Developments in artificial intelligence (AI) and wearable devices are prompting medicine to evolve to a more connected model of care. Patients can now be monitored remotely by physicians via devices and associated apps, with improvements in wireless communication enabling a revolution in the medical sector.

What’s more, automated analysis of medical imaging is becoming increasingly sophisticated and powerful, driven by technology and computer software, which can offer improved accuracy and speed in diagnosing some conditions.

With these technological developments come challenges. Data management, security of communication and interoperability of health records are key, with cloud-based secure databases for medical information a common goal. Additionally, optimising user-friendly, graphical interfaces on consumer devices, to assist patients in operating home-use medical technologies and navigate information, is an ongoing endeavour for many organisations in this field.

HGF’s specialists in electronics, life sciences, chemistry and engineering work collaboratively to prepare patent applications relating to medical technologies such as medical image processing, medical apparatus, diagnostic algorithms and drug discovery for a wide-range of clients in the medical field. This includes multinational corporations, SMEs, research institutes and universities.  HGF’s specialist medical technology team remains abreast of technical developments in the medical field, including how AI is transforming healthcare and how patent law is keeping pace with this evolution.

This cross-disciplinary working strategy draws on key expertise, such as knowledge of exceptions to patentability relating to medical diagnosis and treatment, and circumventing exclusions to software patentability, allowing for the best possible scope of protection in each key jurisdiction.