New York City based trends research and innovation company PSFK just released a rich, 209 page report describing its take on the future of health. The first half of the report covers 15 trends PSFK has picked up on, ranging from mobile technology to the incorporation of game dynamics in healthcare. Each trend is supported through multiple examples of real world products and services. The second half of the report showcases healthcare concepts submitted by various design firms, all based on guidelines set by UNICEF.
From the summary:
The analysis in PSFK’s Future of Health Report has yielded a number of insights, the most evident of which is mobile technology as a catalyst for change. The mobile phone and connected tablet computer are allowing for the distribution of a broad range of medical and support services. This is especially important in countries with little or no healthcare infrastructure and areas in which there are few trained healthcare professionals. These technologies also allow trained professionals to perform quality control remotely.
Amongst the many significant developments is a shift towards one-on-one, in- field diagnostics and monitoring. Services that were once only available at a doctor’s office or hospital are now available on-demand through low-tech, affordable solutions. Personal systems allow for ‘good enough’ diagnostics that would have been difficult, expensive and timely to attain previously.
PSFK’s Future of Health Report details 15 trends that will impact health and wellness around the world. Simple advances such as off-the-grid energy and the introduction of gaming into healthcare service offerings sit alongside more future-forward developments such as bio-medical printing. It is our hope that this report will inspire your thinking and lead to services, applications and technologies that will allow for more available, quality healthcare.
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