Digital transformation: 6 technologies impacting the future of lab diagnostics

Over the last decades, we have witnessed a large-scale disruption of our healthcare ecosystem. Digital transformation coupled with advanced technology will play a key role in addressing the current challenges faced by healthcare systems worldwide, including keeping up with the growing demand for health services, staffing shortages, the need for more personalized care, and budget restraints.

The impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) will have major implications for the diagnostic testing industry, including lab diagnostics. Labs already use multiple digital solutions to improve operations and deliver better diagnostic solutions to their customers. The digital health revolution will also dramatically expand the diagnostic toolbox outside of the central lab to the doctor’s office, patients’ homes, and even onto the patients themselves. 

These digital and advanced technological trends will change the market landscape in diagnostics. Now is the time for lab leaders to see the technology revolution as an opportunity and actively embrace it.

Download the ebook “Digital transformation: 6 technologies impacting the future of lab diagnostics” to learn more about emerging digital technology and the impact of digital diagnostics. 

There are several trends in lab digitalization that could significantly disrupt the current diagnostics landscape and the role of the diagnostic lab within it. Some advances that are already making an impact include:

Predictive genetic tests and next-generation sequencing. Predictive genetic tests use a blood, hair, skin, or other tissue sample from a person to predict future risk of disease. These tests can identify mutations that increase a person's risk of developing genetic disorders before any symptoms appear.

Wearable biosensors. Ranging from watches, clothing, bandages, glasses, contact lenses, and rings to specifically built implantable and ingestible devices, wearables can collect physical health information such as heart rate, blood pressure, skin temperature, respiratory rate, and body motion. 

Mass spectrometry. Mass spectrometers have been widely used since the mid-20th century in many industries as a means of measuring the mass-to-charge ratio of one or more molecules present in a sample. For labs, mass spec offers potentially greater sensitivity and specificity than immunoassays.

Artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted medical imaging. AI systems can help healthcare providers make medical diagnoses based on images more quickly and accurately.¹ Applications for this technology are present across many diagnostic areas, from radiography for breast cancer detection to enhancing pathology and interpreting biomarker expression within tissue sections.

Liquid biopsies. A liquid biopsy involves testing blood or urine samples to identify indicators of cancerous tumors, such as tumor cells and cancer cell DNA that are present in the bloodstream. These tests are less invasive than a tissue biopsy and may play a role in significantly increasing the number of patients who will benefit from targeted medicines when available. 

Point of care testing. Point of care testing (POCT) provides testing outside of the central laboratory to make critical lab tests more quickly accessible to healthcare providers. Testing at the point of care allows for rapid testing near the patient, and can also reduce the time to results and clinical care management decisions. 

Download the ebook “Digital transformation: 6 technologies impacting the future of lab diagnostics” to learn more about emerging digital technology and the impact of digital diagnostics. 

The digital revolution is not a dream of tomorrow – as we see, it is already well underway, and lab leaders and managers need to prepare their labs today. To do so, they should consider:

• Implementing emerging digital diagnostic technologies such as those outlined above to drive lab efficiency, cost savings, and improved patient outcomes
• Investing in infrastructure and technology that can support the digitalization of their labs, such as implementing lab automation systems and tools that enable data accessibility and sharing to gain valuable insights.
• Prioritizing training and upskilling their staff to ensure they have the necessary skills to manage and interpret the vast amounts of data generated by these digital technologies.

Overall, lab leaders who take full advantage of digitalization today can position their labs to thrive in the years ahead, improve patient outcomes, and drive cost savings across the healthcare system.

The digital revolution is already disrupting the healthcare landscape, and it has the potential to significantly impact the diagnostic testing industry. As healthcare systems face increased pressure to keep up with demand while experiencing stretched budgets, leveraging emerging digital trends can revolutionize lab diagnostics and help improve health access, outcomes, equity, and costs across the healthcare system. 

By embracing the power of big data, artificial intelligence, and connectivity, healthcare providers can gain new insights into patient health and use that information to drive more informed decision-making with the ultimate goal to lead to improved patient experience and care. 

Download the ebook “Digital transformation: 6 technologies impacting the future of lab diagnostics” to learn more about emerging digital technology and the impact of digital diagnostics.