IoT in Healthcare: Benefits and Use Cases
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The Covid-19 pandemic dramatically drove innovation in the provision of products, services, and solutions. The boom of telemedicine since the epidemic started coincided with the same acceleration in innovation in the healthcare sector.
To reduce the risk of spreading infection, healthcare providers employed videoconferencing and remote monitoring to communicate with patients instead of scheduling in-person appointments.
After the epidemic, virtual care will probably remain a cornerstone. Numerous clinic visits for standard follow-up and feedback might be reduced with better acceptance by doctors and patients alike. Hospitals, doctors, and other clinicians will probably turn to healthcare IoT apps as telemedicine grows in order to monitor, gather, and analyze patient data in real-time.
IoT technology has the potential to alleviate difficulties, enhance patient care, and boost productivity in the healthcare sector.
According to MarketsandMarkets Research, the worldwide medical IoT market is anticipated to rise from $72.5 billion in 2020 to $188.2 billion in 2025.
Let's explore this topic further to learn why & how IoT is frequently used and what it signifies for the healthcare industry.
Here's a brief overview of,
What is IoT?
IoT is a word used to describe the fusion of electronics, automation, and information technology. IoT connects objects, things, people, and data from the cloud, which makes it easier to gather, store, share and analyze data from linked things.
IoT in healthcare: what & why?
The Internet of Things (IoT) in healthcare is the ecosystem of IoT-enabled healthcare devices that are connected via chips, sensors, or other related technologies to continuously monitor patient vital signs (such as blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, breathing rates, etc.), physical activity, and the overall hospital environment, in order to increase the effectiveness of hospital and employees.
Applications of the IoT in the healthcare industry include connected inhalers, connected thermometers, connected glucose meters, and connected blood pressure monitors. They are commonly employed for gathering, keeping track of, and studying essential health data.
IoT solutions are essential for the healthcare industry as they aim to enhance diagnosis and treatment, access to health data, and treatment efficiency and effectiveness.
IoT in Healthcare: How It Is Used?
Here's how IoT in healthcare is used:
For patients - The medical IoT offers a wide range of potential for tracking health issues and preventing diseases. For instance, automatic insulin delivery (AID) systems and glucometers provide patients with therapy right away. For the older generation, that is especially helpful.
For healthcare professionals - Patients can receive more quick medical treatment and more quality service thanks to connected devices. IoT continuously tracks patient health, enabling doctors to diagnose patients more accurately and monitor treatment compliance.
For hospitals - The Internet of Things offers various applications and uses. It aids in managing drug inventories, keeping track of medical equipment on-site, and keeping an eye on hygiene to maintain a sterile atmosphere.
Moving ahead, let's talk about,
Benefits of IoT Applications in the Healthcare Industry
A new wave of revolutionary applications and services made possible by IoT technology will totally transform healthcare as we know it. Despite the concerns, the benefits of IoT in healthcare are game-changing if they are properly managed.
The benefits of IoT in healthcare are:-
Quality treatment
Better resource utilization
Accurate diagnosis
End-to-end connectivity
Improves patients experience
Let's discuss each benefit in greater detail!
#1. Quality treatment
IoT sensors gather useful information that enables decision-making and provides patients with evidence-based care. The usage of linked devices in the medical industry guarantees accurate data results and removes the possibility of human error.
Additionally, IoT medical apps support better management of drug and therapy adherence, enabling doctors to monitor patient adherence to prescriptions and ensure coordinated care delivery. It eventually results in better treatment quality.
#2. Improves patient experience
Patients are more engaged and receive more tailored and quality service when a range of IoT technologies are used in conjunction with telemedicine strategies. Access to healthcare services is improved via remote patient monitoring, smart hospitals, and home care options, which is crucial for the elderly.
The use of the IoT in healthcare speeds up data processing, which cuts down on the time it takes to diagnose and make decisions. In the end, it improves patient outcomes and the total patient experience.
#3. Better resource utilization
Healthcare businesses may genuinely improve patient experiences while lowering their own costs through smart asset tracking, management, and monitoring, as well as medical equipment monitoring. Key advantages are:
Better use of resources
Improved scheduling and forecasting
Streamlining processes and quick responses
Reduced patient waiting times
The advantages of IoT technology and for healthcare are real. However, every IoT solution should be implemented carefully, especially to secure the security of patient data and assure seamless integration.
#4. Accurate diagnosis
Doctors can target specific areas, make data-driven diagnoses, and administer precise therapies as they have access to real-time data collecting and visualization. Run data-driven diagnostics and therapeutics. More individualized care can also lessen the chance of readmissions.
#5. End-to-end Connectivity
Interoperability, streamlined machine connection, information interchange at breakneck speed, and effective data mobility are all made possible by IoT-enabled healthcare services.
In terms of connectivity protocols, ZigBee, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth LE, Z-wave, and other contemporary protocols have changed how healthcare professionals identify patient diseases and afflictions and have developed a ground-breaking method of treating patients in a variety of healthcare settings. This technologically advanced healthcare system reduces the cost of healthcare by doing away with pointless doctor visits, maximizing resource consumption, and enhancing resource allocation and planning.
Moving ahead, let's talk about,
Top use cases of IoT in the healthcare industry!
After going through some of the numerous general advantages that IoT devices will bring to the healthcare industry, let's look at just a few use cases of IoT in the healthcare industry:
#1. Ingestible sensors
Some IoT-based smart healthcare solutions appear to be science fiction fantasies. The type of ingestible IoT sensor that fits this description is capable of entering the stomach with tablets, dissolving there, and then sending a signal to a sensor on the body containing information about the patient's required medications and their dosages.
#2. Hearables
The way deaf persons engage with the outside world has altered as a result of modern hearing devices. These wearables are very Bluetooth compatible and work in sync with your smartphone. Real-world sounds can have various filters, equalizers, and additional layered characteristics added to them so that they are the perfect fit for your ears.
#3. EHR systems
EHRs (Electronic Health Records) offer a means to seize control of such data and make it valuable for both patients and physicians. The ability of doctors and nurses to access patient information quickly and effectively, including demographics, progress notes, diagnoses, prescriptions, vital signs, previous medical history, immunizations, laboratory results, and radiology reports, directly affects the standard of care. The EHR can automatically collect additional data and report it, including evidence-based decision assistance, quality control, and outcomes reporting.
#4. Insulin pens
These gadgets can track blood sugar levels and transmit the information to a special smartphone app. These gadgets allow diabetic patients to monitor their blood glucose levels and even send that information to a medical facility. Through a specific smartphone app, the captured data is shared with doctors or stored on a cloud server. These gadgets can be used by patients with diabetes and high blood glucose levels to provide their doctors with real-time data.
#5. Remote patient monitoring
Patients who require monitoring but are unable to receive full-time care or simply want to stay at home will find IoT-enabled remote wearables helpful. For instance, people who are prone to straying due to cognitive or memory impairments can wear GPS trackers so that they can be quickly sought out and located if they do.
According to Insider Intelligence, there will be a staggering amount of development and opportunity as the number of people using remote patient monitoring in the US alone rises from 29.1 million in 2020 to 70.6 million in 2025.
A wearable EHR can be provided to any patient who has a major health risk, so that first responders are aware of their medical history, any hazards, and the suggested course of treatment in the event of an emergency.
#6. Smart sensors
Today, tracking heart rate and blood pressure using these devices is fairly routine. The majority of smart band manufacturers are now using sophisticated healthcare sensors to make even their most affordable models relevant from a medical standpoint. Smart bands and fitness applications are the ideal IoT in healthcare examples, and they are being embraced by a large number of consumers worldwide. The key advantage of utilizing IoT in healthcare in this manner is that patients no longer need to schedule appointments or visit hospitals if they are ill. They can use smart wristbands to measure their health parameters like BPM or Blood Pressure to determine how serious it is. Additionally, these sophisticated sensors assist in monitoring exercise.
Conclusion
People now view healthcare and hospitality systems differently because of the IoT. By implementing those small modifications, the adoption of these technologies will enhance product development and have a long-term impact. The IoT in the healthcare industry will be widely used by surgical centers, research organizations, and governmental entities, in addition to hospitals and healthcare facilities.