The medical industry has changed rapidly over the past few years. Between the implementation of the Affordable Care and an aging population, there is a great need for new medical technology than ever before. Here are some of the biggest changes that will affect in the field in the coming year.

Greater Emphasis on Stopping Medical Errors

Healthcare providers and insurers are becoming increasingly focused on lowering medical errors. Medical malpractice costs patients over $55 billion a year. Many medical technology companies are developing new technology to help reduce medical errors, which could ultimately bring costs down for patients in the long run.

Companies are looking for solutions to highly specific medical malpractice errors. Several companies are actually developing high tech sponges so that surgeons are less likely to leave them inside the patient after a procedure. Other companies are trying to refine medical pumps to reduce the risks of patients receiving too much medication.

Growing Competition from Foreign Medical Technology Companies

U.S. medical technology companies are going to face increased competition from overseas firms. One report found that Cuba is becoming a hub for medical technology across the world. Other developing countries are expanding their medical technology services as well.

Many foreign companies can’t develop technology that addresses certain healthcare needs, so domestic firms will retain a monopoly for some healthcare solutions. However, U.S. firms may need to refine their technology to maintain an edge against overseas competitors.

Changes to Layouts of Medical Offices

Most medical innovation companies are focused on developing new technology. However, other companies want to make changes to other aspects of the profession. One company is trying to create a new template for medical offices across the country.

This company won the 2013 award from TechCrunch for the best healthcare startup. The company said believes that changing the layout of medical offices will allow healthcare providers to lower healthcare costs and offer higher quality services.

Congress Wages War Against Medical Patent Trolls

Patent trolling has become a serious issue over the last few years. Many entrepreneurs have been jaded after having their trade secrets stolen because they forgot to patent them. This could discourage medical innovation in the years to come.

Congress has been working hard on patent reform over the past year and half. Lawmakers have also introduced new legislation to make it easier for inventors to seek litigation against the companies that stole their trade secrets.

Record Keeping Will Become More Essential than Ever

Believe it or not, many doctors still don’t like using computers. They are going to need to start using it in the future though, because electronic records are going to be essential under the Affordable Care Act. Some doctors may find the system challenging, because they are not very tech-savvy. Fortunately, new medical software applications are coming out on the market, which should be easier for doctors to learn. This should make it easier for older doctors to make the transition to using the software and keep accurate medical records.