Top medical innovations for 2019
The utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare was named the second most important medical innovation for 2019 by the Cleveland Clinic, marking a big rise in the emerging technology.
Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists expect AI to be a game changer in the healthcare industry in 2019 because of its potential to help doctors with decision support, image analysis and patient triage, according to the clinic’s ranking of the top medical innovations for 2019. Top of the list is finding alternative therapy to combat the opioid crisis, which reached new heights last year.
“Today, artificial intelligence is helping physicians make smarter decisions at the point of care, improving the ease and accuracy of viewing patient scans and reducing physician burnout,” the ranking reads. “With AI’s continued integration into healthcare, caring for patients has become a matter of working smarter, not harder.”
AI was not mentioned on Cleveland Clinic's 2018 or 2017 lists.
The full list—ranked by importance—includes:
- Alternative therapy for pain in the fight against opioids
- The advent of AI in healthcare
- Expanded window for acute stroke intervention
- Advanced in immunotherapy for cancer treatment
- Patient-specific products achieved with 3D printing
- Virtual and mixed reality for medical education
- Visor for prehospital stroke diagnosis
- Innovation in robotic surgery
- Mitral and tricuspid valve percutaneous replacement and repair
- RNA-based therapies
The Cleveland Clinic announced its Top 10 Medical Innovations of 2019 during a presentation on Wednesday, Oct. 24, at the 2018 Medical Innovation Summit. The list ranks the top innovations expected to have the most significant impact in healthcare in the coming year. It’s selected by a panel of Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists.
Danielle covers Clinical Innovation & Technology as a senior news writer for TriMed Media. Previously, she worked as a news reporter in northeast Missouri and earned a journalism degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She's also a huge fan of the Chicago Cubs, Bears and Bulls.