Digital medicine and what it can do for patients and doctors is likely to be at the centre of Medica 2018.
The medical trade fair will get underway in Düsseldorf from 12th November and will be opened by German federal health minister Jens Spahn – with the conference lasting for four days.
Over 5,000 exhibitors from almost 70 countries are expected to attend the show with plenty of firms aiming to offer healthcare solutions – with the digital market said to be shaping the health economy.
Horst Giesen, global portfolio director for health & medical technologies at Messe Düsseldorf, said: “Regardless of the progress achieved by digital medicine: The main focus in care is and always will be on human beings. For example, in medical imaging, artificial intelligence allows accurate analyses to be executed and relevant image data to be pre-selected for diagnoses. This accelerates the diagnostic process and offers doctors valuable support in their decision making. However, the doctor’s evaluation remains authoritative.”
Some of the conferences and forums at the event are likely to compliment the digital health theme that is likely to prevail this year, including:
- Medica Health IT Forum – including topics such as big data, artificial intelligence and cyber security
- Medica Connected Healthcare Forum – Hardware and software solutions for connected healthcare
- Medica Medicine & Sports Conference – Looks at the use of applications which are used in close proximity to the body and wearables for monitoring vital signs.
There will also be a focus on the workflow of patient treatment with individual focal points including: electromedicine, medical technology, laboratory technology, diagnostics, physiotherapy, orthopaedic technology, commodities and consumables, information and communication technology, medical furniture and specialist furnishings for hospitals and practices.
Also featuring are young start-up companies who will be discussing products such as a smartphone ophthalmoscope to examine retinas and eyes that can be used to diagnose skin cancer – which has been designed to be used by concerned parents on their children rather than doctors. The product itself consist of a camera, a compact digital stethoscope used alongside a smartphone app.
Compamed is also running parallel to Medica this year.