The healthcare industry continues to be a hotbed of innovation, with activity driven by telemedicine, real-time diagnostics, smart hospitals and access to digital therapies, and the growing importance of technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), the internet of things (IoT), augmented reality (AR), robotics and data management practices. In the last three years alone, there have been over 106,000 patents filed and granted in the healthcare industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Cloud in Healthcare: Smart medication dispenser.
However, not all innovations are equal and nor do they follow a constant upward trend. Instead, their evolution takes the form of an S-shaped curve that reflects their typical lifecycle from early emergence to accelerating adoption, before finally stabilising and reaching maturity.
Identifying where a particular innovation is on this journey, especially those that are in the emerging and accelerating stages, is essential for understanding their current level of adoption and the likely future trajectory and impact they will have.
200+ innovations will shape the healthcare industry
According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which plots the S-curve for the healthcare industry using innovation intensity models built on over 443,000 patents, there are 200+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Within the emerging innovation stage, software as a medical device (SaMD), AR/VR medical imaging interfaces, and automated clinical documentation are disruptive technologies that are in the early stages of application and should be tracked closely. Medical image display devices, 3d modelling and rendering, and AI-assisted EHR are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas are wearable fitness monitors and medical device secure data transmission, which are now well established in the industry.
Innovation S-curve for cloud in the healthcare industry
Smart medication dispenser is a key innovation area in cloud
The Smart Medication Dispenser evaluates, administers, and delivers patient medication at a configured schedule and generates alarms at the touch of a button, enabling patients and family members to effectively track medication. As a result, it boosts adherence to treatment, sends out reminders, tracks and reports drug intake, and orders refills.
GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 60+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established healthcare companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of smart medication dispenser.
Key players in smart medication dispenser – a disruptive innovation in the healthcare industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of different applications identified for each relevant patent and broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of different countries each relevant patent is registered in and reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to smart medication dispenser
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Becton Dickinson is one of the leading patent filers in smart medication dispensers. Some other key patent filers in the field include Yuyama and Koninklijke Philips.
In terms of application diversity, Baxter International leads the pack, followed by Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries and Global Tel*Link. By means of geographic reach, Access Business Group International holds the top position, followed by Stiplastics and Dosentrx in the second and third spots, respectively.
Medication adherence, which can be challenging for patients and caregivers to manage daily, is one of the most crucial aspects of health and well-being. As a result of data security, dependable connectivity, and usability, patients and caregivers may rest certain that assistance is always available to improve health outcomes. Future enhancements may include displaying the number of medications removed from the dispenser on mobile devices, which will aid in keeping track of a greater number of patients being evaluated.
To further understand how Cloud is disrupting the healthcare industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Cloud Computing in Healthcare.
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
