medical technology Archives - InnoHEALTH magazine

Diagnostics at the Frontline of Modern Healthcare: From Disease Detection to Prevention

Dr. Shelly Mahajan — Wed, 20 May 2026 06:30:00 +0000

Dr. Shelly Mahajan

In an era where healthcare is rapidly transforming, diagnostics has emerged as far more than a supporting function it has become the foundation of modern medicine. This central theme unfolded in a recent episode of the InnoHealth Magazine Podcast, where host Dr. Soumya Singh engaged in a deep, nuanced conversation with Dr. Shelly Mahajan, Lab Director & Clinical Head – Genomics at Mahajan Imaging & Labs.

The discussion moved beyond innovation buzzwords to examine the real-world impact of genomics, artificial intelligence, standardization, ethics, and most importantly patient trust.

Diagnostics Moves From the Background to the Frontline

For decades, diagnostics functioned quietly in the background of healthcare. Patients rarely interacted with diagnosticians, and lab reports were often viewed as secondary confirmations of a clinician’s judgment. According to Dr. Mahajan, that perception has fundamentally changed.

“Diagnostics is no longer about confirming illness. It is about predicting disease, preventing it, and managing a person’s entire health journey.”

This shift reflects a broader transformation in healthcare itself. Preventive screenings, wellness monitoring, and early risk assessment now rely heavily on diagnostics. Individuals today engage with testing not only when they are sick, but also when they want to stay healthy making diagnostics a part of everyday life rather than episodic care.

Molecular Diagnostics and the Democratization of Precision

One of the most powerful drivers of this change has been molecular diagnostics. What was once considered niche or highly specialized is now increasingly accessible to routine patients. Dr. Mahajan highlighted how PCR and genomic testing have become household terms, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Today, we can predict susceptibility to disease by testing DNA from a simple blood or saliva sample and that has completely changed how early we can intervene.”

Molecular diagnostics has revolutionized disease detection across oncology, infectious diseases, and autoimmune disorders. The ability to diagnose earlier, predict risk, and tailor treatment plans has pushed healthcare closer to the ideal of personalized medicine—where therapy is shaped around the individual rather than the average patient.

Artificial Intelligence: Acceleration With Accountability

Artificial intelligence has emerged as a powerful force within diagnostics, improving efficiency, speed, and accuracy in radiology and pathology. AI-powered tools can now screen pathology slides, assist radiologists in detecting early cancers, and reduce diagnostic delays—particularly in regions with limited access to specialists.

However, Dr. Mahajan was unequivocal in her caution: AI is a tool, not a decision-maker.

“AI can screen faster and reduce errors, but it cannot replace clinical judgment. Without human oversight, even the smartest algorithm can misdiagnose.”

She emphasized that AI systems are only as good as the data on which they are trained. A lack of diversity or quality in training datasets can introduce bias, leading to skewed results that directly impact patient care. Continuous validation, transparency, and regulatory oversight are therefore critical to safe AI adoption.

Standardization: The Backbone of Credibility

One of the most pressing concerns raised in the conversation was the lack of uniformity across diagnostic laboratories. Variations in reference ranges, methodologies, and reporting standards often leave patients confused and clinicians uncertain.

Dr. Mahajan stressed that accreditation, adherence to international quality standards, regular audits, calibrated equipment, and continuous staff training are not optional—they are fundamental. Without standardization, diagnostics risks becoming volume-driven rather than value-driven, leading to over-testing, patient anxiety, and unnecessary healthcare costs.

Over-Testing and the Need for Value-Based Diagnostics

While access to diagnostics has improved, it has also created a paradox: more testing does not always mean better care. Over-testing can result in false positives, misdiagnosis, and emotional distress for patients.

Dr. Mahajan advocated for stronger collaboration between clinicians and diagnosticians, evidence-based testing protocols, and better patient education. The goal, she explained, is smarter diagnostics, not more diagnostics.

“We need to move away from volume-based diagnosis and focus on tests that actually add value to a patient’s treatment journey.”

Transparency, Ethics, and Rebuilding Patient Trust

Addressing recent controversies around lab practices and data integrity, Dr. Mahajan underscored that trust is fragile—and once lost, difficult to rebuild. Transparency, she argued, is the most powerful tool laboratories have.

She noted a positive cultural shift: patients now actively want to speak with diagnosticians, discuss reports, and understand their health data. This growing engagement reflects a new era where patients expect not just accuracy, but accountability and empathy.

The Road Ahead: Technology With a Human Core

Looking forward, Dr. Mahajan expressed optimism about emerging breakthroughs such as multi-omics diagnostics, AI-assisted tools for rural healthcare, and continuous monitoring through wearables. These innovations promise earlier detection, ultra-personalized treatment, and improved access.

Yet the podcast made one truth abundantly clear: technology alone cannot define the future of diagnostics.

The future will belong to systems that combine scientific excellence, ethical practice, rigorous quality standards, and human judgment—where every report carries not just data, but responsibility.

As this episode of the InnoHealth Magazine Podcast demonstrates, diagnostics is no longer just about tests. It is about trust, transparency, and putting patients at the heart of innovation.

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Book Review: Reimagining Health -Inspiring Stories of Innovators

Khushi Khandelwal — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 10:40:25 +0000

By Sonali Sundari Shivhare and Anurag Prabhakar Mairal

A Serendipitous Introduction

While visiting the Bay Area, I reached out to my classmate Saurabh Gupta, a professor of biomedical engineering, who suggested I meet Professor Anurag Mairal. During my visit to his lab, we were joined by a young medical student who had recently dropped out of his program. Professor Mairal invited me to participate in a coaching conversation he was having with this student about healthcare in general.

Our discussion touched on a fundamental critique of modern medicine—that our current system operates as “sick care” rather than true healthcare. While I had encountered this concept before, our conversation highlighted how difficult it is to overcome the inertia of existing systems and transition toward genuine preventive care.

We also explored a particularly striking insight about healthcare economics in developed nations: as populations live longer, healthcare costs rise exponentially. I positioned this as a “Malthusian Trap” (borrowing from Paul Lillrank’s work), where health systems cannot simultaneously control costs and pursue longer lifespans for their populations. The Finnish healthcare system exemplifies this challenge—only 5% of an individual’s lifetime healthcare expenses occur before age 65, with the bulk concentrated in their final years.

Following our discussion, Professor Mairal graciously presented me with his book, inscribed with the thoughtful note that “we should reimagine healthcare together.”

The Book: A Chronicle of Healthcare Innovation

Reimagining Health: Inspiring Stories of Innovators serves as a compelling chronicle of the struggles, setbacks, and ultimate successes of individuals who create solutions for problems they deeply care about. Each story is both touching and meaningful, offering unique insights into the innovation process.

Mairal’s perspective as an integral part of Stanford’s biodesign ecosystem provides him with a valuable vantage point. Being immersed in an environment of driven individuals and enabling resources gives the author firsthand understanding of how innovation can become an everyday pursuit, while also revealing the inevitable hurdles and challenges that accompany it. Similar to Mairal, the co-author, Sonali also comes from an ecosystem of health systems. Hence, both are present to the whole lifecycle of technology led innovations in healthcare.

The Power of Purpose-Driven Innovation

A central theme emerges throughout the book: most successful innovators experience some trigger or defining moment that sets them on their problem-solving journey. The book clearly articulates to readers that “if you deeply care about a problem, you can overcome the hurdles and make an impact.”

We need more such books to inspire people to take the leap into innovation. As authors notes toward the end, some of the fish who make the jump transform into mighty dragons, (reference to a mythological story) —a beautiful metaphor for the potential that lies within purpose-driven individuals.

Looking Forward: Prevention vs. Treatment

While the authors acknowledge alternative medicine and preventive health as crucial future directions, many of the technological interventions profiled still focus primarily on treating illness rather than preventing it. I hope (authors) they will consider a future edition that profiles individuals who approach healthcare specifically through the lens of disease prevention.

Recommendation

I highly recommend this book for anyone seeking inspiration and courage to solve problems they deeply care about. It demonstrates that meaningful innovation often begins with personal passion and perseverance. A Delightful Coincidence.

As a postscript, I must share a remarkable coincidence: while reading this book in the Delhi Airport lounge (traveling from Norway to Bengaluru), I reached page 35, which mentioned Professor Balram Bhargava. Looking up, I realized Professor Bhargava was sitting directly infront of me in the lounge! It was a pleasure to bring the book and his mention in it to his attention. Sometimes the world feels remarkably small, or perhaps what we read influences what we notice around us.

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Nature-Inspired Healthcare: How Biomimicry is Transforming Medicine

Khushi Khandelwal — Thu, 29 May 2025 10:30:00 +0000

Dr. Soumya Singh

Biomimicry in healthcare is more than just copying nature; it’s about learning from how living organisms solve problems and applying these principles to create innovative medical solutions. The results are smarter, more efficient, and sometimes awe-inspiring technologies.

What is Biomimicry in Healthcare?

Biomimicry in healthcare involves turning nature’s designs into tools, treatments, or devices that improve human health. It’s like learning from billions of years of evolution to solve modern medical challenges. From surgical adhesives inspired by gecko feet to drug delivery systems that mimic viruses, nature is now an unlikely mentor to medicine.

Nature-Inspired Healthcare Innovations

Smarter Drug Delivery Viruses are masters of entering cells. Researchers have mimicked their structure to create nanoparticles that deliver medications like chemotherapy directly to cancer cells. Bee venom is another surprising inspiration, with its ability to deliver drugs to tumors while minimizing damage to healthy tissue.	Clever Diagnostics Butterfly wings, with their light-responsive colors, have inspired sensors that detect disease markers in blood or saliva. Spider silk, known for its strength and sensitivity, is being used to create ultra-thin threads for monitoring wounds or vital signs.
Swarm Robotics Inspired by the coordinated movement of bees and fish, tiny robots are now used in surgeries, working together to perform delicate tasks inside the body.	Heart Valve Designs Engineers have studied jellyfish’s rhythmic movement to create artificial heart valves that mimic natural blood flow, reducing clotting and wear. Lotus leaves, known for their water-repellent properties, have inspired coatings for stents that resist bacterial growth and clotting.
Artery Cleaning Techniques Ant colonies’ efficient movements have inspired robotic catheters that can precisely navigate arteries to remove blockages.	Blood Flow Monitoring The structure of whale fins, which improve circulation while swimming, has influenced blood flow monitors for patients with circulatory disorders.
Tooth Repair and Enamel Regeneration Mussels produce a strong adhesive to cling to rocks, and this principle is being applied in dental cements to repair cavities. Sea snail shells inspire materials to regenerate dental enamel, providing less invasive alternatives to traditional fillings.	Antibacterial Surfaces Sharkskin patterns, which naturally resist bacterial growth, are being used to create dental tools and implants that reduce infection risk.
Bone Grafts Inspired by Coral Coral’s porous structure, which closely resembles human bone, is being used to develop scaffolds for bone grafts, promoting natural bone regeneration.	Flexible Prosthetics Inspired by octopus arms, prosthetics are being developed with greater flexibility and adaptability for amputees.
Shock Absorbing Implants Woodpeckers’ shock-absorbing skulls are guiding the design of orthopedic implants that are more durable and resistant to stress.	Contact Lenses Inspired by Fish Eyes Fish with adaptive eyes that adjust to murky waters have inspired contact lenses that adapt to changing light conditions, enhancing vision clarity.
Glaucoma Sensors Inspired by Spider Webs The sensitivity of spider webs to vibrations has led to the development of ultra-thin sensors that monitor intraocular pressure in glaucoma patients.	Skin and Eye Surgery Innovations Chameleons’ independent eye movement has inspired robotic systems for precise eye surgeries, while sharkskin textures and lizard tail regeneration have influenced skin grafts and scar-free healing techniques.
Brain Implants and Memory Devices Electric eels’ electrical discharges have inspired brain implants for conditions like epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease. Meanwhile, bees’ memory storage capabilities are influencing neuroprosthetics to aid memory loss.	Surgical Adhesives Inspired by geckos and mussels, these adhesives form strong bonds without damaging tissues, ideal for internal surgeries and sealing surgical wounds.

Minimally Invasive Tools Inspired by Snakes
Snake-like flexibility is inspiring the design of surgical tools that can navigate tight spaces during minimally invasive procedures.

What’s Next for Biomimicry in Healthcare?

The future of biomimicry in healthcare is promising. Imagine self-healing materials for implants, or treatments that help humans regenerate tissues like salamanders. Regenerative medicine is already on the horizon, inspired by creatures with natural repair abilities.

Biomimicry is also paving the way for smarter diagnostic tools. Wearable devices, inspired by plants sensing their environment, could offer real-time health updates with minimal effort.

Why It Matters

Biomimicry isn’t just about creating fancy gadgets—it’s about building efficient, sustainable solutions that are often simpler than traditional methods. By learning from nature, we can improve healthcare while respecting the natural world, which continues to inspire innovation.

Author Biography

Dr. Soumya Singh, Head of Partnerships at InnovatioCuris, is a healthcare expert with a postgraduate degree in Health and Hospital Management and a background in dentistry. Her articles provide valuable insights into healthcare administration and innovation.

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The Future of Rehabilitation: Leveraging Digital Health Solutions

Khushi Khandelwal — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 10:30:00 +0000

Rahul Rajeev

The Future of Rehabilitation: Leveraging Digital Health Solutions

Traditionally, physiotherapy and rehabilitation have relied on hands-on techniques to enhance patient movement, mobility, and functioning. However, the rehabilitation landscape is evolving with the rise of digital health solutions. This article explores the benefits of integrating digital technologies into rehabilitation processes, addressing implementation challenges, and highlighting solutions.

Benefits of Digital Rehabilitation

Digital health solutions offer numerous benefits, including:

1. Improved care accessibility: Digital networking enhances care for rural, chronically ill, and elderly populations.

2. Remote patient monitoring: Modern technology enables remote tracking, fostering patient engagement, communication, and virtual healthcare access.

3. Personalized rehabilitation: Real-time monitoring via digital platforms or wearable devices optimizes rehabilitation through tailored instructions and regimen adjustments.

RTM Remote Patient Monitoring: Revolutionizing Healthcare Delivery

Modern technology has enabled remote patient monitoring (RPM), allowing healthcare providers to track patients’ health beyond traditional clinical settings. RPM offers numerous benefits.

Benefits of Remote Patient Monitoring:

1. Improved Patient Engagement: Enhanced communication and virtual healthcare access.
2. Early Detection and Intervention: Timely identification of potential issues, reducing complications and improving outcomes.
3. Personalized Care: Tailored instructions and regimen adjustments based on real-time monitoring.
4. Increased Access to Specialized Care: Eliminating geographical barriers and improving healthcare services in underserved communities.

Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM) in Rehabilitation:

RTM employs digital platforms or wearable devices to monitor patients’ progress in physical, occupational, and speech therapies. This enables healthcare providers to:

1. Optimize Rehabilitation Regimens: Based on real-time data, therapists can adjust treatment plans to enhance patient outcomes.
2. Enhance Patient Engagement: Regular therapy participation and accessible treatment options.
3. Detect Issues Early: Prompt interventions and therapy modifications.

Benefits of Remote Patient Monitoring in Healthcare:

1. Improved Patient Outcomes: Early detection, timely interventions, and personalized care.
2. Reduced Hospitalizations and Readmissions: Proactive approach and effective resource allocation.
3. Increased Access to Specialized Care: Eliminating geographical barriers and improving healthcare services.
4. Long-Term Cost Savings: Efficient resource allocation and reduced hospitalizations.

Personalized Treatment Plans: Revolutionizing Rehabilitation

When patients feel understood and empowered, they’re more likely to take an active role in their recovery. Personalized treatment plans, enabled by care management systems, put patients at the forefront of their healthcare journey.

Benefits of Personalized Treatment Plans in Rehabilitation:

1. Tailored Care: Plans are customized to individual health conditions, preferences, and goals.

2. Improved Outcomes: Considering medical history, genetics, and lifestyle leads to more efficient therapy and better results.

3. Patient Engagement: Personalization encourages active participation, improving adherence and motivation.

4. Efficient Resource Allocation: Focusing on individual needs reduces unnecessary interventions and optimizes resource use.

5. Prevention and Early Action: Tailored strategies include preventive measures, enabling early detection and mitigation of potential health risks.

By embracing personalized treatment plans, rehabilitation professionals can foster a collaborative partnership with patients, leading to enhanced health outcomes and improved quality of life.

Proactive Rehabilitation: Leveraging Data-Driven Insights for Better Outcomes

Care management technologies can analyze patient data to identify early warning signs of potential health issues. By detecting these signs, healthcare providers can intervene promptly, preventing unnecessary complications and reducing the need for emergency interventions and hospitalizations.

Key Benefits of Data-Driven Insights in Digital Rehabilitation: _

1. Personalized Treatment: Data-driven insights enable tailored rehabilitation therapies based on individual progress and needs.

2. Objective Progress Tracking: Real-time data facilitates accurate monitoring of patient performance, ensuring reliable assessments of rehabilitation outcomes.

3. Adaptive Interventions: Insights empower therapists to adjust rehabilitation regimens, maximizing effectiveness and optimizing patient care.

4. Enhanced Patient Engagement: Patients receive personalized, data-driven feedback, fostering active participation and adherence to rehabilitation plans.

By harnessing the power of data-driven insights, healthcare providers can create more effective, patient-centered rehabilitation programs that drive better outcomes and improve overall quality of life.

Key Digital Technologies in Physiotherapy

Research highlights the potential of digital physiotherapy in alleviating pain, improving mental health, and reducing surgical procedures. Additional benefits include improved sleep patterns, reduced healthcare expenditures, and increased productivity.

Digital Technologies in Rehabilitation

1. Telemedicine: Virtual healthcare services enable patients to access care remotely, improving accessibility and patient success rates.

2. Wearable Technology: Wearable gadgets facilitate remote care planning and real-time patient data collection, enhancing physiotherapy outcomes.

3. Online Appointments: Digital doctors and mobile rehab tech enable long-distance care and improve patient engagement.

4. Telerehabilitation: Virtual rehabilitation programs provide personalized care, increase patient engagement, and ensure adherence to treatment plans.

Benefits of Digital Physiotherapy

1. Improved accessibility and patient engagement

2. Enhanced customization and personalization of care

3. Increased patient success rates and adherence to treatment plans

4. Reduced healthcare expenditures and improved productivity

The integration of digital technologies in physiotherapy has transformed the rehabilitation landscape, offering innovative solutions for improved patient outcomes.

RPM and EHR systems for rehabilitation

Doctors can use RPM systems to keep tabs on their patients’ vitals from afar, improving response times and allowing for more personalized care. By consolidating patients’ medical records into one place, electronic health records (EHR) systems make it easier to manage data and make educated decisions.

With mobile health applications like ‘mHealth’, patients now have access to a wealth of healthcare services, including symptom monitors, medication reminders, appointment scheduling, health education materials, and the ability to have teleconsultations. These apps promote improved communication with healthcare practitioners, increase treatment adherence, and encourage active engagement in healthcare management.

Lastly, remote healthcare creatively answers problems, including limited specialist availability, fragmented treatment, and geographical obstacles. Nowadays, physicians can provide top-notch treatment regardless of location because of the use of digital technology in healthcare, such as virtual consultation platforms, remote patient monitoring systems, electronic health records systems, and mobile health applications.

Virtual Reality in Rehabilitation: A Game-Changer

Virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) therapy is transforming physical therapy, offering a promising alternative to traditional methods. The VR market in physiotherapy and healthcare is projected to grow significantly, with a CAGR of over 27% between 2024 and 2029.

Benefits of Virtual Reality in Rehabilitation:

1. _Enhanced Patient Engagement_: VR therapy increases patient motivation and adherence to treatment plans.

2. _Customizable Environments_: VR provides immersive, personalized experiences, simulating real-life scenarios and promoting cognitive rehabilitation.

3. _Safe Practices_: VR therapy ensures a safe and controlled environment for patients to practice and recover.

4. _Real-Time Feedback_: VR technology offers instant feedback, enabling patients to adjust their movements and techniques accordingly.

5. _Improved Health Outcomes_: VR rehabilitation has been shown to reduce pain, improve memory and vision, and enhance overall health in cancer patients.

Applications of Virtual Reality in Rehabilitation:

1. _Stroke Therapy_: VR therapy helps stroke survivors regain motor skills and confidence.

2. _Cancer Rehabilitation_: VR rehabilitation reduces symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and depression in chemotherapy patients.

3. _Physical Therapy_: VR therapy enhances patient engagement, motivation, and adherence to treatment plans.

In conclusion, virtual reality has the potential to revolutionize rehabilitation, offering a more engaging, effective, and personalized approach to physical therapy.

Wearable Technology in Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation

Wearable technology has revolutionized the way patients track their vitals and fitness levels. With wearable gear, patients can monitor their health metrics and share this data with healthcare providers and insurers. Examples of wearable technology include fitness trackers, blood pressure monitors, and biosensors.

Benefits of Wearable Technology in Healthcare:

1. Improved Compliance: Wearable devices encourage patients to take an active role in their health management.

2. Remote Monitoring: Healthcare providers can track patients’ health metrics remotely, enabling prompt interventions.

3. Objective Data Collection: Wearable devices provide accurate and reliable health data.

4. Real-Time Physician Intervention: Healthcare providers can respond promptly to changes in patients’ health metrics.

5. Increased Patient Independence: Wearable technology empowers patients to take control of their health.

Applications of Wearable Technology in Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation:

1. Physical Therapy: Wearable devices track patients’ progress, enabling personalized treatment plans.

2. Rehabilitation: Wearable technology facilitates remote monitoring, improving patient outcomes and reducing hospital readmissions.

3. Injury Prevention: Wearable devices detect early warning signs of injury, enabling prompt interventions.

By leveraging wearable technology, healthcare providers can deliver more effective, personalized, and patient-centered care.

Skin Sleeves: A Breakthrough in Rehabilitation Technology

Skin sleeves are innovative, wearable devices that track biometric data, enabling physiotherapists to monitor patients’ progress remotely. These devices play a crucial role in ensuring patients adhere to their treatment plans, facilitating optimal rehabilitation outcomes.

Benefits of Skin Sleeves:

1. Pain Management: Skin sleeves increase circulation, reduce swelling, and provide stability, alleviating pain and discomfort.

2. Improved Mobility: By providing warmth and light pressure, skin sleeves enhance mobility and accelerate recovery.

3. Motor Learning and Rehabilitation: Skin sleeves serve as visual cues, guiding patients to move and align their joints correctly, and facilitating motor learning and rehabilitation.

By harnessing the potential of skin sleeves, physiotherapists can create personalized treatment plans, enhance patient engagement, and optimize rehabilitation outcomes.

Smartwatches and Fitness Trackers in Physical Therapy

The integration of smartwatches and fitness trackers has transformed physical therapy, providing a valuable tool for tracking patient progress and adjusting treatment plans.

Applications in Physical Therapy:

1. Monitoring Vital Signs: Smartwatches and fitness trackers enable patients to track their heart rate, meals, and steps.

2. Tracking Progress: These wearable devices help physical therapists monitor patient progress and adjust treatment plans accordingly.

3. Range of Motion Analysis: Sensors from smartwatches and fitness trackers can be connected to physical therapy equipment, allowing therapists to analyze range of motion and make adjustments.

By incorporating smartwatches and fitness trackers into physical therapy, healthcare providers can deliver more personalized, effective, and data-driven care.

Sensor Technology: Revolutionizing Physical Therapy

Sensor technology has emerged as a groundbreaking advancement in physical therapy, enabling therapists to collect precise biometric data and optimize treatment outcomes. These small, discreet devices can be strategically placed in high-impact areas to gather valuable insights.

Innovative Applications of Sensor Technology:

1. Foot Contact Assessment: Sensors can be inserted into a patient’s sock to evaluate foot contact and movement patterns.

2. Wearable Sensors: Sensors can be embedded in clothing to collect data on patient movement and activity, informing rehabilitation strategies.

By leveraging sensor technology, physical therapists can:

1. Enhance Data-Driven Decision Making

2. Improve Treatment Outcomes

3. Optimize Rehabilitation Processes

Sensor technology has the potential to transform physical therapy, enabling more precise, effective, and personalized care.

Fall Detection Devices: Enhancing Senior Safety

Falls are a significant concern for seniors, posing a high risk of injury or serious harm. Fall detection devices are designed to address this issue, ensuring timely interventions and minimizing potential damage.

Key Benefits of Fall Detection Devices:

1. Improved Reaction Time: Automated alerts notify authorized personnel instantly, facilitating prompt responses.

2. Preventive Measures: Advanced healthcare technology analyzes medical data, identifying potential health issues that may lead to falls.

3. Enhanced Senior Safety: Fall detection devices provide an added layer of protection, offering seniors and their caregivers peace of mind.

By leveraging fall detection devices, healthcare providers can significantly reduce the risk of falls among seniors, promoting safer, more independent living.

Challenges in Implementing Digital Solutions in Rehabilitation

Digital transformation is crucial in upgrading healthcare systems, aiming to replace outdated solutions with current ones. However, transitioning to advanced technologies poses challenges for hospitals, medical organizations, and patients.

Key Challenges:

1. Shortage of IT Specialists: The lack of IT expertise hinders digital transformation in healthcare, increasing the risk of data breaches and poor process optimization.

2. Data Protection and Safety Regulations: Complying with data privacy standards like HIPAA and GDPR poses significant challenges, particularly when sharing data across multiple systems.

3. Outdated Legacy Systems: Old systems pose major security and integration risks, with 60% of medical devices reaching the end of their life cycle.

4. Integrating New Solutions: Incorporating new technologies into existing health systems can be challenging, requiring careful planning and testing to ensure compatibility.

To overcome these challenges, healthcare organizations can:

1. Collaborate with outsourcing companies to access a global pool of tech talent.

2. Partner with companies specializing in HIPAA-compliant software solutions.

3. Develop detailed upgrade plans, including testing systems for compatibility.

By addressing these challenges, healthcare providers can ensure a seamless digital transformation, improving patient care quality and efficiency.

Case Studies: Successful Implementations of Digital Platforms in Rehabilitation

Several studies demonstrate the effectiveness of digital platforms in rehabilitation. Here are two examples:

Case Study 1: Home-Based Education and Exercise Platform for Total Knee Arthroplasty Patients

A 2023 study published in the Journal of Personalized Medicine investigated the effectiveness of a digital rehabilitation program for patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty. The program used a personalized and adaptive app, with a physiotherapist overseeing the program through encrypted chat messages.

Results:

– Average adherence to the digital program was 77%

– Low complication rates and high patient engagement

– Significant improvements in patient-reported outcomes

Conclusion: Digital rehabilitation can enhance patient outcomes, decrease healthcare costs, and facilitate communication between patients and doctors.

Case Study 2: Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rehabilitation with a Wearable Digital Device

A 2023 study published in the Journal of Personalized Medicine investigated the effectiveness of a wearable digital device (DMD) in objectively measuring knee joint function during rehabilitation following anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Results:

– Substantial correlations between DMD outcomes and patient-reported measures

– The DMD provided objective data, with a one-leg vertical leap and side hop being excellent indications of functional knee recovery

Conclusion: Incorporating wearable digital devices into clinical practice and research can improve the success of rehabilitation programs.

Final Thoughts: Embracing Digital Transformation in Rehabilitation

Digital transformation revolutionizes patient care, enabling healthcare providers to adapt to the evolving healthcare landscape. Emerging technologies such as telehealth, virtual reality, and wearable devices are transforming rehabilitation methods, overcoming geographical barriers and providing immersive therapeutic experiences.

Key Takeaways:

1. Telehealth: Enhances accessibility and adherence to treatment programs.

2. Virtual Reality: Offers immersive therapeutic experiences, improving patient engagement and outcomes.

3. Wearables: Provide real-time movement tracking, enabling personalized rehabilitation plans.

4. Smartwatches, Skin Sleeves, and Fall Detection Technologies: Enhance physical therapy outcomes, improve patient safety, and reduce healthcare costs.

By embracing digital transformation, healthcare providers can deliver more effective, personalized, and patient-centered care, ultimately improving rehabilitation outcomes and enhancing the overall patient experience.

Authors Biography

Rahul Rajeev is the Director and Chief Physiotherapist at Anchor Physiotherapy & Sports Fitness Studio. With a focus on sports injury prevention, he brings extensive expertise to athlete care.

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Innovating Healthcare: Sustainable Solutions and Global Insights for a Better Future

Khushi Khandelwal — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 10:30:00 +0000

Healthcare is an ever-evolving field, constantly shaped by technological advancements, innovative approaches, and sustainability measures. At InnoHealth 2024, Major General Dr. Jagtar Singh (recipient of the Vishisht Seva Medal) shared valuable insights on the progress, challenges, and opportunities in the healthcare sector. In a conversation with Anjali, host of the InnoHealth Magazine podcast, he provided a detailed perspective on sustainability, innovations, and international best practices that can be adapted in India.

Sustainability in Healthcare: Challenges and Progress

When asked about sustainability in healthcare, Dr. Singh acknowledged the significant strides made but emphasized that there is still much work to be done. He pointed out that sustainability varies depending on the context—what works in a metropolitan setting differs from what is required in resource-constrained environments, such as those encountered in the armed forces. Both scenarios present distinct challenges, yet progress has been made in both civilian and military healthcare systems.

Innovations in Healthcare: A Dual Perspective

Dr. Jagtar categorized healthcare innovations into two broad areas:

Hospital- and Administration-Facing Innovations – These focus on improving operational efficiency, enhancing clinical accuracy, and streamlining administrative workflows.
Patient-Facing Innovations – These address challenges patients face daily, such as appointment scheduling, medication guidance, follow-ups, and discharge procedures.

While significant progress has been made in clinical and administrative innovations, he stressed the need to focus on patient-centered innovations. The core question, he noted, is whether the healthcare system is genuinely addressing patients’ everyday challenges and making the healthcare journey more accessible and efficient.

International Healthcare Innovations: Lessons for India

Drawing from his experience on a study mission to the United States, he shared key takeaways from visiting award-winning hospitals recognized for healthcare excellence. One common theme among these institutions was their unwavering focus on streamlining healthcare delivery through well-defined processes.

A notable example was MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas, where patient care for women with cancer was meticulously structured. Everything from specialist consultations to diagnostic services and allied medical support was centralized on a single floor, ensuring seamless healthcare delivery. This level of organization, he suggested, is something India must work toward—shifting the focus from fragmented structures to optimized processes that enhance the patient experience.

The Need for Process-Oriented Healthcare

Dr. Jagtar referenced the Donabedian model of healthcare quality, which consists of three key elements: structure, process, and outcomes. While hospitals often emphasize infrastructure (structure) and performance metrics (outcomes), he pointed out that the real challenge lies in refining hospital operations (processes). By concentrating on processes, hospitals can significantly improve efficiency, reduce patient wait times, and enhance overall healthcare quality.

One critical issue he highlighted is the tendency of healthcare institutions to design systems based on administrative convenience rather than patient needs. He urged a reorientation toward patient-centric healthcare, ensuring that every operational change considers its impact on those receiving care.

Final Thoughts

Dr. Jagtar’s insights shed light on the crucial aspects of innovation and sustainability in healthcare. From recognizing the importance of patient-centric solutions to adapting global best practices, his perspectives underscored the need for a more streamlined and process-driven approach in India’s healthcare system.

InnoHealth 2024 provided a platform for meaningful dialogues like this, paving the way for a future where healthcare in India becomes more innovative, sustainable, and patient-focused.

Composed By

InnoHEALTH magazine digital team

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AI and Healthcare: A Powerful Partnership for Better Patient Outcomes

Khushi Khandelwal — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 10:30:00 +0000

Healthcare and artificial intelligence (AI) are converging in unprecedented ways, revolutionizing patient care, diagnostics, and administrative efficiency. At the InnoHealth Conference 2024, we had the opportunity to sit down with Mr. Ganesh Gopal, co-founder and CEO of Gnani.ai, to discuss how AI is reshaping the healthcare landscape and some of the challenges and misconceptions surrounding it.

The Story Behind Gnani.ai

One of the first things that caught our attention was the unique name of Mr. Gopal’s company—Gnani.ai (pronounced as Gyani). He explained that the name stems from the Sanskrit word Gyani, which means “knowledge.” The pronunciation and spelling reflect the linguistic roots of Sanskrit, a language known for its phonetic accuracy, making it highly relevant to AI applications like speech recognition. The name embodies the company’s mission—leveraging AI to enhance knowledge and make intelligent systems more accessible.

AI’s Surprising Role in Healthcare

When asked about the most surprising way AI has impacted healthcare, Mr. Gopal shared an inspiring project: the Thousand Days Program, aimed at improving maternal and infant nutrition. This initiative, implemented in villages across Uttar Pradesh, focuses on supporting mothers and infants through pregnancy, lactation, and early childhood. The program integrates AI interventions alongside ASHA and Anganwadi workers to monitor and enhance nutrition levels, ensuring better health outcomes.

He admitted that when he co-founded Gnani.ai, he never expected AI to be used in such a critical area. However, the power of AI-driven interventions in maternal care demonstrates its immense potential to create positive, large-scale social impact.

Challenges in Implementing AI in Healthcare

While AI holds immense promise, deploying it in healthcare comes with significant challenges:

Data Security & Privacy – Healthcare data often contains personally identifiable information (PII) and sensitive patient details. Ensuring data protection and compliance with regulatory standards is paramount.
Bias in AI Models – AI systems are only as good as the data they are trained on. If the training data is skewed toward a particular demographic, it can lead to biased outcomes. For instance, Mr. Gopal cited a case where an AI model developed to assess pain tolerance in dental patients performed inadequately because it was trained on data biased toward a specific racial group.
Hallucinations in AI Responses – Inaccuracies or false information generated by AI (often referred to as “hallucinations”) can be particularly dangerous in healthcare. If an AI system provides incorrect medical advice or diagnosis, the consequences could be severe. Developing safeguards to prevent such errors is crucial.

Debunking Misconceptions About AI in Healthcare

There’s a widespread belief that AI will replace doctors and healthcare professionals. However, Mr. Gopal was quick to dismiss this notion. “AI is not a magic wand,” he said. While AI can significantly augment healthcare by streamlining processes and assisting medical professionals, it is not an overnight solution to complex diseases like cancer.

Instead, AI serves as a co-pilot, improving efficiency and accuracy. For example, AI-powered tools can assist hospitals in handling patient interactions, appointment scheduling, and post-treatment follow-ups, ensuring a smoother experience for both doctors and patients.

Real-World AI Applications in Healthcare

AI-Powered Appointment Scheduling – Many hospitals are using AI-driven systems to allow patients to book appointments seamlessly via WhatsApp, voice bots, or text messaging. These systems operate 24/7, ensuring accessibility even when human receptionists are unavailable.
Post-Treatment Monitoring – AI-enabled voice bots periodically check in with patients to assess their recovery, detect potential complications, and collect feedback about the treatment experience. This proactive approach enhances patient care and reduces hospital readmissions.
Healthcare Surveys & Experience Analysis – AI tools can call patients post-hospital visits to gather feedback on their experience, accessibility of services, and overall satisfaction. These insights help hospitals improve their services and enhance patient care.
Pre-Consultation Data Collection – In some institutions, AI systems are being used to collect preliminary patient data before a doctor’s consultation. By asking key diagnostic questions and recording symptoms, AI helps doctors make more informed decisions while saving time.

The Future of AI in Healthcare

India, in particular, has a unique challenge—digital healthcare records are not yet widely adopted. However, Mr. Gopal sees a significant opportunity to implement AI-driven voice-based solutions in multiple regional languages, making healthcare more inclusive and efficient.

While AI will continue to evolve, it’s essential to remember that it’s not a magic fix but a powerful tool that, when used responsibly, can transform healthcare for the better.

Final Thoughts

AI is not here to replace healthcare professionals but to assist, optimize, and enhance medical processes. With ethical AI development, robust safeguards, and proper implementation, the future of AI in healthcare looks promising.As our conversation with Mr. Gopal concluded, one thing was clear—AI has the potential to drive positive, lasting change in the healthcare sector, but its success lies in responsible and human-centric deployment.

Composed by:

InnoHEALTH magazine digital team

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The Role of AI, Sustainability, and Community Health in Modern Nursing: A Conversation with Dr. Urmila Bhardwaj

Khushi Khandelwal — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:30:00 +0000

Introduction

At the InnoHEALTH Conference 2024, Dr. Urmila Bhardwaj, a distinguished nursing and healthcare professional, shared her insights on the evolving role of artificial intelligence (AI), sustainability, and community health nursing. In an engaging discussion with host Mercilina, Dr. Bhardwaj shed light on how these factors are reshaping the healthcare landscape.

Dr. Bhardwaj’s Journey: From Clinical Practice to Academia

Dr. Bhardwaj’s career trajectory is an inspiring story of dedication and growth. Beginning with a diploma in nursing, she pursued higher education while working, eventually obtaining her MSc in Community Health Nursing from PGI Chandigarh and a PhD. Over the years, she contributed immensely to academia, serving as a professor at Jamia Hamdard and later as the Dean of Nursing at Sharda University. Her expertise spans bedside nursing, research, and healthcare education.

Reflecting on her experiences, Dr. Bhardwaj credited Holy Family Hospital for instilling in her the fundamentals of patient care, Jamia Hamdard for nurturing her academic and research skills, and Sharda University for exposing her to the advancements in AI and technology-driven healthcare.

Artificial Intelligence: A Double-Edged Sword in Nursing

When asked about the role of AI in nursing, Dr. Bhardwaj acknowledged its tremendous potential in academics, particularly in enhancing learning and research. However, she expressed reservations about its clinical application, emphasizing the irreplaceable value of personalized care.

“Every patient is unique,” she noted. “AI functions based on standardized protocols, but human differences, emotions, and responses cannot be programmed.”

She highlighted the importance of human touch in nursing, explaining that even unconscious patients respond positively to physical touch, which has been scientifically proven to accelerate recovery. While AI can be a valuable tool for data management and diagnostics, it cannot substitute the compassion and individualized attention that nurses provide.

Sustainability in Healthcare: The Nurse’s Role

Sustainability has become a global priority, and Dr. Bhardwaj emphasized the significant role nurses play in fostering a sustainable healthcare ecosystem. Hospitals are high-energy consumption environments with significant waste production. Nurses, she suggested, should collaborate with biomedical engineers and healthcare professionals to implement eco-friendly solutions and reduce hospital pollution.

Beyond environmental sustainability, she also stressed financial sustainability. Sharing her research on tetanus vaccinations, she explained how cost-effective preventive care can save lives and reduce healthcare expenses. A simple, low-cost tetanus shot for expecting mothers can prevent neonatal tetanus, eliminating the need for costly medical interventions.

“Sustainability isn’t just about the environment,” she explained. “It’s about ensuring efficient resource utilization and promoting preventive healthcare.”

Community Health Nursing: A Transformative Force

Dr. Bhardwaj passionately spoke about the vital role of community health nurses in both rural and urban settings. Unlike hospital nurses, community health nurses have greater autonomy and the ability to directly influence public health.

“Community health is not limited to rural populations,” she emphasized. “Even urban elites can benefit from preventive healthcare measures.”

She highlighted the concept of primordial prevention—educating young individuals before unhealthy habits develop. For instance, informing school children about the dangers of smoking can prevent tobacco addiction before it even begins.

From prenatal care to elderly support, community health nurses work across all life stages, making them essential contributors to a healthier society.

A Message for Future Nurses

Concluding the discussion, Dr. Bhardwaj left listeners with an inspiring message:

“Serve with sincerity. See God in every individual. If nurses embrace spirituality—treating every patient with the same care and respect they would offer to the divine—the healthcare system will become a place of true compassion and healing.”

Final Thoughts

Dr. Urmila Bhardwaj’s insights provided valuable perspectives on the intersection of AI, sustainability, and community health nursing. While technological advancements continue to shape the future of healthcare, her emphasis on the human touch remains a crucial reminder of what truly defines nursing.

Composed by:

InnoHEALTH magazine digital team

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The Integration of Innovation in Healthcare

Khushi Khandelwal — Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:30:00 +0000

In today’s rapidly evolving world, the intersection of healthcare and innovation has become a focal point for many discussions. Healthcare is often misunderstood as being synonymous with hospitals, surgeries, and medical technologies. However, it is an umbrella term encompassing a wide array of elements, including policy, climate change, and even the everyday practices that contribute to maintaining health.

Reimagining Healthcare

Healthcare is not limited to hospitals, surgeries, or even robotic technologies. It is a holistic term that includes preventive measures, daily habits, and the infrastructure supporting health and well-being. For instance, path labs, diagnostic centers, and even basic public health facilities fall under the healthcare umbrella. This broader perspective helps in understanding that healthcare is about comprehensive well-being, not just medical interventions.

Innovation in Healthcare

Innovation in healthcare is not confined to groundbreaking technologies or advanced medical devices. It includes any new method, idea, or product that improves health outcomes or makes healthcare delivery more efficient. Consider the example of the nanoparticle mask developed during a hackathon, which helped protect against COVID-19. This is a prime example of how innovative thinking can address specific health challenges.

Another example of innovation is the use of biodegradable plastics, which addressed the environmental health issues. By reducing plastic waste, we can mitigate the adverse effects of microplastics on human health. For instance, research has shown that microplastics are now prevalent in breast milk and even in human reproductive organs, highlighting the importance of finding sustainable alternatives to conventional plastics.

Similarly, the development of apps and software to monitor health metrics, such as heart rate or glucose levels, exemplifies innovation that empowers individuals to take charge of their health.

The Evolution of Food Preservation

In the earliest days, people consumed food immediately after harvesting or hunting, as there were no effective methods to store it. This meant food had to be consumed quickly to avoid spoilage, leading to frequent trips to gather fresh supplies. As time progressed, people began using simple methods to extend the shelf life of their food, such as using mud pots to keep food cool. These pots maintained a lower temperature than the surrounding air, helping preserve food for longer periods. The invention of the refrigerator revolutionized food storage, with modern refrigerators using advanced cooling technologies. However, traditional refrigerators had drawbacks, including the release of harmful CFCs and high energy consumption. Innovations have led to eco-friendly refrigerators that use alternative refrigerants and are more energy-efficient, reducing their environmental impact and contributing to better public health.

The Role of Perspective

A crucial aspect of integrating innovation into healthcare is the ability to think broadly and creatively. Healthcare innovation is not just about advanced technology; it’s about finding new solutions to old problems, whether it’s improving access to clean water or developing better ways to store and preserve food. Each of these innovations, though simple, can have a profound impact on public health.

It’s not like we don’t know any of this; we all know it and continue to do it even though we have the choice to change. We have become complacent, living by what is going on without questioning it. Many have even stopped being curious. Curiosity leads to questions, questions lead to discussions, discussions generate ideas, ideas bring together like-minded individuals willing to work on them, and when people work on these ideas, there is always improvement. And that’s what we call “innovation” in high terms. It is as simple as that.

Innovation in healthcare is a multifaceted concept that goes beyond technology. It involves rethinking how we approach health and well-being, finding new ways to solve problems, and considering the broader implications of our actions. By expanding our understanding of what healthcare and innovation mean, we can create a healthier world for everyone.

Composed by:

InnoHEALTH magzine digital team

The post The Integration of Innovation in Healthcare appeared first on InnoHEALTH magazine.

Press Release: SYMHEALTH 2019

InnoHEALTH Magazine — Mon, 13 May 2019 10:15:26 +0000

InnoHEALTH magazine partnered with Symbiosis University as a media partner for SYMHEALTH 2019.
Day 1: Friday, April 19, 2019

On April 19, 2019, curtains were raised on the much awaited SYMHEALTH 2019, a National Conference on Interdisciplinary Approach to Healthcare, organized by the Symbiosis School For Open and Distance Learning (SSODL), Symbiosis International (Deemed University), SIU.

Standing true to its promise, the multi-disciplinary conference underscored the importance of applying integrative strategies to the theory and practice of health sciences. The conference forged new dialogues amongst various stakeholders of the healthcare community, bringing in new insights and perspectives from other fields and offered a platform on which to foster intellectual fellowship amongst all stakeholders. Most importantly the conference shaped up as an instrument of global advances in healthcare.

The Inaugural ceremony was graced by Mr. Prabal Chakraborty, Vice President & Managing Director, Boston Scientific India. The ceremony was also graced by Dr. Vidya Yeravdekar, Pro-Chancellor, SIU and Dr. Rajani Gupte, Vice Chancellor, SIU. Mr. Prabal Chakraborty mentioned that the complexity of healthcare is arising due to multiple stakeholders, multiple information flows, unstable geopolitical environment, and multiple decision-making processes. Dr. Rajiv Yeravdekar, Dean, Faculty of Health & Biological Sciences, SIU justified the concept of SYMHEALTH by a small story of a young boy who tried to search for god and succeeded. Dr. Rajani Gupte talked about the inter-departmental connections and platform where students get to inculcate skills like teamwork and hard work. Dr. Vidya Yeravdekar explained the need to have communication skills along with other pre-requisite skills in health sciences. Dr. S. B. Mujumdar, Founder and President, Symbiosis; Chancellor, Symbiosis International (Deemed University) emphasized on the need of the hour to have a healthy mind and a healthy body.

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The first session was on Public Health Agenda for India by Dr. Sanjay Zodpey, Vice President, Public Health Foundation of India.

He started his session by stating the 21st-century challenges in healthcare in India and the need to have a healthy population. He did a comparative study of healthcare status in 1947 India and the status at present. He emphasized the poverty status, gender inequality, the situation of sanitation and education in India as compared to the data available globally. He also discussed health landscape indices regarding immunization coverage, sustainable health goals index, related to health and wellbeing, life expectancy, infant mortality rate, etc. He stressed upon the need for government to increase the amount of GDP expenditure in the healthcare sector to have a positive impact on indices like life expectancy and national per capita income. He also talked about the challenges associated with the low expenditure on healthcare, the shortage of clinical and non-clinical staff. He also touched upon the topic of Universal Health Coverage and the point to be focused upon: affordability of healthcare, quality health service and financial protection to the public. He ended the session with the note “Creating ‘Swasth Bharat’ along with ‘Swachh Bharat”.

Mr. Bhaskar Nerurkar, Head, Health Bajaj Allianz ltd started the session with a little humor and introduced his co-panelists. Ms. Gayatri Iyer, Regional Manager, NIC then proceeded with her speech introducing the concept behind RSBY (Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna), Ayushman Bharat and NHPS (National Health Protection Scheme). She also talked about the initial Planning commission and its transformation into NITI Aayog. She concluded her speech by perks and eligibility of the scheme. The session was then proceeded by Mr. Bhaskar where he started by appreciating Symbiosis International University for their educational services by saying that ‘Pune is the home of education and Symbiosis is the kitchen’. He talked about the aspects and the need to have Ayushman Bharat and Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (PMJAY) from the insurance sector’s perspective.

The session then moved forward to Mr. Arunesh Punetha, Regional Director, Narayana Health who discussed about the anticipated challenges for public and private healthcare providers like the low rate of packages being made available to the clinical staff and the shortage of health workforce. He gave his insights on the Michael Porter’s model of ‘Agenda for Value Transformation’ with patient centricity at the core. He ended the session with a talk about PMJAY and its influence on public health.

Dr. Sanjay Gupte, Medico-Legal Expert began the session by talking about the types of law in healthcare statutory and case laws. He projected the issues by focusing on the interpretation of law changes as per circumstances, unlicensed practitioners, quacks and midwifery. He gave an overview on consent for sterilization, MTP, PCPNDT Act, surrogacy laws passed by loksabha, altruistic surrogacy with the help of many case studies. He spoke about the punishments for the failure to report or to record a case. He gave his inputs on medical negligence and its implications. He majorly focused on euthanasia in India i.e., withdrawal of life supports to patients. He concluded the session by talking about the latest changes in medical acts.

Mr. Rohit Sathe, President, Health Systems, Philips headed the panel discussion and began the session by introducing Philips and their mission and vision. His session was mainly focused on 4 components- accessibility, speed & accuracy, value solutions and innovations.

The session then moved forward to Mr. Vidhi Prasad K V, Head, Wipro GE South Asia. He talked about medical technology. He also touched upon the E-commerce portal for service parts & accessories like Medtronics, Siemens, Philips, etc.

Mr. Surendra Deodhar, VP, Reliance Life Sciences Pvt Ltd took over the session and proceeded to talk about equitable distribution of medicines in India, especially in rural areas, where access to these privileges is a challenge.

The session was concluded by a small Q-A session between the speakers and the audience.

Dr. Simmardeep Singh Gill, COO CK Birla Group Kolkata, began his session by touching upon the very concept of strategic leadership. He talked about the increment in competition and other factors with the help of forecasted charts based on reported data. He also described the challenges associated with the business models. These include: low public spending and high out of pocket spending, talent shortage and high attrition, fragmented industry and lack of standardization. He spoke about the widening trust deficit between the patient and the provider. He stressed about the high asset business model which has put a lot of strain in the financial metrics like sinking valuation, margin pressure an payout of insurance players. Micro insurance was given key importance. He concluded by sharing with us the growth story of CMRI which majorly focused on procurement optimization, patient experience, clinician engagement and manpower optimization.

The post tea break proceedings of day one of SYMHEALTH 2019 began with two parallel sessions. The first session was chaired by Dr. Satpathy, Director, School of Public Health, KIIT Deemed University. He talked in detail about the conceptual meaning of Universal Health Coverage (UHC). He emphasized on the need to have quality medicine, quality treatment, skilled workforce and the public should not face any difficulties while accessing them. He also stated the importance of having Primary Health Centres (PHCs), their efficiency and effectiveness in providing health to all. He stated that 80% of the Health needs can be taken care at PHCs. Further, he addressed the myths regarding Universal Health Coverage. He then proceeded to describe some key facts about UHC and its association with the World Health Organization (WHO). He concluded the session by talking about NRHM and Health Service Providers.

Also Read:
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The second parallel session on Pharmacovigilance & Clinical Data Management was conducted by Dr. Raman Gangakhedkar, Head, Epidemiology & Communicable Diseases, ICMR. He started his session with elaborating on why is pharmacovigilance required. He stated that the aim of pharmacovigilance is to detect unknown AEs at earliest and ensure patient safety. He did a comparative analysis of clinical trials and use after approval.

This analysis was done on the basis of the number of participants, the total duration of observation, vulnerable population, pharmacogenetics, concomitant medicines, and dose and duration. He spoke in detail about the increasing scope of pharmacovigilance. He spoke about the key stakeholders in pharmacovigilance. He spoke in detail about Nevirapine and post-exposure prophylaxis. He further emphasized the importance of the Periodic Safety Update Report (PSUR). Inputs regarding the mandatory data fields in reporting were provided. Role of Indian pharmacopeia commission topic was touched upon by sir. Sir primarily spoke about the importance of the Bradford Hill criteria. He further gave an overview of the national AEH surveillance and emphasized on the ICSR processor. Lastly, sir spoke about IC025 and disproportionate reporting. Sir concluded by saying that pharmacovigilance is an important activity for safety and that good data quality and its completeness is critical in signal detection.

Mr. Lalit Mistry, Director of Healthcare, KPMG began his session by talking about the emerging health trends in India and speaking about the future of consulting in healthcare. He talked about the potential impact on the healthcare industry by the emerging medical technology innovations, treatment innovations, proactive wellness, and digital health. He discussed the drivers of healthcare; the drivers being technology improvements, market forces, costs, regulatory reform, and consumerism. Mr. Mistry then proceeded to talk about the major broad buckets of consultancy sector including project management, management consulting, HR consulting, etc. He stated the fact that healthcare consulting market in India is fragmented and underdeveloped mainly in operations, clinical and strategy consulting. He then concluded the session by giving a brief overview about the career path prospect in healthcare consulting and the skills required like number crunching, report writing, communication skills and the ability to travel in short periods of time and domain knowledge. The session was proceeded by a Q-A session between the speaker and the audience.

The day concluded with sessions on Emerging roles & Opportunities for Healthcare management professionals by Dr. Dinesh Pashankar, Associate Professor, Yale University, USA. He spoke about the equitable distribution of medical equipment’s devices & pharma products. The Department of Pharmaceuticals of India is working towards the initiative to source at least 50% of these domestically so as to reduce procurement and heavy import charges and also make these easily available.

The day concluded with session by Dr. Col. Ajay Gangoli, Group Medical Director, Apollo Health & Lifestyle Ltd. He talked about the Multiple Dimensions of Communication in Health Care Industry. He stated that the purpose of disseminating health information is to influence personal health choices by improving health literacy.

Day 2: Saturday, April 20, 2019

Day 2 of SYMHEALTH 2019 opened up with paper presentations by delegates. There were 4 candidates who presented on various topics.

The second session of the day was an engaging talk on Corporate Social Responsibility in Healthcare by Dr. Sitarama Budaraju, Consultant, Healthcare Projects, Tata Trust. He introduced top 10 healthcare CSR projects in India in 2018. He spoke about the current health status. He touched upon the supply side constraints namely Human resource for health infrastructure, Health financing, Pharmaceutical, and supply chain and Technology. He emphasized the training of peripheral health workers in soft skills. He ended his session by focusing on the importance of documentation support.

Dr. Anirudha Malpani, Director & Founder, Malpani Ventures discussed the common beliefs among the people that doctors are dinosaurs i.e. they work in older ways than embracing any new technology. He said these days’ people practice eminence-based medicine, not evidence-based medicines. He stated that self-diagnosis and self-prescription are very common among the people and wrongful. He further spoke about different innovations such as Heart buds – using the smartphone as the stethoscope, smartphone-based ECG monitor, peek – smartphone-based eye testing kit, etc. He said that the doctors see the patients daily, doctors know the patients then why should they wait for the engineers to do the innovation. He concluded the session by saying that patients should receive information therapy from doctors. He also appreciated word of mouth marketing approach. His whole session was focused on “Patient as Partner approach” and how communication is the key. The session was full of jocular remarks that made the session very interesting.

The session was anchored by Col. Ajay Gangoli, Group Medical Director, Apollo Health & Lifestyle. He introduced the other speakers. Col. Gangoli gave introductory of the topic than Ms. Nishi Saini took over.

Ms. Nishi Saini, Head- North, Clove Dental Clinics started the session with Clove dental clinics’ inception. She spoke about clove dental history and its vision and mission. She showed a various graph showing clinics and dentist. She explained how to manage the services at such a big scale smoothly. She spoke about talent management under which she focused on intelligent recruitment. She concluded by showing various aspects where Clove serves the need of the society. She concluded by showing various aspects where Clove serves the need of the society.

Mr. George Chemban, Business Head, Suburban Diagnostics started his session with an introduction about his company Suburban Diagnostic which was started by Dr. and Ms. Sanjay Arora. He stated that doctor-patient relationships are transactional in nature. He focused on the essentials for creating a chain of business units by specifying the business strategy and alignment of goals, standardization for customer experience, standardization of people and processes and standardization of technology.

Mr. Anand Mote, COO, Aster Hospital started his lecture by speaking about why healthcare chains are required. He replicated the lecture by third man’s view of setting a healthcare system. He spoke about the changing landscapes in healthcare chains where he spoke about the global players who are entering the Indian market, availability of capital and importance of well-informed customers. He gave a brief about types of healthcare facilities. He also gave a basic template for setting up and managing a chain of healthcare facilities. He ended the session by explaining how the brand is created and perceived in the healthcare system.

The valedictory ceremony on May 20, 2019, was graced by Surg. Vice Admiral Ravi Kalra, NM,VSM, Director and Commandant, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune; Dr. Sanjeev Kumar, IAS Divisional Commissioner, Nagpur, Dr. Rajani Gupte, Vice Chancellor, SIU & Dr. Rajiv Yeravdekar, Dean, Faculty of Health & Biological Sciences (FoHBS).

Around 1000 to 1200 healthcare professionals, from across the country comprising of professionals from diverse verticals of the healthcare sector including domains of Hospital & Healthcare Management, Medico-Legal Systems, Medical Insurance, Clinical Research, Healthcare IT professionals, General practitioners, Specialists & Doctors from Allied Health Sciences, Policymakers & Administrators, Representatives of the Pharma sector, Representatives of Civil Society Organizations and Representatives of private and public Healthcare sector organizations participated in this event.

SYMHEALTH 2019 | 19 – 20 April 2019

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Tiny Robot Caterpillar Deliver Drugs

InnoHEALTH Magazine — Tue, 30 Apr 2019 09:56:37 +0000

Tiny robot caterpillar designed to walk through the body to deliver drugs

The Research team at the City University of Hong Kong has developed a tiny robot with ‘caterpillar legs’ that could also be used to deliver drugs inside the human body. They say it can move efficiently inside surfaces within the body lined with, or entirely immersed in, body fluids such as blood or mucus. Researchers say that the robot is capable of carrying relatively heavy loads and adapting to adverse environments and could pave the way for medical technology advances. But what makes the ‘milli-robot’ stand out is its hundreds of less than one millimeter long pointed legs that look like tiny hair. The research was published in Nature Communications. The robot’s body thickness measures around 0.15 mm, with each conical leg measuring 0.65 mm long and the gap between the legs measuring about 0.6 mm, making the leg-length-to-gap ratio around 1:1. The pointed legs have greatly reduced the contact area thus reducing friction. Laboratory tests showed that the multi-legged robot has 40 times less friction than a limbless robot in both wet and dry environment. The robot is fabricated with a silicon material called polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) embedded with magnetic particles which enables it to be remotely controlled by applying electromagnetic force. Both the materials and the multi-leg design greatly improve the robot’s hydrophobic property. The robot is controlled by a magnetic manipulator that can move it in both a flap propulsion pattern and an inverted pendulum pattern meaning that it can use its front feet to flap forward as well as swinging the body by standing on the left and right feet alternately to advance respectively. The researchers said ‘the rugged surface and changing the texture of different tissues inside the human body makes transportation challenging. Our multi-legged robot shows an impressive performance in various terrains and hence open wide applications for drug delivery inside the body.’ The research team further proved that when facing an obstacle ten times higher than its leg length, the robot, with its deformable soft legs, is able to lift up one end of its body to form an angle of up to 90 degrees and cross the obstacle easily and can also increase its speed by increasing the electromagnetic frequency applied. The robot also shows a remarkable loading ability. Lab tests showed that it was capable of carrying a load 100 times heavier than itself, a strength comparable to an ant, one of the strongest creatures in nature or to a human being able to easily lift a 26-seated mini-bus. Before conducting further tests on animals and eventually on humans, the research teams are further developing and refining their research in three aspects, namely finding a biodegradable material, studying new shapes and adding extra features. The team hopes to create a biodegradable robot in the next two to three years, so it will decompose naturally after its meds delivery mission.

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