How can quantum be used in Healthcare, £1.3 Billion acquisition of EMIS given the go-ahead, Oracle's generative AI and more.
The latest ideas, people, innovations and technologies that are shaping the future of healthcare.
Hi, Kevin McDonnell here. Thank you for reading my latest newsletter. Every week I share my round-up of the most interesting stories from the world of Digital Health I've been reading so you can find the ideas, people, innovations and technologies that are shaping the future of healthcare. I hope you enjoy them! Happy reading! Don't forget to follow me on LinkedIn for more daily insights.
How Can Quantum Computing Be Used in Healthcare? - Quantum computing is heralded as a transformative force in healthcare, promising advancements from precise diagnoses to customised medicines and optimal data management. The technology, capable of performing multiple calculations simultaneously, enables more accurate simulations of natural processes, facilitating breakthroughs in drug design, genomics, and predictive health. However, challenges like high implementation costs and accuracy issues persist. The market is expected to reach $1 billion by 2030, with North America leading in investments and collaborations, particularly in the pharmaceutical sector.
£1.2bn EMIS Sale to UnitedHealth Approved - The £1.2 billion acquisition of UK-based healthcare software company EMIS by UnitedHealth has been approved by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) after a thorough Phase 2 investigation. The merger, initially raising concerns about limiting competitors’ access to EMIS's patient record system data and potentially stifling innovation, has been cleared of reducing competition or compromising the quality of services available to the NHS and its patients. The acquisition promises to enhance the NHS's capabilities in delivering healthcare services through advanced digital solutions.
Navenio secures over £5 million funding for US expansion - Navenio, a University of Oxford spin-off, has garnered over £5 million in funding, aiming to expand its innovative healthcare logistics and management solutions into the US. The technology, which combines indoor location and AI to enhance patient care logistics and workflow efficiency, has notably boosted portering workforce efficiency by 66% at the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust. The funding, led by Oxford Science Enterprises and supported by previous investors, is anticipated to facilitate Navenio's growth in the global healthcare market.
Harbinger Health raises $140m to study early-stage cancer test - Harbinger Health has secured $140 million in Series B funding to rigorously study its innovative blood-based multi-cancer screening test, aiming to revolutionise early cancer detection. The test, which integrates artificial intelligence with insights into a shared epigenetic-based biological programme of most tumours, is set to launch in 2025. A study involving 1,046 participants revealed an 82% overall sensitivity in cancer detection and 95% specificity, with the test showing promise in detecting early-stage cancers and enabling timely treatment, thereby enhancing the chances of long-term survival for patients.
How AI can improve health for everyone, everywhere - Dr Karen DeSalvo, Google’s Chief Health Officer, envisions Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a tool to bridge global health disparities, likening its potential impact to the discovery of penicillin. She emphasises responsible, collaborative, and human-centric AI development and deployment to democratise access to health services worldwide. Google’s AI Principles and collaborations with entities like the National Academy of Medicine and the Coalition for Health AI underscore a commitment to developing socially responsible and ethically sound AI technologies, ensuring they enhance, not replace, healthcare professionals and prioritise all individuals' well-being and needs.
Revolutionising COPD Diagnosis with TidalSense's N-Tidal - TidalSense, a Cambridge-based startup, introduces N-Tidal, a device poised to revolutionise Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) diagnosis by providing rapid, accurate assessments and immediate patient feedback. Unlike traditional spirometers, N-Tidal, which is set to become a diagnostic test following EU regulations completion, offers a diagnosis in under five minutes and sends data to a cloud-based platform via 2G networks. This innovation, benchmarked over 1,000 patients and analysed over 2.3 million breaths through machine learning, promises to significantly impact global COPD management and patient outcomes.
Nelly closes €15M funding for digitalising medical administration - Nelly, a German healthcare tech firm, has successfully secured €15 million in a Series A funding round, led by Swiss venture capital firm Lakestar, to enhance its innovative platform that digitalises medical administration. The platform, adopted by over 450 practices and benefiting more than 350,000 patients, streamlines the patient journey from check-in to check-out, reducing administrative burdens for healthcare professionals. It integrates with existing practice management software, providing a seamless, user-friendly, and GDPR-compliant digital process for tasks like registration, medical history documentation, document signing, and payment, all through patients’ smartphones.
KPMG launches EPR Alliance to aid digital transformation - The EPR Alliance, initiated by KPMG and partners Apira, Stalis, and Aire Logic, aims to assist NHS trusts in implementing electronic patient record (EPR) systems by March 2025, as per NHS England’s target. The Alliance, offering a comprehensive EPR transformation service, seeks to navigate the complexities of large-scale EPR implementation, providing strategic guidance and expertise. While 28 NHS trusts are yet to implement an EPR and 90 need optimisation assistance, the Alliance, with its integrated service and collective expertise, emerges as a crucial support pillar, envisioning a future of continuous optimisation and long-term relationships.
Oracle Brings Generative AI Capabilities to Healthcare - Oracle’s Clinical Digital Assistant, integrating with its electronic health record (EHR) solutions, employs generative AI and voice commands to reduce healthcare providers' manual work, enhancing patient care focus. The tool facilitates patient self-service actions like appointment scheduling and clinical information checking via voice commands. It participates in appointments, automates note-taking, and suggests context-aware actions, such as ordering medication or scheduling labs. The assistant, built on the Oracle Digital Assistant platform, also enables patients to control their healthcare. It offers AI-driven answers to queries and facilitates self-service actions, thereby advancing patient engagement and reducing issues like missed appointments.
AI Is Even Worse For Medical Help Than Good Old Dr Google - A survey by Asda Online Doctor reveals a concerning reliance on Artificial Intelligence (AI) for medical advice among UK adults, with an estimated 2.3 million consulting AI platforms. While 82% found AI advice beneficial, surpassing Google, Instagram, and TikTok in perceived helpfulness, the integrity of AI-provided information is questionable. An experiment found AI could fabricate non-existent studies, and research using ChatGPT and Google Bard found 22.8% of advice potentially harmful. Despite AI’s convenience and anonymity, medical professionals, with their nuanced understanding and empathetic communication, remain irreplaceable and the safest for medical advice.
You might like these articles:
How can trust be built regarding the effectiveness and reliability of AI in Healthcare?
Overcoming Past Struggles. The Role of Leadership in NHS Digital Transformation
Is the Digital Transformation of the NHS a Dream or a Nightmare?
Value Sharing Framework for NHS data partnerships - Unleashing the Potential of Health and Care Data
Harnessing Smart Watches: A New Dawn in Early Parkinson's Detection
AI's Cold Comfort: The Unspoken Empathy Crisis in HealthTech
The Paradox of Progress: Navigating the Fine Line Between Innovation and Trust in AI Healthcare
Is Pivoting a Strategic Masterstroke or a Sign of Weakness in HealthTech?
Can Human-Centred Design Shape the Future of HealthTech and Patient Outcomes?
Pear Therapeutics: A Wake-Up Call for the Digital Health Industry?
AI Doesn't Diminish the Humanity of Healthcare; It Amplifies it
Unlocking the Secrets of the Mind - Can AI Revolutionise Mental Health Research?
How Generative Pre-training Transformer Models (like ChatGPT) will Change Healthcare
AI is the key to unlocking the full potential of Remote Patient Monitoring and Telemedicine
How will artificial intelligence (AI) transform healthcare in the future?
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