ANCESTRYDNA TAKES A LOOK AT GENETIC HEALTH
As the DNA home-testing marketplace is slowing, AncestryDNA is launching a new division and product, AncestryHealth. This new risk-detection tool will let users know if they “are at risk for certain cancers or heart disease,” and for those who are not at risk, it will offer peace of mind. The tests will be performed using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)—new technology that has an 80%–90% detection rate. AncestryHealth customers will have access to an “independent network of board-certified genetic counselors, geneticists, physicians and other allied health professionals” to help them track their family’s health history. Research shows that because of COVID-19, 47% of Americans have a greater desire to understand their genetic health risks.
THE TRADITIONAL HOSPITAL MODEL IS CHANGING
A recent report from Deloitte Consulting finds that the coronavirus has expedited the arrival of “the hospital of the future,” which will not only be specialized and flexible but also smaller and more comfortable. Hospitals will decrease in size as more care shifts to physicians’ offices or patients’ homes since the necessary technology “is becoming more mobile.” Specialized and acute care will remain in hospitals while physical design will shift to smart rooms that can accommodate various patient types. Though many of these changes will take years, they will certainly be accelerated by the times we are living in.
Full article from Fast Company
MONITOR MEASURES FOOD INTAKE FOR METABOLISM
Kyocera has developed a carbohydrate monitoring system that could help those who are pre-diabetic from developing full-blown diabetes. Users will be able to measure their carbohydrate metabolism by placing a mini monitor on their wrist. A gyro sensor will detect their heart’s pulse wave patterns and estimate the carbohydrate metabolism in their blood. The entire process takes about 10 seconds, and results are available through an accompanying smartphone app.
