“What Renata Bushko has done over last five years leading the effort to define the future of health technology resulted in many exquisite chapters in this book. “Future of Health Technology” will lend itself to those who want to know now what the future looks like. Understanding that vision of the future is a necessary step in applying health technology to improving healthcare quality in the future. This book sets the direction for the next century.”

Michael Fitzmaurice, Ph.D., Senior Science Advisor for Information Technology Immediate Office of the Director, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, US Department of Health and Human Services

Health technology becomes the center of healthcare systems' strategic planning process. Developing a clear vision of the future of health technology and smart investment in technology are the critical success factors. Healthcare leaders need to develop a vision of future health technology to lead effectively in the new century. The social and economic issues surrounding health care will be inextricably linked to the technological aspects of medicine in the next century. Given rapid progress in nanomedicine, the pressure towards detailed outcomes analysis, growing use of Internet, robotic surgery, genetic therapy, telemedicine, on-line consumer education, and bioinformatics health technology becomes the key to intelligent health care. To embrace technology is the only way health systems can assimilate with the technologically advanced society. On-going massive medical data collection, instantaneous analysis, affective computing with emotional intelligence, and nanosurgery will be possible soon. We are entering the biomechatronics and nanobiomechatronics era.

Last century took us from the first electric switch back in 1880s to the first nanomotor’s switch in the year 2000; from 30 ton computer to polymer transistors on a plastic that one can print at home; from electric light to electronic paper, windows, mirrors and wallpaper. In the next century most current diseases will be history and medicine will be focused on maximizing joy and pleasures of long lives of humans augmented with biomechatronics. Most healthcare cost will be shifted from end-of-life to prenatal care. Since everybody will be augmented with biomechatronics, the word “disabled” will not exist anymore — we will all have the same chance to be truly human.

The “Future of Health Technology” book provides a comprehensive vision of the future of health technology by looking at the ways to advance (1) medical technologies, (2) health information infrastructure, and (3) intellectual leadership. It also explores new technology creation and adoption processes including the impact of rapidly evolving technologies. People discover and respond to the future as much as they plan it. Health systems and societies with the clear vision of future health technology will have a better chance of reducing human suffering. This book will make you look technology straight into its glittering eyes and you will see how many tears it can eliminate from the Earth if we all join in the quest for a better tomorrow for us, our children and the generations to follow.

Renata G. Bushko, Editor, Future of Health Technology book, Founder, Future of Health Technology Institute, Hopkinton, MA, US