I stumbled upon an interesting article describing researchers at John Hopkins University who successfully implemented an AI-based approach to predicting the likelihood of cardiac arrest via the analysis of cardiac imagery. It got me thinking:

Our bodies are outputting an absolutely enormous quantity and variety of data that regretfully goes unused. I could speculate that in this data exists critical insights which could be instrumental in indicating an impending heart attack (or other illness) days, weeks, or even months in advance.

Therefore, it is hardware and software limitations which prevent the real-time measurement and analysis of data that could, theoretically, dramatically reduce deaths from a variety of illnesses. It is a limitation that should be our highest priority in terms of healthcare. Real-time collection and real-time analysis of various metrics/processes in our bodies.

I want to emphasize I’m referring to a paradigm more expansive than wearable devices detecting your heart’s rhythm; although it’s certainly positive to read that Fitbit’s AFib detection was FDA approved. Rather, I’m speaking towards the development of new types of implanted nano-sensors, which have the potential to measure new and different metrics as part of the next generation of truly preventive care.

The key difference being an improvement on existing technology i.e. hospital-only medical devices becoming available as consumer products which measure standard metrics more efficiently and affordably vs. collecting data we have never collected before; and in that trying to understand our bodies’ complex ecosystem with the intention of predicting illnesses.

One could imagine discovering previously unknown relationships and correlations between processes in our bodies i.e. if metric [x] rises, there is a high probability of event [y] occurring, etc.

The human body is data. We have figured out how to do unimaginable things with data but have not sufficiently developed or applied technology to the most important asset we have: our health.

That seems like the future of healthcare to me. I’m optimistic interesting companies will emerge, and begin trying to solve this critically important problem, and indeed some already have.