Technology has advanced a lot, hasn’t it?
In fact, with all that goes on in the tech world, it’s quite hard to pinpoint the most useful innovation. What comes quite close, however, has to be the inclusion of digital technologies in healthcare.
Medtech can help with maintaining and regulating vitals, yes. With advanced technologies, though, even the advanced diagnosis of a fatal disease is possible. Such advancements in the field of technology help us create economically efficient solutions.
As Xylexa’s CEO Mr. Shahrukh Babar has informed us, it turns out that even the diagnosis of a terminal disease like breast cancer has become easier with the help of technological advancements.
“There is already a dearth of radiologists around the world, not just in Pakistan. They spend over 20 minutes on average to read a single mammogram. Even then, the accuracy of the first opinion is generally below 70 per cent. With Xylexa, the accuracy increases by more than 20pc while reducing the time needed to read an image, thus enhancing the capacity significantly,” says Xylexa CEO Shahrukh Babar.
Now, you might be wondering how Xylexa manages to do all that, right?
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It's a computer aided diagnostics platform. To put it in layman terms, it’s a system that assists doctors with interpretation of medical images.
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To be more specific, Xylexa uses Augmented Reality (AR) and advanced image processing to assist healthcare professionals.
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Xylexa’s platform is a decision support system for radiologists.
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Have you heard of getting a second opinion? Xylexa is that second opinion that every patient around the globe looks for.
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Researchers at Xylexa are also working on the development of a software that would provide a better therapeutic plan for breast cancer.
Now, why do we need Xylexa, you might wonder? The answer is in the following statements:
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1. Advance Diagnosis
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Improved Accuracy
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Reduced costs
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Preventive care can slow down or eve cure the disease
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Helpful for the patient’s mental health
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Patients, with a fatal case, have enough time to sort out their legal and financial matters
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Healthcare Professionals can use the extra time to strategize a more effective treatment
2. Assists and supports Medical Professionals
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Reduces Image Processing Time
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Assists and supports Radiologists
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Radiologists can go through more reports in lesser amount of time
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Increases radiologist’s confidence
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Improves communication between colleagues and patients
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Better Resources and Treatment can be provided to patients
3. Reduces Recall Rate
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Minimizes false positives
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Reduces errors
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Increased safety of the patients.
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Reduces follow-up visits and unwanted biopsies
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Saves patients from the arduous journey of visiting and revisiting hospitals
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Reduces costs of the invasive diagnostic tests
4. First Patient Portal
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A portal through which data can be exchanged between doctors and patients
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Provides you with a second opinion
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More informed medical decisions
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No Investment/license Fee
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No subscription required and payment is due per study model
5. Accessible from Everywhere
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Can be accessed from anywhere at any given time
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Data is encrypted yet easily shareable across the globe
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While the above stated points are specific for Xylexa, there is a rather gaping hole in our healthcare system where we need to incorporate technology effectively.
The risk of breast cancer is increasing year by year in Pakistan. 1 in 9 women is at risk of getting breast cancer.
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Early diagnosis and treatment, one can greatly increase the chances of survival and take the necessary preventive measures. Unfortunately in Pakistan, due to a short-staffed diagnostic team, many individuals succumb from this disease. With the increasing rate each year, there is a dire need for a change in our current diagnostic system.
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Usually to test for breast cancer, one has to undergo ultrasounds, MRIs and biopsies too if required. The whole process is stressful and induces fear in the patients where many reject to get tested. There are incidents of false positives too that also create a negative light on this issue. But thankfully due to modern technology, organizations such as XYLEXA are revolutionizing the traditional method and through their augmented reality and Radiology technology, they are able to accurately and efficiently diagnose breast cancer without making the patient undergo a taxing journey of constant testing. This technology is already being applied around the globe and has proven to produce great results
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Pakistan Healthcare Crisis
There is no hiding the fact that the Pakistan health sector is lacking in quite a few ways. From lack of facilities available to corrupt healthcare officials, from under-staffed hospitals to faulty systems, there are endless issues prominent in the healthcare industry.
There is a small chance that by incorporating Xylexa, one can prevent cancer in Pakistan and reduce the cost of the treatment. It seems like a long way to go but nothing comes easy, as we have learned from the entrepreneurs up till now.
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Cost of Treatment
In rural Pakistan, there are hardly any hospitals around. Even if there is one around, it’s likely to be short on resources. facilities and medical staff. Due to this, patients with severe cases have to travel for hours for a simple check-up. These commoners cannot afford to spend so much of their time, money and resources on their health, which makes them take a step back from treatments. By incorporating AR, as mentioned before, technology can certainly make differences in the lives of such people.
To conclude, Pakistan desperately needs to further its healthcare sector. There’s a ray of hope for Pakistan that within our youth, there might be a technology driven mind. Someone who might be able to rescue the Pakistani healthcare sector from the catastrophe it has become. With that hope instilled in us, let’s hope for the government institutions to wake up and actively try to improve the healthcare sector.
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