Advancing at-home healthcare solutions with material & manufacturing innovations

From drugstore pregnancy tests to glucose monitors, at-home medical devices and diagnostics have been part of the healthcare landscape for decades.

The COVID-19 pandemic was a watershed moment for the industry, funneling a new level of investment and energy into this previously slow-growing space.

Driven by the need for reliable, cost-efficient COVID-19 tests as well as the expansion of telehealth services, companies achieved faster, more focused innovation in at-home medical device development than ever before.

Since then, developers, manufacturers, and suppliers have worked to continue this momentum across a wide spectrum of indications and applications.

Technological advancements enabling the miniaturisation and simplification of devices have made their entry into the home more feasible and affordable.

By working together to unite innovative concepts and materials with design and manufacturing expertise, stakeholders across the industry can accelerate the development of groundbreaking at-home medical devices and diagnostics.

Drivers of growth & progress in at-home devices and diagnostics

Changing consumer needs and preferences have been key drivers of the growing at-home healthcare space.

While the COVID-19 pandemic rapidly revealed the extent to which medical care and testing could be decentralized to the patient’s home, the growth of at-home healthcare solutions has been more than a response to a crisis.

Survey data suggest that nearly a third of patients prefer telemedicine over in-person care, citing cost savings and overcoming geographic distance barriers among the primary advantages.

At-home diagnostic testing has experienced a particularly robust growth trajectory, with an anticipated compound annual growth rate ranging from 6.1% to 11.3% in the next five years.

Hundreds of self-collection tests are now on the market, offering users insights into infectious diseases, sexual health, fertility, food sensitivities, and more.

While at-home diagnostic testing is not a replacement for in-person care, it can offer consumers a faster and more convenient alternative to the logistical demands and wait times often associated with visiting a doctor.

The ability to pursue testing at home can also be a welcome source of privacy for tests that patients may consider embarrassing or uncomfortable, such as sexually transmitted disease testing.

These tests can also give consumers a greater sense of control over their health by providing an accessible means of learning more about genetic biomarkers, food sensitivities, fertility, and other facets of wellness.

Innovation trends empowering advances in at-home healthcare solutions

Advances in manufacturing techniques and materials have facilitated the path of medical devices and diagnostics from the clinic to the home.

From wearable infusion pumps to EKG monitors, portable, patient-friendly devices have made remote monitoring and at-home care for chronic conditions a reality.

Porous material solutions are a key player in the miniaturization and simplification of these technologies. B

y enabling a single element within a device to accomplish multiple functions and meet multiple needs, such as venting and moisture sensing within electronic devices, advancements in porous materials help products maintain a small footprint without compromising performance.

These improvements have made solutions like at-home hemodialysis possible, but further technological developments will be necessary to make them accessible to more patients.

Effective, user-friendly sample collection is foundational to at-home diagnostic testing.

Innovations in porous polymers, collection devices, and other technologies have facilitated at-home sampling of blood, saliva, urine, stool, and other fluids for testing.

These tests can reach patients who may not have taken action otherwise.

For example, a community health study found that offering patients the choice of a colonoscopy or at-home fecal immunochemical test (FIT) kit doubled the rate of colorectal cancer screening compared to offering a colonoscopy alone.

Advancements in swabs, wicking materials, and components have made it possible to collect and handle a wider variety of sample types from home, creating new avenues for patients to monitor and understand their health.

Novel material solutions have helped maintain the safety and quality of at-home medical solutions.

Advancements in topical applicators, nasal sprays, nebulizers, and other drug forms enable patients to more easily self-administer drugs at consistent doses.

Innovative porous material solutions, such as filters and barriers that prevent contamination in multi-use applicators, can provide safer, more controlled drug delivery.

Specialised packaging is also critical for at-home diagnostics, as kits must maintain the integrity of testing reagents and samples, especially those mailed to a central lab for analysis.

Continued innovation in this space will make even more at-home care solutions feasible and affordable, expanding patients’ options for understanding and addressing their healthcare needs.

Continuing the momentum with expert partnerships

The at-home medical device industry has undergone transformational progress in recent years, but stakeholders across the field must work together to continue this momentum.

When creating a novel device, how companies work together also matters.

Close collaboration between the developer and supplier typically results in a better end product as constraints, opportunities, and challenges both at the concept stage and the end manufacturing state are understood early on.

Working with established global suppliers offers access to faster problem-solving and a more sophisticated range of techniques.

For example, suppliers can now leverage advanced modeling capabilities for more precise engineering of components and fits between subcomponents, enabling better integration with customers’ platforms and empowering miniaturisation.

Suppliers can also offer more advanced materials, such as novel polymer systems and additives, providing greater possibilities for customisation than ever before.

The latest development capabilities now also provide true-to-production rapid prototypes in days rather than weeks, enabling faster screening of concepts and troubleshooting of device iterations while working under accelerated development timelines.

By building these relationships early and encouraging developers and suppliers to share challenges early in the development process, the end result is devices that deliver reliable performance and launch in a highly efficient manner.

Conclusion

The growing at-home medical device and diagnostic industry has transformed many facets of healthcare, redefining the care options available to patients.

Advances in development and manufacturing capabilities, along with new porous material solutions, have made this growth possible by expanding the “toolbox” available to developers.

The versatility and potential for customisation of these technologies translate to numerous possible applications − the future is limited only by the industry’s capacity for collaboration.