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The emerging technologies in healthcare have played a significant role in the changes and adaptations the industry has undergone since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pivotal healthcare technology trends in 2023 have emerged surrounding the use of the healthcare tech field that will continue to shape its future.
Around 80% of health systems plan to increase their investment levels in digital healthcare over the next five years, according to the HIMSS report. The intention is clear, but which technologies are worth attention?
This overview of the top healthcare technology trends in 2023 will answer this question based on Softermii’s more than 8 years’ experience developing top-notch healthcare solutions.
Healthcare IT Market Overview: Forecasts for 2023–2030
The global healthcare services market has reached almost $7.5 trillion in 2022 and will continue to grow further, surpassing $9 trillion in 2026. Besides that, the healthcare IT market demonstrates significant growth as well. Following Precedence Research, it hit $320billion in 2022 and is projected to reach $857.6 billion by 2030.
According to the recent Deloitte report, there’s a growing demand for accessible and secure care, remote monitoring, and interoperability between healthcare institutions. Thus, healthcare professionals seek new medical technologies to satisfy that demand and provide the desired impact on patient care.
Top 13 Digital Trends in Healthcare for 2023
The recent Future of Healthcare Report from the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) indicates more than half of surveyed patients are willing to use telehealth services. Among all, they highly appraise their quality and cost-effectiveness.
Read also: Cost of Telemedicine Software Implementation
As for the latest trends in the healthcare technology industry that already address the customer needs on the market, experts appraise the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), cybersecurity measures, remote patient monitoring (RPM), FinTech integration, cloud migration, and Big Data analytics. These technologies have passed the pandemic test and proved their effectiveness in shaping the global digital health landscape.
As for other global healthcare technology trends, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies are strengthening their positions. Among all, they suit the needs of patients the most accurately. Healthcare organizations can facilitate management and strongly empower analytics and decision-making.
Besides, robotic process automation (RPA) and cognitive automation (CA) are the most promising emerging technologies in healthcare. Combining ML and AI with other technologies introduces next-level automation and augmentation of improved compliance, control, and capacity processes.
So top healthcare digital transformation trends in 2023 are as follows:
- Internet of Medical Things (IoMT)
- Cybersecurity and Data Privacy
- Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM)
- Improved Big Data & Analytics
- Cloud Migration
- Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
- Cognitive Automation (CA)
- FinTech Integration
- Interoperability and Connectivity
- Telehealth
- Data Breach Prevention
- Network Strategies
- Tailored Patient Experience
Let’s dwell on them in greater detail.
Read also: Digital Transformation for Small and Medium Enterprises
1. Internet of Medical Things (IoMT)
According to Precedence Research, the global internet of things (IoT) in healthcare market size was valued at $180.5 billion in 2021 and it is expected to reach around $960.2 billion by 2030 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20.41% during the forecast period 2022 to 2030.
Wearable devices and trackers are important health IT trends. Their key benefit is providing real-time and detailed data on the patients’ health states, which is precious for doctors’ observation.
IoMT enables a significant shift in patient awareness. With trackers, people get access to real-time data on their daily behavior and can provide changes on the way. If the device includes certain gamification features, it can reward patients and increase their motivation to lead a healthier lifestyle. Because of this, the impact of technology is tremendous, enriching a rational need for sticking to healthy habits with pure fun.
In their turn, doctors can receive notifications and participate in patients’ treatment more actively than ever. The rich data set from this new technology in healthcare include sleep patterns, nutrition habits, average activity level, and other parameters. With this information, healthcare practitioners can build more realistic coaching programs and track the treatment progress more accurately.
Chronic Conditions and Wearables
IoMT innovations reveal their best in the case of disorders that require significant lifestyle alterations. For example, they are smoking addiction, overanxious disorder, obesity, or type 2 diabetes.
According to the latest data, about 422 million people worldwide have diabetes. Unfortunately, type 2 diabetes treatment was on the patient’s conscience for a long time, and doctors had no tools to trust their words and promises. Since success heavily depends on lifestyle changes, healthcare providers had no instruments to control the progress.
The inclusion of wearables has fixed this problem, inviting doctors to cooperate with their patients in building healthier lifestyles. It contributes to establishing Patient First Approach, or the framework for educating patients about their treatment stages and milestones. The global personalized medicine market was valued at $514.33 billion in 2021 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.95% from 2023 to 2030.
Read also: Hyper-Personalized Medicine Explained
With type 2 diabetes, these indicators include the maximum amount of sugar allowed and the minimum daily activity level. Moreover, the device can store regular human insulin (RHI) needed. As a result, the treatment has become more successful and easy to follow.
These conditions lend themselves well to the value of wearable devices and PGHD because individuals need more constant guidance and self-reflection to succeed than can be provided with sporadic office visits.
2. Cybersecurity and Data Privacy
Data security is still a key industrial concern, and cybersecurity will appear relevant among trends in the health IT industry for a long time. All future technological enhancements will stick to the requirement to possess a significant security layer. The ultimate goal is to protect sensitive patient data delivered online.
At the end of 2021, the number of weekly attacks on healthcare reached an average of 626 per organization and is constantly growing. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation stated that over 40 million patients’ healthcare records were compromised in 2021, as half of the internet-connected hospital devices are vulnerable to cyberattacks.
The current examples of cybersecurity measures include the interconnectivity of IoMT devices, threat detection in the network, and the application of robust AI models to overcome the need to share patient information while analyzing it. By the way, you can use these highly effective recommendations to deal with cyber attacks.
Still, cybersecurity is a hot topic, considering the growing number and risks of data breaches. For example, cybersecurity for hospitals is the lead story today. The increasing extent of information sharing and interoperability will only deepen the problem. In the given circumstances, the healthcare market will actively search for truly secure and reliable software that sticks to patient safety standards in the coming years.
HIPAA-Compliant Video Conferencing Platforms
Since the pandemic, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) has become a required video conferencing standard. This federal law prescribes companies “to protect the privacy and security of individuals’ medical records and other protected health information (PHI).”
Most telehealth video conferencing platforms follow this rule. The use cases include Zoom for Healthcare, Skype for Business, VSee, Citrix GoToMeeting, and many other analogs of calling software. As the next step in the industry, upcoming communication platforms will provide safety beyond end-to-end encryption that stores patient data in cloud storage and still puts it at risk. Such brand-new alternatives already include Signal, DuckDuckGo, and Tauria.
Also, you can check our custom HIPAA-compliant video conferencing software designed for healthcare needs, which has enhanced cybersecurity measures.
3. Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM)
Of the latest trends in healthcare technology, RPM occupies a special place. COVID-19 also contributed to turning remote patient monitoring into the current tendency in the medical field. The rise of virtual healthcare takes many forms, including online appointments, remote care, and video conferencing. And the wide range of IoMT devices empowers RPM with even more opportunities.
According to Research and Markets, the global RPM systems market is projected to be worth over $175.2 billion by 2027, compared to $53.6 billion in 2022.
In the long run, hands-free communication is one of the most prominent future healthcare technology trends in revenue cycle management. That’s because RPM saves time and valuable resources for healthcare organizations of any scale. During the pandemic, it revealed its best while dealing with personal protective equipment. In the future, the achievement of RPM can unlock combining hands-free and on-site treatments for delivering the desired service appearance for different patient categories.
RPM significantly contributes to health equity, which means wide access to health services in any geographical, social, economic, and political conditions. It is a huge step forward for humanity that demonstrates how technology can improve the world.
Focus on the Mental Health Care
The global COVID-19 pandemic has drastically accelerated mental health issues worldwide. According to WHO, nearly 1 billion people live with a mental disorder, and in low-income countries, more than 75% of people with the disorder do not receive treatment. In addition, over 700,000 people die by suicide annually, and about 50% of mental health disorders start by age 14.
The enhancements of RPM have played a significant role in coping with these problems. Thanks to telemedicine, patients can receive high-quality help from psychotherapists without putting their physical health at risk.
According to McKinsey and Co, the use of telemedicine has been 38 times higher since February 2020 than it has ever been before and has since stabilized. And most of the remote visits fall on mental health care. Thus, this latest medical technology in 2023 will become one of the key ones in the healthcare sector.
Moreover, the technology opened the doors for the most vulnerable patients, including people suffering from chronic disorders, comorbidities, and other mental illnesses. Previously, they didn’t have access to healthcare providers due to the scarcity of resources, the shame of showing up publicly, and racial inequity. But today, all they need is to have an Internet connection and launch a communication platform.
Deloitte Global predicts The size of the global market for mental health apps increased from $5.49 billion in 2022 to $6.36 billion in 2023, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.7%. If you intend to establish your communication app for private communication with your patients, check our guide on how to make a secure custom mHealth app.
4. Improved Big Data & Analytics
According to Frost & Sullivan’s forecast, introducing AI technology in healthcare data analytics can save the industry at least $150 million by 2025. Such an achievement is possible thanks to real-time and long-distance analysis and measurement of patient data. Given such striking cost-effectiveness, the AI trend will hit its stride in the next few years.
For medical providers and researchers, the COVID-19 pandemic spotlighted data analytics, along with the immense challenge of real-time decision-making under rapidly changing conditions. Healthcare providers can get lost in dozens of spreadsheets and meetings if processed manually. That’s why the digital future inevitably includes technology capable of processing Big Data instead of humans and providing real-time analytics for decision-makers.
Another power of analytics is in making predictions. In this case, predictive analytics and business intelligence enhancements enable leveraging data-driven insights of previous patient interactions with healthcare organizations and providing needed changes. It brings good for both sides. Patients get accurate treatment plans and timely services. In turn, healthcare providers enjoy staff optimization and greater control over the supply chain.
The Capabilities of Predictive Analytics During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The pandemic has spurred predictive analytics to reveal its full potential. The need to monitor and respond to population health challenges, improve patient outcomes and collaborate with public health agencies led to initiatives like the University of Chicago Medicine. They offer to use data in new ways — special dashboards for data visualization.
The technology helps monitor patient populations, digital healthcare trends, and ventilator and ICU needs, detect drug and equipment shortages in times of uncertainty and point these problems to healthcare professionals. Besides, predictive analytics applies external data — like weather conditions — in the analysis. Empowered with GPS, the software serves as the must-have optimization system for crisis management.
5. Cloud Migration
Cloud migration in healthcare is now in full swing and will see significant growth in the future. MarketsandMarkets states that the global healthcare cloud computing market is projected to reach $89.4 billion by 2027, from an estimated $39.4 billion in 2022 at a CAGR of 17.8% during the forecast period.
It solves many major challenges in service delivery, including record management, remote care, and reaching low-income patients. Providers worldwide use the cloud to efficiently manage emails and electronic medical records (EMRs) and make real-time data available to healthcare professionals.
Moving legacy call center operations from old technology stacks to the cloud can improve customer engagement and streamline issue resolution. Traditional health systems often limit organizations’ ability to deliver efficient, cost-effective care and retain patients. Moving operations to the cloud creates a secure and compliant omnichannel contact center platform with conversational AI and automation, complemented by an integrated ecosystem to deliver an enhanced customer experience.
HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society) survey analysts claim that “Cloud solutions are an extension of a healthcare organization’s communications infrastructure. Connectivity should easily ‘scale up,’ as more applications are moved to the cloud.”
6. Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
Among the current healthcare technology trends, this one is rapidly gaining momentum. The World Healthcare Organization (WHO) predicted that the global healthcare worker shortage could reach 12.9 million professionals by 2035, making in-person medical appointments a luxury few patients can afford. And the COVID-19 pandemic has only aggravated things. Wide-scale adoption of robotic process automation (RPA) solutions in healthcare may cure medical system inefficiencies.
RPA-empowered bots are a significant milestone in healthcare information technology development. Health providers can experience accurate automation, cost reduction, staff optimization, and even introduce transformational changes with the know-how. On the patient side, AI algorithms can guide people to the needed doctor by scanning their symptoms more accurately than traditional search engines.
In essence, the technological innovation of RPA has introduced robots that mimic human behavior to the healthcare sector. They have numerous capabilities, including screenwriting detection, data input, and the implementation of pre-defined actions. These days, healthcare organizations widely apply RPA for information management, appointment scheduling, claims management, optimal care delivery, and hospital management.
Instant Online Scheduling
RPA enables all the magic behind quick and accurate appointment setting in hospitals. Under the hood, the technology detects the relevant personal information about the patient, instantly matches the symptoms with the diagnoses, and pulls up the insurance details. Automatically, it checks the free spots in doctors’ schedules in all the hospitals close to the patient’s location.
On a day chosen, your doctor simply receives a notification about your visit with all the relevant data attached. If a problem occurs, the system will send you an alert and offer to visit another doctor. And all this happens in a matter of a couple of clicks.
7. Cognitive Automation (CA)
Among the emerging trends in healthcare technology, it is worth highlighting CA. Cognitive Automation is the next-level tendency for true digital transformation. These days, it’s among emerging IT market trends in healthcare, but the tech package and applicability are about to change the state of managing an industry to the core. It takes the achievements of RPA but applies the mimicking of human behavior beyond the repetitive tasks. In short, it serves as the digital brain of the healthcare organization.
In essence, CA takes the automation capabilities of current software providers and applies ML algorithms to introduce decision velocity in the industry. It becomes possible to process zettabytes of data within seconds and provide decision-makers with ready-to-accept recommendations backed up by real-time data. The ultimate goal is to establish a self-driving enterprise where all the operational processes are automated.
These days, not every healthcare payer can afford such technology. But the prospects of providing a unified operating system and increasing the speed and accuracy of decisions are worth investing in. Within a couple of years, CA will become more common and open to numerous healthcare industry representatives.
Cognitive Automation Adoption in Merck Healthcare
Merck Healthcare uses the latest medical technology of CA from Aera Technology as a central part of digitizing and modernizing its legacy systems. In particular, the company managed to unite several ERP and manufacturing execution software types and a separate system for supply chain planning under a sole solution.
The technology adopts ML algorithms to create more accurate forecasts considering numerous internal and external factors. Moreover, CA adoption in Merck Healthcare improved cost savings, processes, and security measures. Nevertheless, the novelty of technology causes problems with trust at the moment.
8. FinTech Integration
Healthcare spending is likely to reach $6 trillion by 2027. Until recently, the healthcare system tended to be an old-school bureaucratic system. But now, many hospitals and medical institutions have turned to the tech industry to improve their filing and billing processes, and tech has begun delivering.
The financial technology covers insurance, management services, digital payments, settlement services, capital-raising, deposits, and credit services. Thus it facilitates and streamlines healthcare processes by lowering the cost of financial services. Through robotic investment advice, P2P lending, mobile payments, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and blockchain technologies, fintech boosts the healthcare sector by mitigating inefficiencies in its payment plans.
Read also: How to Build a P2P Payment App for Money Transfer?
And even more — FinTech solutions may help reduce income inequality and financial exclusion and enable low to moderate-income individuals to afford and access healthcare services.
We’ve already seen several successful cases, such as PayZen, which calculates a person’s health care cost and ability to pay those fees after insurance, then sets up a payment plan for and an automated system to help streamline the billing process for hospitals. Or Nomi Health — a healthcare startup that offers employers a payment platform that connects directly to healthcare providers, which it says can save everyone money.
9. Interoperability and Connectivity
It is another trend in healthcare technology that popped up during the global pandemic due to the lack of data interoperability. It has slowed caregivers down for years and impacted their ability to provide the best possible care.
The interoperability and connectivity of medical devices are widely recognized as important factors in helping hospitals achieve better patient data flow, synchronization, quicker and more accurate identification of high-risk patients, and improving the overall outcome.
According to Google Cloud’s research, nearly 59% of doctors believe better interoperability will help them more quickly identify high-risk patients. In comparison, 95% of docs agree that enhanced interoperability will improve patient outcomes.
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has finalized its rules that give individuals greater control in sharing health information, a consumer-centric approach to healthcare. Patients can now access and share their electronic health information more easily. Interoperability between providers and MedTech developers is also expected to improve, and we will see huge growth in the field in the upcoming years.
10. Telehealth
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine has seen the wildest growth and has become one of the hottest trends in the healthcare industry. 82% of customers experienced telemedicine for the first time since the start of COVID-19.
According to Precedence Research, the telemedicine market is poised to grow to $225 billion in 2030. It has become an integral part of the whole healthcare industry.
Telehealth uses mobile technology, including virtual doctor visits and remote patient monitoring tools, to enable permanent access to medical care. These services eliminate the need for nonessential doctor visits and make it easier for patients in rural locations, or without easy access to transportation, to see a doctor or other healthcare professional, including medical specialists of wider specialization.
There is no need to say that telemedicine will continue expanding, supported by the continuously growing demand. The current market is divided into three main segments by the source of healthcare: telehospitals, telehomes, and mobile health. All three niches of the industry are expected to grow.
Telehome, also known as telehomecare, is an industry term for home-administered healthcare and health monitoring. It’s one of the largest trends in telemedicine of the past year.
The largest market driver boosting this healthcare trend is the growing number of chronic diseases — 133 million Americans have at least one. This need for better, more comprehensive continuous treatment, combined with technological innovations, result in new services being offered and more patients expecting convenience in the services offered to them. Thus, telehome will play a significant part in the future of telehealth.
Millennials in age 25 to 40, together with Gen Z, the oldest of whom are in their mid-twenties, are the most tech-friendly and tech-savvy generations on the lookout to save and receive more convenient services. They present a unique market for telehospitals to increase further, and it’s likely to stay one of the top telehealth trends for 2023 and beyond.
One of the biggest telehealth industry trends, in general, is making health more accessible. Mobile healthcare is the broadest term in the telehealth industry, encompassing everything from apps that help users conduct breathing exercises to connecting to healthcare professionals directly.
The most significant market driver boosting mobile health is the popularity of smartphones and tablets.
11. Data Breach Prevention
Over the years, the data breach issue has become more critical. According to the HIPAA Journal, today, the number of healthcare data breaches exceeds two times daily, which was a concern only once a day in 2017.
Thus, healthcare institutions actively implement preventive measures against data leakage. In particular, one of the primary methods is to ensure HIPAA compliance.
12. Network Strategies
The healthcare digital transformation market is growing at over 14% annually. In conditions where doctors actively use telemedicine and patients track their progress through wearables and mHealth apps, a network strategy is necessary.
Therefore, the implementation of network solutions for effective communication and data exchange between doctors, patients, and healthcare organizations is another important trend in healthcare.
13. Tailored Patient Experience
Another future trend in healthcare technology is the provision of a tailored patient experience. It’s especially noticeable considering the global precision medicine market growth, which will reach $146.6 billion by 2028, in contrast to $65.9 billion in 2021.
In the coming years, implementing any new technology in the medical field will be carried out by putting the patient at the center of this process. Studying the specifics of each patient’s condition will help draw up more effective treatment plans and get better treatment outcomes.
Which Healthcare IT Trends Are No Longer Relevant?
Looking at healthcare technology trends ten years ago, some are still relevant. However, some solutions moved from “nice-to-have” into the “must-have” category. For example, EHR system integration is no longer the latest trend for 2023 but rather a necessity. So if you haven’t done it yet, now is the right time to do it.
Some trends have been reinterpreted in recent years. For example, if earlier migration to the cloud was treated with concerns about data security, now it’s a viable solution for the healthcare sector.
Generally, there are no apparent anti-trends in healthcare today. Instead, we are observing the steady development of such technologies as Big Data, cloud computing, interoperability and connectivity, telehealth, and cybersecurity, which were on the agenda a decade ago.
Softermii’s Opinion
Our experts identify three major trends in healthcare IT:
- Cybersecurity. Software developers will carefully check each new system to prevent hacker attacks, delays in treatment, and deaths.
- Shift to a unified system. The industry is moving towards one system of care that relies on intelligence and automated decision-making.
- Remote healthcare. Technologies unlock numerous opportunities to advance the current healthcare system. Hospitals will use things like smartwatches, temperature sensors, and BP monitors more widely, and telehealth has become an integral part of the modern healthcare system.
Cybersecurity is one of the most important trends in HealthTech. Once the pandemic hit the world, digitalization skyrocketed, and along with it, cyber threats became higher than ever. Professionals in HealthTech are very careful and slow while considering new systems and software. It’s reasonable, as the risk of hospital systems not operating normally or properly can lead to not only delays in treatment, but also deaths.
Softermii’s Experience
New and existing businesses that want to capitalize on current healthcare technology trends need an experienced partner to guide them through the intricacies of such development.
Softermii has the necessary experience to bring your idea to market. We have a proven track record of success, as these case studies highlight our work on the HIPAA Video and MedRealtime projects.
Partnering with developers experienced in building solutions for the healthcare industry is a great strategy for companies breaking into the lucrative telehealth market. They will have already addressed many issues that will materialize during product development and streamline project completion.
HIPAA Telmed
HIPAA Telmed is our telemedicine application that helps conduct video conferences and ensures better communication between patients and doctors.
Challenges
Development of an application that improves communication and reduces healthcare costs in the US and the entire world. Implementation of legacy technologies to create a HIPAA-compliant app.
Solution
Implementing WebRTC, TSL, TDL and Role-based Authorization technologies allowed us to comply with all HIPAA regulations and create multi-peer video conference connections.
Basic Features
- Full-HD real-time video streaming
- HIPAA compliance
- Portable device compatibility
- Security encryption of all data
- Appointment scheduling features
- Whiteboard functions
- Read more here
MedRealtime
MedRealtime is an online application developed by Softermii that helps to host real-time video consultations, schedule appointments, and send reminders to doctors and patients.
Challenges
The development of the application simplifies appointment booking and consultation payments while making data management effective for physicians. Optimization of hospital workloads. Creative, efficient solutions for patients and doctors.
Solution
Implementing the latest technologies helped create an HD-video conferencing platform for private and secure video consultations, integrated messaging, online & offline appointment booking with real-time synchronization of the doctor calendar, and automated reminders.
Basic Features
- Map integration
- Secure video and a messaging room built-in NAT, Firewall, and encrypted protection
- Only PIN-access
- Secure payments gateway
- Synchronization of the platform with other internal office solutions
- Read more here
Incorporate Top Healthcare Technologies with Softermii Experts
Are you interested in catching one of the healthcare tech trends from this list? Let Softermii be your partner in this journey! Check our healthcare software solutions and get the one that fits your organizational needs.
We at Softermii keep abreast of healthcare software trends. We know how to build extremely durable healthcare IT products. Our dedicated team is ready to bring all passion and expertise to creating custom software for your needs. Drop us a line to start enjoying the cost optimization benefits, accessibility of the best talents, consultations from industry experts, growth scaling, quick start, and constant connection with the Softermii team.
Frequently Asked Questions
In our opinion, we will see the biggest growth in cybersecurity, a shift to a unified system, as the industry moves towards one system of care that relies on intelligence and automated decision-making, remote healthcare. Technologies unlock numerous opportunities to advance the current healthcare system. Hospitals will use things like smartwatches, temperature sensors, and BP monitors more widely, and telehealth has become an integral part of the modern healthcare system.
The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed the healthcare market landscape. Medical institutions are ready as ever to adapt to new technologies. For example, the future of telemedicine is driven by the rapid growth of technology and COVID-19. The telemedicine technologies market has collected the world’s newest and most effective approaches.
Telehealth trends in the healthcare industry prove that telemedicine is the first industry that experiments with those innovations when the online development market changes, becoming an integral part of healthcare.
FinTech facilitates and streamlines healthcare processes by lowering the cost of financial services. Through robotic investment advice, P2P lending, mobile payments, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and blockchain technologies, FinTech boosts the healthcare sector by mitigating inefficiencies in its payment plans.
And even more — FinTech solutions may help reduce income inequality and financial exclusion and enable low to moderate-income individuals to afford and access healthcare services.
Cloud migration is one of the digital trends in the healthcare industry that is relatively easy to implement and start using instantaneously.
Some technologies help with strategy and predictive analysis, such as implementing Big Data & analytics, data breach prevention measures, or cognitive automation. These technologies will bring benefits in the long run. On the other hand, cloud migration, FinTech integration, telehealth, and RPA will have a tangible effect immediately after implementation.
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