International Journal of Health Technology and Innovation

A New Dawn for Healthcare Transformation in India: Real-World Evidence and Data Centers

Anuj Mubayi — 2024-12-14

Healthcare is entering a transformative era where precision medicine and advanced therapies coupled with generative AI, robust evidence and data centers intersect to define patient outcomes. By 2030, the industry envisions a shift toward empowering patients to prevent diseases rather than merely seeking treatment (Vicente et al. 2020). This transformation will require leveraging innovation, groundbreaking therapies, and use of next-generation technologies

The Maze Task as a Sentence Formulation Treatment for Aphasia: A Feasibility Study

Erin O'Bryan — 2024-12-05

This study aimed to examine the feasibility and acceptability of the maze task, a tool commonly used to investigate the time course of sentence processing, as a treatment for sentence formulation in people with aphasia. Five participants with chronic aphasia completed seven sessions of the computerized maze task. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was used to examine whether participants improved at the task with repeated practice. In each session, participants made three independent attempts per sentence, followed by an attempt with verbal and visual cues provided by a clinician. Task accuracy and response time data were collected to measure improvement. At the end of each session, the participants completed a subjective experience questionnaire to examine the acceptability of performing the task. The results indicated that all participants demonstrated improvement in both accuracy and response time. These improvements were statistically significant, and the large effect sizes indicated potential therapeutic significance. The participants rated the task with high acceptability scores across all seven sessions. The use of the maze task to improve sentence formulation appeared to be feasible and acceptable. Future research is needed to examine the characteristics of people with aphasia who would benefit from this task and the additional effects of using it.

Avida by Omnyk: A Revolutionary Wearable Ring for Continuous Health Monitoring

Yogendra Bobra — 2024-12-05

Omnyk’s flagship product, Avida, is a revolutionary finger wearable device in the form of a ring. Designed to monitor essential body vitals, Avida tracks key metrics such as heart rate, blood oxygen level, inter-beat interval, missed beats, and step count.
Crafted from hypoallergenic materials, Avida prioritizes comfort and safety for extended usage periods. The ring is available in multiple sizes, ensuring a perfect fit for users with varying finger ring sizes, thus catering to a wide range of individuals.
Avida’s lightweight design enhances comfort, preventing any feelings of fatigue even during continuous wear throughout the day and night. This 24/7 wearability feature ensures that users can monitor their vital signs seamlessly without discomfort or inconvenience.

Comparative Analysis of Backpropagation and Genetic Algorithms in Neural Network Training

Ayoub Hazrati — 2024-12-05

The exploration of artificial neural networks (ANNs) has seen significant advancements, yet the optimal approach for training these networks remains a topic of debate. This study investigates the efficacy and computational efficiency of two prominent optimization techniques, backpropagation and genetic algorithms (GAs), in training traditional neural networks. The research conducted three experiments: the first involved training a single-layer neural network using a simple mathematical function; the second utilized the diabetes dataset for regression analysis; and the third applied the iris dataset for multi-class classification. The networks were trained using Google Colab, leveraging generative AI tools to expedite the experimentation process. Results indicate that backpropagation consistently achieved lower mean square error (MSE) in shorter training times compared to GAs, especially in high-dimensional data. GAs demonstrated robustness in escaping local minima, making them suitable for complex, noisy datasets where backpropagation might converge prematurely. The study concludes that while backpropagation is preferable for tasks requiring precision and speed, genetic algorithms offer valuable advantages in explorative scenarios, highlighting the importance of task-specific algorithm selection in neural network training.

Current Trends in Teleradiology Utilization Patterns in India, Including Perceptions and Attitudes- A Nationwide Survey of Indian Radiologists

Neetika Mathur — 2024-12-05

Purpose: To provide an overview of teleradiology utilization patterns in India, including the current trends, perceptions and attitudes by conducting a nationwide survey among Indian Radiologists.
Methods: An online nationwide survey of Indian radiologists working in varied practice settings was conducted with a questionnaire via email. A descriptive analysis of the data was performed, and the results were summarized.
Results: The survey was completed by 309 radiology professionals (response rate 3%). The significant majority reported utilizing or practicing teleradiology. A large fraction of participants reported using a dedicated teleradiology workflow. However, the use of portable devices, such as laptops, to read images was also reported. Teleradiology was reported to be used in a variety of clinical scenarios, including emergency and after-hours coverage as well as routine reporting. The majority of survey respondents were in an urban location. Teleradiology was expected to increase utilization, reach, and sustainability of radiology services, with reduced turnaround time, reduced cost, improved workload distribution, perception of improved work-life balance, improved radiology support for referring physicians and improved service enumerated as the benefits. Interestingly, a slight majority felt that teleradiology may not be an asset for the key stakeholders, i.e., the radiologist, the referring physician and the patient, but instead a liability. Concerns of greater pressure to perform better at a lower fee as a teleradiologist, commoditization of radiology by price undercutting, disruption of relationship with physicians and patients and lack of accountability were expressed.
Conclusion: This survey provides insight into the utilization patterns of teleradiology in India its impact on healthcare, and highlights the perceptions and attitudes of Indian Radiologists towards this practice model. While teleradiology is widely utilized with an overall positive attitude, concerns remain that need to be addressed.

Spoken Word Recognition in Prelingual Cochlear Implanted Children using Full Spectrum Continuous Stimulation

SM Tarique Najeeb — 2024-12-05

Aims & objectives: Cochlear implant (CI) is established as an accepted treatment for children with congenital bilateral severe to profound hearing loss to attain listening and develop speech and language skills. Children who receive Cochlear implants improve their quality of life and also improve their families’ quality of life through enhanced communication skills with them. The study was aimed at documenting the status of speech perception in children post-cochlear implantation using full-spectrum continuous stimulation.
Material and Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted on 19 children who have had unilateral cochlear implantation. Speech Recognition thresholds & Word Recognition Scores through picture identification using 20 common monosyllabic and disyllabic word lists were evaluated. “Revised Category of Auditory Performance (Revised CAP)” scores were taken on set time frequencies of pre-switch on, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months & 12 months post-implantation. Sound field-aided thresholds were measured before speech audiometry testing. Monosyllabic and disyllabic words lists consisting of 50 common word categories such as kinship terms, fruits, transport, and vegetables were included and validated by five audiologists and speech-language pathologists on Likert scale of the “level of acceptability”. The outcomes of speech recognition performance based on speech recognition threshold and word recognition scores at 3 months, 6 months, 9 months & 12 months post switch on were documented.
Results: Auditory Verbal Therapy resulted in improvement in the Revised CAP, Aided Threshold, Speech Recognition threshold and Word Recognition Scores of children over time. The implantees showed better improvement with respect to speech perception. The children implanted more than five years of age showed a significant improvement over the time with a continuous electric analog signal.
Conclusion: Intensive rehabilitation for children having undergone cochlear implantation in which their individual and optimal needs should be considered and is necessary to achieve the best results. The study indicated that the speech perception of the children improved over the period of time with a cochlear implant device. Cochlear implant stimulation with continuous electric analog signal is a novel and considerable approach in the pursuit of cochlear implants.

XpressGluco+ and Beyond: A Comprehensive Comparison of Blood Glucose Monitoring Devices for its Assessing Accuracy, Ease of Use and Cost

Shankara N. Jeyaraman — 2024-12-05

This study presents a comparative analysis of several commercially available blood glucose monitoring systems. The devices were evaluated based on various parameters, including accuracy, ease of use, data management capabilities, and cost-effectiveness. While all devices demonstrated acceptable accuracy levels, differences were observed in features such as memory capacity, blood sample size, and connectivity options. The AccuChek Insta stood out as the most accurate device, offering additional features like post-meal indicators and USB connectivity. For users seeking a wider measurement range and higher memory capacity, the Xpress Gluco+ emerged as a strong contender. However, for those prioritizing simplicity and affordability, the Dr. Morepen and SD CodeFree devices may be suitable options. This comparative analysis provides valuable insights for individuals with diabetes in selecting the most appropriate blood glucose monitoring system to meet their specific needs and preferences.

Breaking the Cross Compatibility Barriers of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation by Streamlining the Design

Muthyala Sai Sree Ram — 2024-12-05

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) is a Class C medical device under CDSCO, which suggests that the medical device is classified as moderate to high risk. It acts as an extended life support device for patients with severe heart and lung issues for a prolonged period of time, compared to heart-lung machines. There is a cross-compatibility barrier in the medical device market, wherein each manufacturer will make modifications to the design in order to make them exclusively compatible with the solutions and repair kits provided by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). The proposed solution in this paper helps counter the cross-compatibility barrier of ECMO machines, especially when it comes to the centrifugal pump, which must be changed multiple times over the lifetime of the device. We are introducing a novel design for the ECMO machine, wherein the existing centrifugal pumps in the market are compatible without interrupting the functionality of the device in case of emergency situations and cases of logistical delays. Our solution makes it possible to use any of the popular centrifugal pumps available in the market, making it cross compatible and more practical compared to the OEM solutions provided by the popular manufacturing companies.

Advancements in Organoid Technology: Innovations, Applications, and Future Directions

K. Suseela Branham — 2024-12-05

Organoid technology, revolutionizing biomedical research, offers a transformative approach to studying human developmental biology, disease pathology, and drug discovery. This review synthesizes recent advancements in organoid research, emphasizing innovations in organoid complexity, methodologies, and applications. We discuss the latest techniques for organoid development, including advances in creating more sophisticated and representative tissue models. The review highlights the transformative potential of organoids in disease modeling, showcasing their ability to replicate complex human disease states and serve as platforms for drug screening and therapeutic testing. Additionally, we explore emerging technologies and future directions in organoid research, addressing current challenges and opportunities for further development. By integrating recent literature, this review provides a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art in organoid technology and its potential to revolutionize both basic and applied biomedical research. Recent advancements include strategies to address hypoxia-induced cell death and enhance vascularization within organoids, refining their physiological relevance.

Nanotechnology-Based Graphene Oxide for Innovative Bioengineering Application

Shreyas Patil — 2024-12-05

This review paper unravels a number of novel applications of nanotechnology-based graphene oxide in bioengineering. Graphene oxide is the chemically modified version of graphene. It possesses many properties which include having a large surface area and high mechanical strength with excellent potential for functionalization. Hence, GO has become an attractive material in numerous applications in bioengineering. This paper discusses in-depth its applications in five of the most important areas of bioengineering, which include tissue engineering, drug delivery systems, biosensors, orthopedic implants, and bioimaging based on GO’s structure and properties. GO promotes an improvement of scaffold properties and differentiation of stem cells in tissue engineering. GO shows high loading capacity as well as controlled mechanisms of release in drug delivery. Due to its properties, GO can enable highly sensitive and specific biosensing. Another such area wherein GO also shows promise in improving orthopedic implant integration and performance. Finally, in bioimaging, GO’s optical properties make it suitable for various imaging techniques. The application of GO in all these areas holds much promise but carries challenges and considerations such as toxicity and long-term biocompatibility. The paper concludes by discussing how GO is transformative in bioengineering and the importance of ongoing research, hence unlocking the full healthcare benefits of its applications in medical technology.