Digital magazine of 2021 , a year many of us around the world have been eagerly awaiting after the challenges of 2020 .

The global pandemic has placed exceptional pressures on health systems , but technology has proven to be a valuable tool to both deliver care where it ’ s needed and help reduce the strain on healthcare staff .

Our January issue has a focus on innovative ways technology is providing solutions to healthcare challenges , starting with our cover feature on RPA . Up until recently only 5 per cent of healthcare providers invested in automation , but now around half are planning to deploy some form of RPA software in the next three years . As well as helping to ease the burden of repetitive , administrative tasks on staff , it ’ s become a vital tool to solve specific problems caused by Covid-19 , such as processing large numbers of tests .

Another area of innovation is 3D printing , which is set to become a huge segment of healthcare . We speak to two leaders in this field ; Julielynn Wong tells

us about 3D printing in space to create medical supplies that can help deliver care to remote locations on Earth , and Gautam Gupta of 3D Systems Corporation , the company behind the first 3D printer , tells us how this technology can reduce supply chain issues .

We ’ ve got an interview with Dr Tom Lawton MBE , who talks us through his groundbreaking role as the UK ’ s first Head of Clinical Artificial Intelligence . Based at Bradford Teaching Hospitals in the north of England , he ’ s helping to transform the way the hospital operates using AI .

We also take a look at the four major ways blockchain is set to revolutionise healthcare , and we ’ ve rounded up 10 key virtual healthcare events for you to add to your diary .

Enjoy the issue , and happy new year .

Leila Hawkins

leila . hawkins @ bizclikmedia . com

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