Health apps: getting to grips with the digital placebo effect
23/02/2021
Sharing information about the expected effect of a health app before its use and providing positive feedback regarding its effectiveness after its use have the potential to strengthen the placebo effect.
Gender medicine – analog and digital
10/02/2021
There are key differences between men and women, yet medicine has been treating both sexes the same for decades. As a result, women may not always receive the most optimal care. While there is now a shift in mindset, previous findings and outdated thinking patterns are far too often still finding their way into digital health services and technologies.
COVID-19 dashboard to compare country and state data
05/02/2021
A new online dashboard, created by NYU Professor Alexej Jerschow, brings together COVID-19 data from U.S. states and countries around the world to compare cases, deaths, vaccines, and testing in a visual, user-friendly format.
Study provides evidence of Covid-19 contact tracing app effectiveness
04/02/2021
An international research collaboration, involving scientists from the UK, US and Spain, has shed new light on the usefulness of digital contact tracing (DCT) to control the spread of Covid-19.
App for clock drawing test will help to detect dementia in future
11/01/2021
The clock drawing test has been used for several decades as a simple and effective means of diagnosing disruptions to spatial orientation and dementias. Scientists at the Pattern Recognition Lab at the Department of Computer Science at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) fed AI neural networks with data from 2500 tests to teach them how to assess these results independently.
mHealth for asthma: Help me manage it myself!
11/01/2021
According to the WHO, around 600 million people worldwide suffer from chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma. Key in the fight against these diseases is therapy adherence, but many sufferers often find this difficult. The result is increased hospitalization, which ultimately comes at the expense of the healthcare system. Smart and mobile technologies could change that.
Digital Health Applications Ordinance: Fast track admission for health apps
06/01/2021
Until now, it sounded quite odd to receive reimbursement for digital health apps: There are too many and the majority has never been checked for safety and positive effects. Thanks to the "Digital Health Applications Ordinance", these apps can now reach the German market in a regulated way, physicians can prescribe them and statutory health insurance companies reimburse their use.
Vivatmo me: monitor your asthma treatment at home
01/01/2021
Allergic asthma is a chronic disease that makes regular monitoring essential to keep it under control. This is the only way to determine whether the prescribed medication is effective or whether the patient needs a treatment adjustment. Vivatmo me is a breath analyzer device for home use and helps keep asthma patients safe and confident between visits to the doctor.
Disinfection: a robot nips viruses in the bud
02/11/2020
Hospitals are considered to be a primary route of disease transmission. That is why patient rooms, operating rooms, and waiting areas should be disinfected regularly and thoroughly - and not just during the coronavirus pandemic. At the virtual.MEDICA trade fair, ICA Traffic GmbH will showcase the HERO21 robot, a disinfection unit that uses UVC radiation.
Israeli medical devices showcase digital innovations at MEDICA
24/08/2020
For the annual MEDICA trade fair, companies from all over the world assemble in Düsseldorf. The Israel Export Institute has been a part of it for the last couple of years. They present medical devices and digital innovations from different Israeli companies at their joint booth.
MEDICA MEDICINE + SPORTS CONFERENCE: how data and AI help sports
16/06/2020
Karl Schwarzenbrunner is the head of the Education and Science Department at the German Ice Hockey Association, and also a speaker at the 8th MEDICA MEDICINE + SPORTS CONFERENCE 2020, which will take place this year on 18 and 19 November in Düsseldorf.
Sports medicine software: Monitoring at the push of a button
22/05/2020
Athletes not only have to be fit and stay in shape, but they also have to achieve peak performance, especially when they get ready for athletic events. Optimized and individualized performance training requires data from external laboratories and institutes. The [i/med] Sports platform from DORNER Health IT Solutions provides a complete workflow − from anamnesis to diagnostic report.
eMMa: medication management app improves patient care
08/05/2020
A conversation between the patient and the doctor is always at the start of the health journey. The idea is to set the stage and share important information. This process can be shortened if information is already available in digital form. In the future, patients can submit their medication plan via app thanks to "eMMa".
Smartphone app detects cardiac arrhythmia
03/03/2020
Atrial fibrillation is one of the causes for a stroke and often appears without any previous indications. To reduce the risks and provide fast results, the application FibriCheck was invented. With the app it is possible to collect and measure data via smartphone camera.
Cardiology: digital solutions support those coping with chronic illness
03/02/2020
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide, taking an estimated 17.9 million lives each year. Acute events such as heart attacks and strokes stand out in this setting. Chronic heart diseases can also be a debilitating condition for many patients. If cardiology uses digital methods and tools, it can reach more affected people.
Digital cardiology: analyzing data beat by beat
03/02/2020
Chronic cardiovascular diseases are a growing burden worldwide. Most of them are diseases of civilization that spread, where lifestyle is improving or where it is good already. But the healthcare systems are not growing equally to keep up with this development. We can make up for this by making cardiological care smarter with eHealth and mHealth.
Wearables: more freedom with the smart care patch
02/12/2019
Too many people in need of care and not enough health care professionals – we all know the problem. For years, research is underway to find digital solutions for AAL to support the growing number of older & sick adults. These new technologies aim to both alleviate caregiver burden and enhance everyday life of people in need of care with a minimum level of constraint whilst promoting independence.
Smart care: safety and support thanks to AAL
02/12/2019
Average life expectancy keeps increasing, while birth rates are declining – at least when it comes to most industrial nations. The coming decades will see a decreasing number of gainfully employed people versus more and more senior citizens and people in need of care. It's a trend that already pushes healthcare to the brink. That's why we desperately need new concepts. One of them is AAL.
Medicine 5.0: machine learning algorithms in healthcare
04/11/2019
Artificial intelligence holds the promise of salvation when it comes to medicine: it is meant to unburden medical professionals, save time and money and perform tasks reliably and tirelessly. But before AI algorithms are allowed to diagnose diseases, many technical and ethical questions still need answers.
MobiKa – programmed to help
22/05/2019
Many illnesses or old age require help with everyday tasks. Unfortunately, family members or caregivers aren’t always available to lend a hand. The MobiKa mobile service robot is designed to offer support, deliver motivation and improve the quality of life of those in need.
mHealth: Atrial fibrillation detection – App supports heart health
08/05/2019
Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of persistent cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heart rhythm). Researchers estimate that 1.8 million Germans are presently affected by this disease. The condition is difficult to diagnose, frequently goes undetected and may result in a stroke. A new smartwatch medical app is designed to help patients detect atrial fibrillation before it’s too late.
Hospital cybersecurity: secure technology and trained employees go hand in hand
02/05/2019
When it comes to IT, the medical sector has a dilemma: On the one hand, digitization and networks are designed to save both time and money. Yet on the other hand, medical systems, physician offices, and hospital networks don’t have nearly the same levels of protection as online stores, payment service providers or financial institutions. That’s also partially due to an absence of risk awareness.
Human firewall – keeping your resources safe
02/05/2019
Digitization impacts many areas of life. It is also remapping the healthcare landscape and is becoming increasingly important, ensuring that patients receive comprehensive care as quickly as possible. To make this a reality, data is stored digitally and medical devices are connected.
Security first – hospitals prime targets of cyberattacks
02/05/2019
Safety should be a top priority when it comes to safeguarding human lives. That's why hospitals must protect their computer networks and data against unauthorized access. However, thanks to the proliferation of connected devices in hospitals, they are at high risk of suffering devastating cyberattacks. There is also a lack of cybersecurity awareness.
Cybersecurity in the hospital: securely networked
02/05/2019
Digitalization and networking are supposed to serve the health care system well: In times of staff shortages and demographic change, they are able to support the exchange of patient data and the management of chronic diseases as well as to improve the workflow. But it is still often ignored that both individual devices and complete networks can become lucrative targets for cybercrimes.
Gamification: how penguins help children overcome their MRI fear
23/04/2019
It's noisy, tight and scary - that's how children feel about a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine. Because they are scared, they are often too fidgety and anxious during the procedure, causing the images to blur or the scan to be stopped. Researchers have now developed a VR app called Pingunauten Trainer that’s designed to gently prepare the little patients for MRI scans.
All-round care for COPD: diagnosis, treatment, self-management
01/03/2019
COPD affects more than 200 million people in the world. Those affected by this chronic pulmonary disease are often slow to notice the symptoms and get a medical diagnosis. This results in secondary complications and high medical costs. That's why an early diagnosis, comprehensive treatment, and frequent monitoring are very important. Various devices and tools support this all-round care.
Sports medicine: preventing injuries with wearable sensors
08/02/2019
The consequences of sports injuries can be very serious and sideline athletes for a long time. Although it often seems like these injuries happen in a split second, they can also be the result of overuse and loads that usually weaken the athlete over time. This stress can be detected and reduced with wearable technology and injuries prevented before they happen.
DiaDigital: making sense of diabetes apps
02/01/2019
While they are very useful, health apps have one major drawback: anyone can release and distribute them unchecked. Only some apps require medical device certification. So how can users spot a great, safe and useful app? When it comes to diabetes apps, the “DiaDigital” seal of distinction is the answer.
Diabetes digital – smart support for diabetics
02/01/2019
Monitoring blood sugar levels, counting carbohydrates, calculating insulin doses, and keeping accurate records - diabetes is a data-intensive disease that demands a lot of self-discipline and attention from the patients. Some concerns are patients neglecting to keep a food journal, "fudged" test results or calculation errors. Digital solutions help patients easily manage the large volumes of data.
Patient care of the future? Robotics, AI and Big Data at MEDICA 2018
14/11/2018
Robotics, artificial intelligence, big data: these are terms that were not used in connection with medicine a few years ago. Today they are no longer dreams of the future, but an important support in diagnosis, during surgery or aftercare. Find out more at MEDICA 2018!
MEDICA 2018 – where the medicine of tomorrow starts
11/11/2018
It is already a tradition for the trade press to get a first glimpse at the MEDICA highlights at Sunday before MEDICA. Our camera crew has already captured some exciting products that will influence the medicine of tomorrow, so you will not miss out on this.
Exercise Prescription for Health: sports instead of pills
08/10/2018
Did you know that we can influence up to 50 percent of our health ourselves? If we eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly, this not only ensures longer independence in old age. Diseases can also be treated with exercise. But in many cases, physicians and patients still rely more on medication than on exercise.
Air Next: sharing spirometry data for better treatment
24/09/2018
Some diseases require close, permanent control of the patient, especially if they are chronic and, if unchecked, potentially dangerous, like some lung diseases. Monitoring them is quite cumbersome, because patients regularly need to visit their physician or a hospital. Wireless devices for home measurements offer at least some comfort and relieve to patients.
Master plan Smart Hospital: well-connected is half cared for
03/09/2018
Artificial intelligence makes the diagnosis, robots perform the surgery and physicians manage all processes via touchscreen – is that what hospitals of the future will look like? And how far away are we actually from this future? Many hospital facilities are already on their way to becoming Smart Hospitals with the latest technology and where everything and everyone is linked and connected.
Neurology: Early detection of Parkinson’s disease with app and data?
01/08/2018
Big Data is often likened to finding the proverbial needle in a haystack: Large volumes of data contain patterns that hold the answer to a particular question. The trick is to gather meaningful data and identify patterns. The i-PROGNOSIS research project shows how smart devices and an app team up to automatically collect data without disturbing the user.
Diagnosing diseases with big data
01/08/2018
All of us generate data every day without even realizing it – sometimes it happens unconsciously and unintentionally. At this point, we are made of data and not just in the eyes of tech companies but also from a healthcare system perspective. Our electronic health records are a smorgasbord of data for example.
Video streaming, apps, and smart glasses: telemedicine on standby
02/07/2018
Looking at the trends and innovations in emergency medicine, it is apparent that the idea of an ambulance as a kind of mobile emergency room that comes to patients, connects them with health professionals and makes a diagnosis en route to the hospital, is gaining momentum. The increased usage of telemedicine plays a big part in this development.
Resuscitation via videostream – how EmergencyEye can save lives
02/07/2018
When the heart stops beating, irreversible brain damage occurs within minutes without resuscitation. Meanwhile, action is only taken in very few instances of cardiac arrest. Even first responders frequently feel helpless in this situation. In Germany, approximately 65,000 people die each year from sudden cardiac arrest. This is where EmergencyEye comes in to offer valuable support.
The STEADY project: Managing depression with wearables
01/06/2018
These days, smartphones and wearables of all kinds more or less "incidentally" collect lots of personal data about our lives. Many people have privacy and security concerns – and rightfully so – especially if mountains of data fall into the wrong hands. But what if patients collect their own data and get help to use it for their own purposes?
From data to diagnosis – digital help for depression
01/06/2018
Few diseases are as difficult to diagnose as depression. What's more, outsiders often don't perceive it as a disease. The reason for this are symptoms that are not directly visible. Sufferers of the disease tend to experience fear, worry, and despair in everyday life, when no doctor is present. This is the starting point for telemedicine tools such as online programs or smartphone apps.
Digital therapist – data protection for depression apps
01/06/2018
The number of people suffering from depression worldwide is steadily increasing – as is the digitization in all areas of life. There is a wide variety of applications designed to make it easier to cope with this disorder. However, patients have to provide very sensitive information when they use these digital therapists. And in doing so, they often divulge more than they realize.
A startup makes melanin glow: skin cancer diagnostics with Magnosco
09/04/2018
When a skin lesion is suspected to exhibit malignant changes, it is usually promptly removed. However, not all cases require an excision of the affected tissue. The startup company Magnosco has developed a procedure that uses a laser to support the diagnosis and early detection of malignant melanoma.