Healthcare to coast on 3D tech

3D printing has a broad range of current-use cases for healthcare organizations, including payers, providers and device manufacturers, according to industry experts.

Immediate momentum on the practice side lies in three areas: casts, implantables and 3D modeling, said Andrew Ericson, a health strategy consultant of consultancy Accenture.

"Casts allow doctors to create more comfortable, custom-fitted devices, such as what exists already with dental implants, while customized implantables for spines and hips can minimize both materials used and the potential for body rejection," he said.