Health technologies include medicines, medical devices, assistive technologies, techniques and procedures developed to solve health problems and improve the quality of life. Such technologies are used in all types of health facilities, play a major role in contemporary health-care systems, and contribute directly to the quality of patient care. However, their use needs to be complemented by good staff training and effective organization of health services.
Medical devices
Medical devices contribute to the attainment of the highest standards of health for individuals. Without medical devices, common medical procedures – from bandaging a sprained ankle, to diagnosing HIV/AIDS, to implanting an artificial hip, or any surgical intervention – would not be possible. Medical devices are used in many diverse settings, for example, by laypersons at home, paramedical staff and clinicians in remote clinics, opticians and dentists, and health-care professionals in advanced medical facilities, for prevention and screening and in palliative care. Such health technologies are used to diagnose illness, monitor treatments, assist disabled people, and intervene and treat illnesses, both acute and chronic. Today there are an estimated 2 million different kinds of medical devices on the world market categorized into more than 22 000 generic devices groups. Decisions on selecting medical equipment for a health-care facility must be supported by evidence and based on clinical needs, financial resources, and the local capacity for effective use.
What is precision medicine?
Precision medicine is an emerging practice of medicine that uses a person’s genetic profile to guide decisions made regarding the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease.
Knowledge of a patient's genetic profile can help doctors select the right medication or therapy and administer it using the necessary dose or regimen. It offers great potential to target treatment and increase the efficiency of health systems – from clinical prevention, through early detection and screening, to treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care.
However, implementing precision medicine requires a transformation of health services and significant resources. It also requires the collection and analyses of large amounts of precision health and genomic data, so patients need to trust that it is kept safe and confidential. Citizens need to be informed, empowered, engaged and in control of their data.
Additionally, precision medicine requires significant up-skilling of the health workforce, with a strong focus on digital literacy and the interpretation of biomarker information, as well as establishing a new dimension in the patient-provider relationship.
To fully unleash the true potential of precision medicine and accelerate its implementation, including in lower income settings, large collaborative efforts are required that can transform this concept from individual success stories to comprehensive real-world applications in routine clinical practice.