How can innovations help to master the great challenges and demands with which healthcare is confronted across international borders? This central question will be given solid answers again at the MEDICA HEALTH IT FORUM, an established part of the programme at MEDICA in Düsseldorf, the world’s leading trade fair for the health sector and medical technology industry, this year again on all four days of the trade fair (11 – 14 November 2024).
Sessions and talks will centre on issues like Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Virtual Care. The very first session deals with no less than two important topics on the programme stage of the forum, in Hall 13 on Monday, 11 November 2024, starting at 11:00 h: “Sustainable AI” not only considers technological, but also ecological, social and ethical aspects. AI systems should be powerful as well as responsible and friendly to the environment. There is still much work to do: Speaker Prof. Peter Boor, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, only recently emphasised the issue in a publication about deep learning within pathology. The widespread use of deep learning in pathology could thus on the one hand cause a negative contribution to the warming climate. Using digital pathology as an example, however, together with other authors he proves that with a few measures quality can be maintained while at the same time greatly reducing carbon emissions.
In this context, generative Artificial Intelligence has for some time now been the focus of public interest. On Tuesday, 12 November 2024, starting at 13:00 h, this topic will be the discussed on stage as part of the MEDICA HEALTH IT FORUM. Dr. Julia Hoxha, head of the work group Health at the German AI Association, will moderate the discussion. She is also the co-founder and managing director of Zana. This start-up uses human speech as biomarker for example for COPD.
This is how it works: AI models analyse and recognise voice patterns in order to predict a possible decline of health, especially for shortness of breath and the risk of exacerbation, by recognising an acute deterioration beyond daily fluctuations. This solution also supports clinical decisions and objective assessment of the course of illness – and is a very innovative method. In this field, what is the view on the “AI Act” with which the EU member states have adopted the first law to regulate AI in the world? “This law has far-reaching consequences for everyone involved, including hospitals and other users. If things go badly, the costs for these applications will increase.” This could however be mitigated by good planning and intelligent design, so Hoxha. For example, manufacturers should take care not to let their AI system fall into an unnecessarily high category of risk. Providers of AI solutions also expect that the “AI Act” will allow exceptions and mitigations for small companies and for science. Hoxha regards AI-based development of precision therapeutics by generating novel molecular structures and predicting their properties as an important area of application for AI within healthcare.
Artificial Intelligence for new active agents
The company Merantix Momentum is among those using AI to optimise active agents in the area of large molecules. In this context, it is helpful that AlphaFold by Google DeepMind makes it possible to predict the three-dimensional structure of proteins. Dr. Bertram Weiss, Pharma Lead at Merantix Momentum, will also take part in the AI panel on stage during the MEDICA HEALTH IT FORUM – just like Dr. Augusta Modestino, Head of Strategy at AICURA medical. The company uses its proprietary platform to support biopharmaceutical companies in evaluating data and imaging using AI, in order to predict the reaction of patients to active agents, identify ideal candidates for clinical studies, recognise at-risk patients and accelerate the development of medicines. Dr. Nilofar Badra-Azar will explain the use of data in this context from a political point of view. She is a consultant at the German Federal Ministry of Health in the Division Key Policy Issues Concerning Novel Technologies and Data Use. During the discussion, Badra-Azar will be able to point to the Act governing the use of health related data and to the Act on regulation and strengthening of medical registries.
Smart phones for therapy
Digital solutions are already being used as therapy themselves. These companions during recovery, “Health Companions 2.0” are the focus of Tech Talk on Monday, 11 November 2024, starting at 14:00 h. For example, the company Frisk supports other companies developing innovative strategies and solutions. On the programme stage in Düsseldorf, Dr. Cinthia Briseño, founder and managing director at Frisk, will meet Rouwen Hirth. He is the business development manager for the app solution “Constanze Care”. In this app, an integrated female AI assistant and a team of female experts work together to provide the best answers to questions by pregnant users. The app provides information regarding which prenatal examinations are recommended during pregnancy, how women can prepare for the time post-partum and what helps babies with a tummy ache. The AI draws its knowledge from current scientific results, new medical guidelines and expert experience.
Concerning medicines, Redcare Pharmacy’s “Shop Apotheke” is among the most well-known online pharmacies in Germany. The company sees itself as the leading online pharmacy in Europe. Currently, it is active in seven countries: Germany, Austria, France, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands and Switzerland. With the “eHealth-CardLink” solution, Redcare Pharmacy offers an option to hand in electronic prescriptions.
With the help of their electronic health insurance card and a smart phone, customers can pass electronic prescriptions to the Shop-Apotheke app. Alexander Braden, as Director Medication Management at Redcare Pharmacy, will be available for questions from an audience of professionals at the Tech Talk.
Robots can help in many ways
One feature of the digitalisation of healthcare is the use of robots. “Smart Robotics” is therefore the forum topic for the Tech Talk on Tuesday, 12 November, starting at 12:00 h. Dr. Manuel Ferla, TU Munich, School of Engineering and Design, is convinced that robot-assisted surgery provides doctors with valuable tools, which lessen the stress during surgery and which could lead to improved outcomes for patients. However, the volume of use regarding this new technology is still regarded as limited, due to the lack of integration into existing clinical procedures. Novel methods and technologies aim to improve system integration in order to realise an improved perspective for applications.
Lukas Bernhard, Scientific Head at the TUM University Hospital Klinikum rechts der Isar in Munich, has been part of the research group MITI and has worked on a robot that takes over various tasks during surgery in the unsterilised area. The robot fetches sterile materials – for example sutures or surgical gloves – from storage, delivers them to the operation theatre, opens the packaging and passes the sterile goods to the operating surgeon. In a current publication, Bernhard reports that such systems have the potential to become invaluable tools for overcoming a lack of trained staff and to rationalise work processes within healthcare. However, the challenges which result from the strict requirements inherent in a clinical environment, are large.
A special exhibition provides impulses for digital clinical networking
Clinical hospitals are currently facing thorough changes – brought about not least by the increasing concentration of medical treatments at specialised sites, the result of the hospital reform in Germany. In this context, digital networking and telemedicine will play an important part. How exactly this can happen is on view at the special exhibition `Hospital of the Future´ in an activity area in the MEDICA Hall 13 (booth C04). Here, decision makers from clinics will receive input and consultations regarding the following topics:
- Digital infrastructure in a hospital: finding trustworthy solutions for telecooperation,
- Intelligent summaries of and processed patient data in stead of manual documentation: efficient use of medical resources,
- Data driven telemedicine and artificial intelligence in intensive care medicine: Care for patients in a personalised and predictive manner,
- Far away yet with a close view of the patient: carrying out databased teleconsultations.
“Hospital of the Future” is organised by the German telemedical society “Deutsche Gesellschaft für Telemedizin e.V.” in cooperation with Messe Düsseldorf. Expert support on planning and implementation is provided by the German centre for telematics and telemedicine Zentrum für Telematik und Telemedizin GmbH (ZTG) and the Clinic for Surgical Intensive Medicine and Intermediate Care at the University Hospital RWTH Aachen. Visiting professionals at MEDICA 2024 and especially the delegates of the 47th German Hospital Conference, which for the first time will be held right in the middle of the trade fair in the neighbouring Hall 12, will have the opportunity to participate in exclusive guided tours through the special exhibition. They will be provided with an especially insightful option among many to gather information on the digitalisation of healthcare within this year’s MEDICA.
