Additive Manufacturing at the Point of Care

Bringing additive manufacturing and procedural planning technologies to the point of care is an innovative way for healthcare systems to improve outcomes, increase efficiency, and reduce total costs. This approach is gaining popularity as more healthcare executives realize the benefits of point of care (POC). “Additive manufacturing adoption in hospitals is growing rapidly, spurred by the pandemic, increased demand for precision healthcare, and the affordability and availability of 3D printing solutions,” said Gaurav Manchanda, medical market development director for Formlabs, a Somerville, Mass.-based 3D printing technology developer and manufacturer.

3D printing (3DP) is used in surgical settings to help improve patient care across the spectrum of investigation, planning, procedural, and post-operative processes.

“For prosthetics, the ability to create custom fittings allows for maximum comfort, while geometrical freedom allowed by 3D printing means new design structures can be created for