Technology is in a state of constant, rapid advancement. From smartphones to smart TVs, there’s virtually no limit to what software is capable of these days. The same is true for the medical industry, which has seen a revamped idea of what laboratories used to be.
Collaboration, capability, and data processing have all received a makeover within the past year thanks to new software trends. Here are some highlights from 2018.
Regulatory Compliance Goes Electronic
Freezers and data servers alike are changing hands from physical processes to virtual ones, giving medical professionals the means to share their information near instantaneously. Thanks to the cloud, data is now shared in rapid fashion. There are even spreadsheets you can download from Clockspot that allow stakeholders and managers to oversee employee productivity.
As network connectivity increases, labs are also able to share their findings anywhere in the world within minutes. Combined with mobile computing platforms, turnaround times from medical research are kicking into hyperdrive.
Collaboration Overhaul
While data sharing boosts collaboration, it isn’t the only way research teams are connecting. Isolated sectors within a single lab now share common spaces, allowing multidisciplinary professionals to work with one another towards an end goal.
Resources are now shared, and communication is at an all-time high. When in-person collaboration isn’t possible, teams across the globe now have access to software that allows them to enter virtual conferences and display data from their findings.
Invivo Takes Hold
Replacing live subjects with computer modeling software is still a vision of the future, but a trend favoring Invivo research is allowing drug and disease prevention sectors to limit the number of subjects needed in a study.
Species now live in natural environments, allowing them to thrive and react naturally to humane testing. Animals are also selected for their similar genome structure to the human body, as well as their ability to live comfortably in laboratory environments. The combination produces promising results.
Of course, incorporating Invivo wouldn’t be possible without the right software. Development platforms, including Apple’s Research Kit, give precise readings when monitoring controlled conditions. A new online lab animal management software by Studylog also gives researches the ability to make rapid reports on their findings, leading to quicker solutions.
Analytical Thinking
As data gathering and process moves towards a software-heavy future, the medical industry will need to accommodate with analytics to match increased speeds. Companies have been quick to meet this new demand, developing algorithms capable of precision at faster rates than previously thought possible.
The time saved through analytical software is incredible on its own, but the ability to place funds towards further research as opposed to long hours is the true benefit. With the ability to place a greater focus on their work, laboratories can push further as they find cures and treatments for chronic illness.
Automating
With all of these software advancements, the medical industry is quickly becoming an automated one. The need for medical professionals in all capacities will always exist, but their bright minds are now free to focus on finding answers instead of menial tasks.
The combination of robotics and software frees grad students and veterans alike from separating vials, sanitizing, and similar time-consuming necessities. While the idea of a fully-automated lab complete with AI remains a science-fiction fantasy, the ability to automate aspects like data analyzation and record changes in controlled environments is impressive.