In future, hospitals are going to become more personalised and more patient-centric; and this will happen via the correct application of healthcare technology, according to Francois Nolte, business manager of medical solutions at Siemens.
Molecular medicine, he states, will drive this trend towards personalised care. He believes molecular advancements are one of the most exciting technology happenings of the past few years.
"Molecular medicine is basically medicine as we know it, and biology, coming together."
Molecular medicine encompasses areas like in vitro and in vivio diagnostics - where machines that study metrics, like blood and urine, are converging. "The place where they will meet is in the IT space," he says.
He points to the huge gains that have been made in dual-source CT scanners, which can be far more effective than single-source and multi-segment scanners.
"Molecular imaging delivers the truth faster, since changes in the function of cell activity always precede medical conditions."
Using molecular imaging to determine the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease can improve a doctor's ability to forecast the patient's future cognitive functions by 30%, adds Nolte.
This early detection can allow the doctor to prescribe the drug Aricept - which is able to delay the onset of Alzheimer's.
The use of molecular imaging will continue the transformation taking place in the medical sector - as we move to realise the adage that prevention is better than cure.
Of course, the concern still exists that the higher end of the technology curve will only benefit the affluent minority of patients. However, in time it is expected that all medical innovation will become widely available.
"The best way to predict the future is to create it," concludes Nolte, quoting Swiss writer Peter F Drucker.
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