Transforming Healthcare: Highlights from the MedTech Forum 2023

The EIT Health Ireland-UK team recently attended the MedTech Forum 2023 in Dublin. With over 1,000 attendees, 149 speakers, and 49 sessions, the event brought together leading experts, innovators, and stakeholders from the MedTech industry. It provided a platform for meaningful discussions and collaborations aimed at revolutionizing healthcare. 

 The MedTech Forum 2023 offered some key insights into the future of healthcare with a strong focus on digital health solutions, patient-centric care and cutting-edge research. Here are some highlights from the event. 

Empowering Patients through Digital Health 

Digital Health was one of the key focus areas of the MedTech Forum. Various talks with leading experts emphasized the potential of telemedicine, medical devices, and remote patient monitoring. Panel discussions on the proposed European Health Data Space (EHDS) highlighted the potential it has to revolutionise health and unlock significant tech, AI and data analytics innovation.  

During a session on ‘One year in: The Innovation Health Initiative’, Dr. Andrzej Rys, Principle Scientific Adviser, DG Sante, European Commission, shared, “We want patients to be deeply involved. And we have created the Patient Pool to join this effort at the core of the IHI. Working with patient associations and experts is essential to create the right space for development.” 

EIT Health Ireland-UK hosted the EHDS Roundtable discussion during the Irish MedTech Association’s‘Meeting of the Minds’ on 30 May, as part of EIT Health’s Think Tank. Key opinion leaders across two panels discussed how feasible it will be to implement the EHDS in Ireland and what expected challenges lie ahead. A full report on the Roundtable discussion, along with recommendations for moving forward will be published over the coming months.

Regulatory and Ethical Considerations 

 Discussions on the regulatory framework and ethical considerations in the MedTech sector were other highlights during the event. Regulatory agencies, policymakers and industry leaders discussed the importance of streamlined processes and ethical guidelines that can help ensure patient safety.

Talks were held on the future of regulatory frameworks to foster innovation whilst still maintaining patient trust. Delivering a talk on the present and the future of robotic-assisted surgery, Rocco de Bernardis, Global President Robotic Programme, Johnson & Johnson, said, “Appropriate regulations are the key for patient safety, innovation and healthy competition, to have many more patients accessing robotic and digital surgery.” 

Emerging Technologies  

It was the perfect stage to discuss several ground-breaking technologies that could disrupt the healthcare industry. Latest developments in nanotechnology, genomics, robotics, etc. were shared with attendees. These technologies that could help in early disease detection, next-generation medical devices and personalised medicine. Discussions also brought into focus the importance of collaboration between research institutions, industry leaders and regulatory bodies to ensure safe integration into the healthcare system.

Partnership and Networking 

The MedTech Forum 2023 served as a catalyst for new collaborations and partnerships among different stakeholders. Established industry players and, start-ups shared valuable insights to drive innovation and improve patient outcomes. The event brought together policymakers, researchers, clinicians, start-ups and investors under one roof to discuss how to bring transformative change in the industry.   

From digital health solutions to emerging technologies, the MedTech Forum 2023 provided a glimpse into the future of healthcare. The forum emphasized the importance of collaboration, ethical considerations, and regulatory frameworks to ensure the safe and effective integration of innovative technologies. By empowering patients, and fostering partnerships, the event laid the foundation for a more patient-centric, technologically advanced, and inclusive healthcare landscape.  

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