Healthcare is one of the most important parts of modern life, as companies and scientists all over the world are trying to further their understanding of the human body and their ability to help people who need it the most. An unlikely ally in this quest, however, is the quantum computer, a tool usually used for complex equations and other problem-solving areas, but it’s proven to have many benefits in health, too.
Pinpointing Diseases
One of the biggest use cases of quantum computing in life sciences is the fact that these computers are adept at tracking incredibly small biological machinations, including the formation and breaking down of proteins and the life cycles of diseases that are too small to spot on anything but an electron microscope. This means that using quantum computers, scientists have been able to identify different diseases and track the way they multiply and reproduce and the effects they have on humans at a cellular level. Understanding the pathophysiology of each disease is often the key to finding the perfect medication and treatment plan to tackle it, which is why quantum computers are integral in the fight against bacteria and pathogens that are always evolving and adapting against the antibiotics commonly used against them.
Managing Supply Chains
Many people need to pay more attention to how complicated logistics and supply chains are in the world of healthcare since different hospitals and facilities need to be stocked with varying amounts of medicine and specific tools that are needed to treat patients. Medications and technology are often costly, and not every hospital needs to be fully stocked with them, especially ones that are present in areas with a low population. This means that to maintain efficiency and a sensible profit margin, companies have to figure out where to send their medications and resources where they can be used the best, and this is where quantum computers come in since they’re able to efficiently and instantly route out a supply chain that takes all of these different considerations into account.
Personalizing Treatments
The human body is complicated, and there are many things experts aren’t sure about, especially genes and their role in the body since different people react differently to the same medicine for seemingly no reason. Quantum computers, however, can isolate tiny biomarkers and other indications in a patient’s body so long as they are given a sample or some blood, which can then be used to predict which kind of medication a patient is more likely to respond to. This personalized form of treatment regularly results in safer treatments being offered to patients that have a much faster rate of improvement and efficacy.
Encrypting Patient Data
Healthcare data is considered one of the most private and confidential pieces of data in the world, with it being available only to patients and certain professionals, but now that servers have become the main way of storing this digitized data, it’s more susceptible to getting hacked and leaked than ever. Quantum computers, however, can encrypt this patient data in a particular way, with a certain key being needed to decrypt the data before it can be made readable again. This means that even if there is a data breach, anyone who gets their hand on your data won’t be able to access it in any way, shape, or form.
Support in Clinical Decisions
Clinical decisions are made by highly trained physicians with thousands of hours of experience using all of the information available to them, and quantum computers can be used in this process since they’re able to provide a deeper understanding of a patient and information about their body and issues than most conventional tools can. This means there’s more support than ever for specialists and for clinical decisions, which makes misdiagnoses far less likely.
Conclusion
Quantum computing is something that is poorly understood by the majority of people, and it’s because their complex architecture and unique method of working make them devices that only experts can wield. However, when it comes to healthcare, it’s important to be as informed as possible, which is why you should know about all of the ways quantum computing has been integral to the development and future of healthcare all over the world.
