ERNI Consulting y las tendencias de innovación en el sector médico: Blockchain, IA y gemelos digitales

ERNI Consulting, a Swiss company specializing in medical diagnostic devices, participated in the event “Future of Health: innovation circle, an open discussion” organized by the Swiss Business Hub Spain along with Barcelona Health Hub.

Trends such as blockchain for secure data exchange, or digital twins of human body organs are some of the leading trends.

The medical sector is preparing for a new era of innovation. The emergence of Artificial Intelligence applied to the healthcare sector, the evolution of personalized medicine, safety, ethics, and data management are some of the factors that are reinventing research and medical care.

This is the conclusion reached by the different experts who participated in the event “Future of Health: innovation circle, an open discussion” organized by the Swiss Business Hub Spain along with Barcelona Health Hub in the context of the CPhI Barcelona 2023 fair.

The Swiss software engineering firm specializing in complex solutions, ERNI Consulting, has had Albert Alsina, the company’s CEO, to address future trends in the medical sector from a perspective of technological innovation.

“One of the great opportunities in the sector is collaboration within the healthcare ecosystem: pharmaceutical sector companies, medical technology companies, hospitals, institutions, startups… innovation and collaboration are key to addressing the challenges we face,” Alsina explained.

Precision and personalized medicine

Personalized medicine is one of the most important trends for the advancement of the healthcare sector. In this way, the individual genetic profile is used to guide professionals in making decisions related to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases and to create personalized treatment plans, reducing side effects and increasing patient participation.

“The convergence of AI and precision medicine offers a personalized approach that takes into account the genetic, biological, and environmental factors of each patient, allowing the identification of unique healthcare needs and patterns. The AI system generates ideas, reasons, and learns to help in the doctor’s decision-making process.”.

For this, data is necessary. “One of the most relevant topics for the sector is data harmonization, as well as the security and robustness of systems and technologies that help in managing these. Blockchain technology emerges as a relevant trend, allowing for the secure sharing of healthcare data, guaranteeing the confidentiality and integrity of healthcare information,” detailed Alsina.

Digital twins of organs

On the other hand, concepts such as digital twins are being introduced in medical research. These are virtual models of real-world systems that allow simulation of how these systems would work under different conditions. In this sense, Alsina has advanced that “one of the most complex digital twins currently imaginable is that of the human brain, something with which researchers hope to make even more progress by 2024.”

The panel of experts also included the presence of Gloria Macia, Global Product Strategy at Roche Diagnostics, Beatriz Fernández-Montells, bioengineer and operational expert at the Clinical Validation Center for Digital Health Solutions at Sant Pau Hospital, and Teun A.J. van der Heide, Chief Business Officer at Ten23. In addition, Othmar Hardegger, Consul General of Switzerland in Barcelona, and Luis Badrinas, CEO of Barcelona Health Hub, intervened.