But sometimes real world interactions are more compelling precisely because of the easy mundanity of other people, of the impenetrable weirdness of a person vs the entirely-too-accessible stream of content made to be easily digested mush. Does this make sense? I think it does. Sometimes the real comfort app is human beinms

[e-zestsolutions]

Improve client experiences and outcomes by leveraging the power of specialized healthcare software development services by e-Zest! We Develop Healthcare Solutions that Improve Patient Outcomes. We have experience in helping to build healthcare solutions especially suitable to cover your needs.

[learnindigitalfirst]

Digital world

The digital world is the availability and use of digital tools to communicate on the Internet, digital devices, smart devices and other technologies.

Today's world is a digital world. Everything is online. Customers look online for the products they need, they go online to get more information about almost anything, and they go online to talk to friends. Whenever a customer goes online, a business has the chance to connect with them.

Why is digital world important?

Even if you are in some other part of the world, digital technology allows you to connect with friends, family, and work remotely. You can communicate using words, audio, video, and other media. Software, Websites, and apps have all been developed to assist users in socializing

What is the future of digital world?

The future of Digital Transformation consists of some crucial aspects. The access to remote operations is expected to be enhanced. The concept of employee well being is expected to become an organizational priority. Digital twin computing capacity may enable predictive analytics

What are the issues of digital world?

In this section, you can find resources on how to tackle these issues in a positive way.

Authenticating Information. …

Cyberbullying. …

Cyber Security. …

Excessive Internet Use. …

Gambling. …

Online Hate. …

Online Ethics. …

Online Marketing. etc..

   Digital health 

                Digital technologies are now integral to daily life, and the world’s population has never been more interconnected. Innovation, particularly in the digital sphere, is happening at unprecedented scale. Even so, its application to improve the health of populations remains largely untapped, and there is immense scope for use of digital health solutions. WHO is harnessing the power of digital technologies and health innovation to accelerate global attainment of health and the well-being

Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020-2025

The purpose for a Global Strategy on Digital Health is to promote healthy lives and wellbeing for everyone, everywhere, at all ages. To deliver its potential, national or regional Digital Health initiatives must be guided by a robust Strategy that integrates financial, organizational, human and technological resources. key objectives                  WHO has three key objectives to promote the adoption and scale-up of digital health and innovation:

1. Translating latest data, research, and evidence into action: this means promoting standards for interoperability and data sharing and supporting implementation of digital solutions that contribute to informed decision making

.2. Enhancing knowledge through scientific communities of practice: enabled by new technologies and no longer limited by the need for physical meetings or hard copy peer review journals, WHO brings together top expert voices around topics of clinical and public health significance. 3. Systematically assessing and linking country needs with supply of innovations: all too often in global health, products are developed with the attitude of “if you build it, they will use it.” This approach has failed time and again. WHO takes a proactive, systematic approach to identify, promote, co-develop, and scale innovations that are based on country needs Global Strategy

      The WHO Global Strategy on Digital Health, adopted in 2020 by the World Health Assembly, presents a roadmap to link the latest developments in innovation and digital health, and put these tools to action in order to improve health outcomes. Part of WHO’s strategic vision is for digital health to be supportive of equitable and universal access to quality health services. Digital health can help make health systems more efficient and sustainable, enabling them to deliver good quality, affordable and equitable care.

These high ideals are challenging to attain, especially for low- and middle-income countries. The purpose of WHO’s Global Strategy on Digital Health is to support countries in strengthening their health systems through the application of digital health technologies and achieve the vision of health for all. The strategy is designed to be fit for purpose and for use by all Member States, including those with limited access to digital technologies, goods and services.   

Is digital world good?  

It can bring future opportunities for work and career. But on the bad side, it can also bring great harm and stress – especially for a child who does not know how to use the internet thoughtfully.        

[yeehawpim]

keep going

[cbirt]

AI-Powered Dementia Detection: A Digital Solution for Identifying Undiagnosed Cases

Scientists from the Regenstrief Institute, IUPUI, Indiana University, and the University of Miami are using Artificial Intelligence to identify undiagnosed cases of dementia in primary care settings as part of the Digital Detection of Dementia (D3) study. The study aimed to improve the timely diagnosis of dementia and provide diagnostic services to those who have been identified as cognitively impaired.

Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia (ADRD) impact millions of Americans and their caregivers, with an annual societal cost of over $200 million. Unfortunately, many people with ADRD go undiagnosed, and even when a diagnosis is made, it often comes 2 to 5 years after the onset of symptoms, when the disease is already in the mild to moderate stage. This delay in diagnosis reduces the chances of improving outcomes through drug and non-drug treatments and prolongs the expense of medical care. Also, delayed detection results in increased disabilities for patients, families, and society, and traditional methods such as cognitive screening tests and biological markers often fail to detect ADRD in primary care.

The researchers developed an AI tool called a Passive Digital Marker, which uses a machine learning algorithm and natural language processing to analyze a patient’s electronic health record. The tool combines structured data, such as notes about memory problems or vascular issues, with unstructured information to identify potential indicators of dementia.

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[innonurse]

Innovative MRI technique 'lights up' pancreatic cancer

- By InnoNurse Staff -

Pancreatic cancer is challenging to detect early because the pancreas is deep in the abdomen, making tumors difficult to identify until it's often too late for treatment. Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel have developed a new MRI technique that could make these tumors more visible by tracking how cells metabolize glucose.

This method builds on Otto Warburg's discovery that cancer cells consume a large amount of glucose and convert it to lactate.

The new technique uses glucose tagged with deuterium, a stable isotope of hydrogen, which is injected into the bloodstream. This allows MRI scans to detect the deuterium-labeled lactate produced by cancer cells, which conventional MRI cannot do due to the overwhelming signal from water in tissues.

The researchers found that this deuterium MRI method could detect even small tumors in rodent models of aggressive pancreatic cancer, offering more sensitivity than traditional MRI and PET scans. The approach could potentially allow for earlier detection and better monitoring of pancreatic cancer, though further clinical studies are needed to confirm its efficacy in humans. The study was led by Prof. Lucio Frydman and Dr. Elton T. Montrazi, along with collaborators at the Weizmann Institute.

Image: A standard MRI scan (left) did not detect a pancreatic tumor, whereas the tumor was distinctly highlighted in an MRI performed after injecting chemically modified glucose (right). Credit: Weizmann Institute of Science.

Read more at Weizmann Institute of Science

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Other recent news and insights

eHealth Ventures initiates an accelerated pre-Seed investment program for health tech companies (CTECH)

Neurology: Netherlands-based Vico Therapeutics secures €11.5M (Silicon Canals)

German startup CUREosity secures €3.8M to enhance VR therapy for rehabilitation (Silicon Canals)

[aaravkadam]

Digital Health and Sports Nutrition: Revolutionizing Athletic Performance

In recent years, digital health and sports nutrition market have increasingly intersected, paving the way for more personalized and effective approaches to enhancing athletic performance. As technology continues to advance, athletes, coaches, and nutritionists are leveraging digital tools to optimize training regimens, track dietary intake, and achieve peak performance. This article explores the impact of digital health on sports nutrition, examining how technology is transforming the way athletes approach their diets and overall health.

The Role of Digital Health in Sports Nutrition

Personalized Nutrition Plans

One of the most significant advancements in digital health is the ability to create highly personalized nutrition plans. Wearable devices and mobile applications can track various metrics such as activity levels, heart rate, sleep patterns, and more. By analyzing this data, these tools can provide tailored nutritional recommendations that align with an athlete’s specific needs and goals.

For example, a runner might use a fitness tracker to monitor their calorie expenditure and hydration levels. Based on this data, a nutrition app can suggest adjustments to their diet to ensure they’re getting the right balance of macronutrients and micronutrients to support endurance and recovery.

Real-Time Monitoring and Feedback

Wearable technology has revolutionized the way athletes receive feedback on their performance and nutrition. Devices like smartwatches and fitness trackers can offer real-time insights into an athlete’s physiological responses during training sessions. This instant feedback allows athletes to make on-the-fly adjustments to their nutrition and hydration strategies, optimizing their performance and recovery.

For instance, if an athlete’s tracker indicates that they are becoming dehydrated, they can immediately address this by increasing their fluid intake. Similarly, data on muscle recovery can inform dietary adjustments to ensure adequate protein intake for muscle repair.

Advanced Data Analytics

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning in digital health platforms has brought about sophisticated data analytics capabilities. These technologies can process vast amounts of data from various sources, including dietary logs, performance metrics, and biometric information, to provide comprehensive insights into an athlete’s health and nutritional needs.

AI-driven tools can identify patterns and correlations that may not be apparent through manual analysis. For example, an AI system might detect that a particular type of diet correlates with improved performance metrics for a specific sport, leading to more informed dietary recommendations.

Enhanced Communication and Education

Digital health platforms also facilitate better communication between athletes, coaches, and nutritionists. Mobile apps and online platforms allow for seamless sharing of data and insights, fostering a collaborative approach to nutrition planning and performance optimization.

Additionally, digital health tools often come with educational resources that help athletes understand the science behind their nutrition. This knowledge empowers them to make informed choices and adhere to their nutrition plans more effectively.

Remote Monitoring and Support

Telehealth and virtual consultations have become increasingly common in sports nutrition. Athletes can now access expert advice from anywhere in the world, allowing for continuous support without the need for in-person meetings. This is particularly beneficial for athletes who may not have access to specialized nutritionists in their local area.

Remote monitoring tools also enable nutritionists to track an athlete’s progress and make adjustments to their nutrition plan as needed. This ongoing support ensures that athletes stay on track with their goals and can address any challenges promptly.

Challenges and Considerations

While the integration of digital health and sports nutrition offers numerous benefits, it is essential to acknowledge and address potential challenges:

Data Privacy and Security

The collection and storage of personal health data raise concerns about privacy and security. Athletes and nutritionists must ensure that digital health platforms adhere to strict data protection standards to safeguard sensitive information.

Data Accuracy and Reliability

The accuracy of data collected by wearable devices and digital health apps can vary. It is crucial to validate the reliability of these tools and cross-check data with other sources to ensure accurate nutrition and performance assessments.

Over-Reliance on Technology

While digital tools provide valuable insights, athletes need to balance technology with other aspects of their training and nutrition. Relying solely on digital data without considering personal experiences and expert advice may lead to suboptimal results.

[techdriveplay]

What Are the Latest Breakthroughs in Wearable Tech?

In 2024, the world of wearable technology is evolving faster than ever. With advancements spanning health, fitness, productivity, and even entertainment, wearable tech has become an integral part of daily life. But what are the latest breakthroughs in wearable tech, and how are they shaping the future? From AI-driven health monitors to augmented reality (AR) devices, new innovations are pushing…