The new healthcare professionals

Images of the future

Will the digital revolution create new professions in the healthcare sector? It would seem that way. The goal certainly seems to be to make home care and the personalisation of care more and more accessible.

Reminiscent of science fiction, current projections of professions that will assist or supplement the traditional figure of the doctor are taken from the predictions made by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (USBLS), which, looking at investments in health research, from pharmaceuticals to robotics, from machinery to biotechnology, has come up with a set of new professions that could innovate the process of personal care.

Here are some of the professions revealed by the crystal ball:

Home care

These professionals will be experts in the management of new medical and e-health devices who will develop innovative solutions to simplify the model of de-hospitalisation and home care by facilitating the relationship between the elderly and technology.

Experimental therapist

Experimental therapists will offer alternative and personalised treatments, partly using genetic studies. This professional will probably have good bioethics foundations.

Memory augmentation surgeon

This professional will be tasked with preserving and improving memory. According to the study, these surgeons will be able to add additional mnemonic capacity, but above all help people with diseases of the central nervous system.

Body part maker

This professional will produce limbs and tissue in the lab using 3D printing.

Nanomedico

This doctor will create micro and nano implants to monitor the health and self-medication of patients.

Bioinformationist

This professional will combine genetics and the development of medication and personalised clinical therapies.

Geomicrobiologist

This professional will research how microorganisms can be used to develop new drugs or fight pollution.

Even if digital is often associated with cyberchondria, i.e. the risk of self-diagnosing diseases based on information gathered on the internet, the reality is that technology actually makes it possible to better monitor patients and involve people in the treatment process. According to Eric Topol, a world-renowned cardiologist, technology helps maintain the right doctor-patient balance. Digital trials have already become the reality in many contexts. A number of apps make it possible to obtain immediate information and make progress in clinical research. What needs to be monitored is the quality of apps, which, if designed superficially, can be counterproductive.

Even the potential frustrations among older people as regards the need to change habits and adapt to digital can be an obstacle to enjoying technological benefits. The solution lies with other professionals with training in human sciences, who can facilitate the transition to digital literacy, along with the creation of qualified professionals who provide assistance to the elderly and support the patient's relationship with the doctor.