Uniting Health and Hardware for Enhanced Patient Care

Hardware's Role in Healthcare Developments

Hardware serves as a fundamental component in the ongoing healthcare developments. It enables the creation of innovative solutions such as 3D-scan-based insoles for (elite) athletes by companies like BORGinsole. The production process involves a blend of digitization, automation, and robotization, emphasizing the precision required. This shows how hardware is integral to bringing about advancements in healthcare.

Moreover, in nursing homes, students from UCLL Hogeschool have proposed the 'dementia harp'. By simply touching one of the tubes, personal memories in the form of photos, videos, or audio start playing automatically. This simple yet effective device improves the lives of patients with dementia on multiple levels, bringing back memories and reducing social isolation.

Challenges in the Healthcare-Hardware Convergence

One of the major challenges is the mismatch between the importance of technology and the knowledge about it within healthcare. Trainees, especially in the initial weeks, struggle to adapt to the technological side of the workplace. This highlights the need for better integration of technology in education.

Another challenge is security. The healthcare sector is increasingly becoming a popular target for ransomware criminals. For instance, patients with deep brain stimulation (DBS) devices do not have the option to upgrade to new versions easily due to the complexity and sensitivity of the brain. This shows that while hardware brings benefits, it also poses significant security challenges.

Jan Vermeir, President of the Young Parkinson’s League, also emphasizes the painful gap between IT innovations and patient well-being. Technological tools designed to improve lives sometimes face challenges due to manufacturers' focus on financial interests rather than patient needs.