Health
Top Five HealthTech Trends to Transform 2020
The definition of healthcare has long been restricted to providing for people after their sickness has been diagnosed. Of late, however, the focus has slowly been shifting towards prevention.
“It’s time to move from reactive sick-care to proactive healthcare by default.” Koen Kas, Healthcare Futurist.
This change in attitude has largely been fostered by technological advancements. Thanks to technology, healthcare experts now have access to previously unavailable data. This makes it possible to monitor patients remotely, fill patient charts faster and optimize diagnosis and treatment time-frames.
The HealthTech industry has grown very rapidly since 2015, and the number of venture-back HealthTech financings has grown by 25 percent.
Healthtech in 2020: What’s Awaiting You
Technology can do exciting things for healthcare especially through Artificial Intelligence (AI), Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR).
In the coming year, here are the top five trends in HealthTech to look forward to!
1. The Evolution of Immersive Learning
Extended reality is no longer restricted to making video games and CGI for movies. Over the last twenty years, it has evolved vastly and helped develop learning and workplace training.
“Education has found a new dimension with AR/VR technology in the 21st century.”
In the healthcare industry, immersive tools help naïve as well as experienced healthcare practitioners improve their skills without any risk. Learning anatomy is simplified and doctors can perfect difficult procedures in a safe space.
“In 2020, the revenue for VR/AR for education is geared to increase to $300 million, rising to $700 million over the next five years,” suggest reports from Goldman Sachs.
2. Artificial Intelligence That Enables Effective Diagnosis, Process, and Security
Often, there is a big lag in disease diagnosis. Artificial intelligence has reduced this manifold through deep learning and image detection. This will allow doctors to spend time treating patients rather than handle automatable tasks.
”Over the last decade, AI has become more accurate in its diagnosis, being nearly as perfect as healthcare professionals.”
The healthcare industry deals with big data regularly. Processing this manually is difficult and time-consuming. When AI is used, large chunks of data are analyzed rapidly, speeding up processes.
AI can also help win over patients’ trust by improving data security. Many patients are reluctant to give information because they don’t know who can access it. AI can be used to increase data protection through firewalls, authentication, encryption and the prediction of unusual behavior.
3. Telehealth: Connecting Care Providers Anytime and Anywhere
One of the challenges of healthcare is geographical accessibility. Urban residents can access healthcare easily, but people in rural and remote locations cannot.
“The hurdle of healthcare accessibility is overcome with remote monitoring and telehealth, and catapulted further with the introduction of 5G.”
Telehealth and home monitoring make it possible for healthcare practitioners to provide their services without having to meet the patient in person. Although not a holistic response, it can allow doctors to make recommendations and even submit prescription requests. As virtual care continues to expand, many medical professionals are exploring telehealth provider opportunities to reach more patients, enjoy greater flexibility, and help improve access to healthcare in underserved communities.
Augmenting this with AR and VR can bring the doctor’s room to patients’ homes. Thus, they can experience the comfort associated with being in the same physical space as their doctor without leaving their home.
The technological barriers here have been slow network speeds and demanding imaging tools. These congest the network and create a lag in communication that can potentially hurt outcomes.
“5G will hasten image transfer, reduce lag in video appointments, increase the reliability of real-time monitoring and provide rapid access to AI tools.”
With this, as 5G rolls out worldwide, it will make healthcare practitioners more accessible. Patients can look forward to faster diagnosis and treatment, while doctors can optimize their time and prepare for the patient even before arrival.
4. The Significance of Virtual Reality in Healthcare
Virtual reality has applications beyond education in healthcare. The imaging capacities of VR have been used innovatively in medical science.
Some patients cannot be sedated or anesthetized because of their age or health condition. For such patients, more and more hospitals are employing VR headsets. The headsets are fitted with immersive reality, which distracts patients from the pain.
“VR reduces anxiety for patients undergoing complex procedures, and makes the experience less frightening.”
In the coming year, we will see VR expanding to help patients deal with different physical and psychological pain.
Burn patients are very likely to benefit from VR, as their pain cannot be mitigated easily medically. Using immersive reality games such as SnowWorld can help distract them, leading to a 50% reduction in their perception of pain.
Patients of PTSD and phobias often find it difficult to cope with situations in daily life. VR helps with exposure therapy to these triggering stimuli, which hastens the recovery process. Slow exposure has also been found to minimize phobia.
5. Genomic Advancements That Help Comprehend Genetic Intricacies Swiftly & Accurately
Studying genes and their components can be very tricky, as they are difficult to visualize. Not being able to interact with complex data visually slows pattern recognition in the brain.
Genomics is particularly important because it helps detect genetic disorders early. Diseases like thalassemia are linked to genetics, and early detection helps improve the quality of life for patients.
Dr. Maryam Matar from the UAE Genetics Association asserts the role of technology here, saying, “Genetic testing and newer technologies provide an opportunity to understand our genes better and allow us to take action to help subside those genes by following a healthy lifestyle, sleep and exercise pattern.”
VR and AR are helping researchers view these complex structures in a 3D format. With even simple tools such as headsets, they can interact with their data in a new form.
“With VR, you can walk through the genes, examining them part-by-part and detecting interactions.”
AR takes this a step further by projecting these images, allowing multiple people to access this information at once.
The Global Importance of Healthtech
On a global level, these emerging trends have prompted large organizations to focus on technology. Several healthtech events are being organized worldwide, to bring together experts and encourage innovation. The largest health conference in the Middle East and North African (MENA) region, Arab Health, is making the tech revolution the focus for its 2020 event.
With its immersive solutions partner, Munfarid, the conference will bring Futuristic Healthcare experiences in Training, Diagnostic, Therapeutic, and Wellness programs to its attendees. Through initiatives such as #VRforGood and #VRforImpact, these organizations aspire to help the elderly with chronic illnesses and are spreading happiness through improved quality of life for people all around the world.
In a Nutshell
Technology has been the driving force behind innovation in healthcare and will continue to be so over the coming years. It has made procedures safer, more reliable and optimal.
Through recent advances in AR and VR, patients and practitioners can look forward to a brighter, healthier, and happier 2020!
By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) says the number of Nigerians enrolled in health insurance has risen to more than 22 million.
The Director-General of NHIA, Mr Kelechi Ohiri, said this resulted from the implementation of the mandatory health insurance, which has gained momentum nationwide.
He said this on Wednesday at the Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Association of Insurance and Pension Editors (NAIPE) in Lagos.
Mr Ohiri said enrolment had increased to 22.03 million, representing a 35 per cent year-on-year growth, attributing this to stronger collaboration with state social health insurance agencies, ministries, departments and agencies, organised labour, employers, the private sector, and the gradual implementation of the mandatory health insurance provisions of the NHIA Act.
He said that the country had moved beyond policy formulation to delivering measurable improvements in healthcare access, service quality and consumer protection in line with the federal government’s health sector reform agenda.
According to him, Nigeria already has the necessary policies and legislation to achieve Universal Health Coverage, positing that the key challenge was effective implementation.
“The decisive variable is now implementation- consistent, rigorous and accountable execution that converts political commitment into healthcare access for real Nigerians,” he said.
Mr Ohiri said that the transition from the former National Health Insurance Scheme to the NHIA had strengthened regulation, consumer protection, accountability and strategic purchasing, while providing the legal and operational framework for achieving Universal Health Coverage.
He added that improving the experience of enrollees remained central to the Authority’s reform agenda.
According to him, NHIA has strengthened its complaints management system, introduced faster resolution timelines, and intensified compliance monitoring of Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) and healthcare providers.
He further added that NHIA had sanctioned facilities that failed to meet the required standards, adding that his organisation had resolved 3,878 complaints, representing an 87 per cent resolution rate, while 95 per cent of the cases were concluded within prescribed timelines.
Mr Ohiri noted that more than N14.2 million had been refunded to enrollees, while non-compliant healthcare facilities had been sanctioned.
He said NHIA had also introduced service standards, including a one-hour treatment commencement target for enrollees requiring urgent care, to improve access to timely and quality healthcare services.
The NHIA boss further disclosed that capitation payments to healthcare providers had been increased by 93 per cent.
He said fee-for-service reimbursements rose by 378 per cent to enable providers to invest more in personnel, equipment and infrastructure.
According to him, 7,592 healthcare facilities have been assessed under the SafeCare quality framework as part of efforts to institutionalise continuous quality improvement across the country.
Mr Ohiri also highlighted interventions targeted at vulnerable groups, including support for more than 48,500 pregnant women, expanded maternal and newborn healthcare services, the Vulnerable Group Fund, and improved access to healthcare for pensioners and retirees.
He said Universal Health Coverage could only be achieved if every Nigerian, regardless of income or location, had access to quality healthcare services.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The new one-hour authorisation response time ultimatum policy introduced by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has received the full backing of SUNU Health Nigeria Limited.
This policy was introduced by the agency to ensure enrollees get prompt approval codes to access care.
Healthcare service providers have been urged to report any Health Maintenance Organisation (HMO) that violates this initiative through an email, with the HMO in copy and a timestamp attached as evidence of the request. They may proceed to offer services to enrollees thereafter.
Speaking at the company’s second-quarter Providers’ Forum for the Lagos-Ogun region in Lagos recently, the chief executive of SUNU Health, Dr Moyosore Olomola, expressed optimism that this policy would improve healthcare delivery in the country, especially for enrollees, who crave quality service.
At the event themed Improving Quality and Access to Care Through Stronger Provider Network, and held at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) in Yaba, Lagos, Mr Olomola reaffirmed the HMO’s commitment to operating within legal and operational frameworks to guarantee adequate care for enrollees.
“Access to care and quality of care remain key priorities in our healthcare systems. We know quite well that deliberate collaboration, strategic partnerships, and a shared commitment to excellence are required to achieve these priorities.
“A strong provider network is doubtless the backbone of any effective healthcare system. It ensures that our mutual enrollees receive the right care, at the right time, in the right place, and at the right price,” Mr Olomola, represented at the programme by the organisation’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), Dr Faith Nwachi, stated.
He further assured that SUNU Health would strictly adhere to the one-hour authorisation limit, stressing that this aligns seamlessly with one of the organisation’s core values—promptness and its corporate slogan, Humanity is the centre of our initiatives.
In a bid to further improve access and quality of care, SUNU Health also demonstrated its new operational software and Mobile app, aptly named SUNU Legacy.
Also speaking at the event, the NHIA Lagos State Coordinator (Ikeja), Dr Bethuel-Kasimu Abraham, noted that the forum’s expected outcome is to significantly reduce delays in accessing medical care.
Other key expectations include ensuring continuity of care, improving patient outcomes, and strengthening accountability among HMOs.
Addressing specific pain points faced by enrollees, the NHIA Ogun State Coordinator, Mr Dare Adefeso, acknowledged that the agency had received complaints regarding out-of-stock drugs and the discrimination of enrollees by certain providers.
He affirmed that the NHIA is actively addressing these issues, stressing that moving forward, every facility must ensure enrollees are properly catered to regardless of their status, provided they have an active health insurance plan.
Corroborating the long-standing legacy of SUNU Health, the Ogun State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mrs Aishat Tiamiyu, shared that her agency is responsible for public information dissemination and has been enrolled with SUNU Health for over 25 years.
Commending the HMO’s stellar service over two decades, she called for the immediate enrollment of new NOA staff into the scheme.
The Providers’ Forum remains one of the strategic channels employed by SUNU Health to consistently engage healthcare providers, understand their operational challenges, introduce new software updates, and solidify partnerships aimed at fostering premium healthcare delivery across Nigeria.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has announced the recall of a sexual enhancement product known as WAP Sensual Enhancement Capsules.
In a statement on Monday, the Nigerian agency disclosed that the recall is due to “undeclared pharmaceutical ingredients” in the product, whose country of origin is unknown, but is marketed and distributed online in the US through eBay.
It was emphasised that the recall is being “voluntarily” made by the manufacturer, Best Supplements Best Prices Company.
The detection of the undeclared pharmaceutical ingredients was made by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Laboratory analysis by the US FDA revealed that the product contained undeclared sildenafil, tadalafil, and flibanserin, which were not mentioned on the product label. Such substances may include phosphodiesterase type-5 (PDE-5) inhibitors or related compounds commonly used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, the statement by NAFDAC stated.
Sildenafil and tadalafil are ingredients in FDA-approved prescription drugs used to treat erectile dysfunction.
It was noted that these undeclared ingredients may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs, such as nitroglycerin, and may lower blood pressure to dangerous levels. Consumers with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease often take nitrates.
Flibanserin is the active ingredient in an FDA-approved prescription drug used to treat low sexual desire in women. Flibanserin can cause drowsiness, sedation, dangerously low blood pressure, and fainting, especially when combined with alcohol.
Consumers have been encouraged to report compromised products (medicines or medical devices) to the nearest NAFDAC office, call 0800-162-3322, or send an email to sf******@********ov.ng.
