Role of IoT in Healthcare Industry

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Before the inception of IoT in healthcare patients’ interactions with doctors were limited to visits, phone calls, and text messages. There was no way for doctors or hospitals to monitor patients’ health on a regular basis and offer suitable suggestions.

Remote patient monitoring in the healthcare industry is now possible thanks to the Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled gadgets, which have the potential to keep patients safe and healthy while also empowering clinicians to provide superior treatment. Patient engagement and satisfaction have also increased as contact with doctors has gotten easier and more efficient.

Furthermore, remote patient monitoring reduces the length of hospital stays and re-admission rate. IoT has a huge impact on lowering healthcare expenses and increasing treatment outcomes. The IoT is undeniably revolutionizing healthcare by rethinking the space of devices & human contact in the delivery of healthcare solutions.

Applications of IoT in Healthcare

Between 2015 and 2020, the healthcare Internet of Things (IoT) industry rose at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 37.6%, according to P&S Market Research forecasts. 

Certainly, the IoT has and will continue to alter healthcare in a variety of ways in the coming years.

The IoT applications in healthcare that everyone should be aware of :

Glucose Monitoring Systems

Patients with diabetes can have sensors inserted just beneath their skin. When a patient’s glucose levels go critically low, the sensors in the gadgets will convey information to his or her phone, as well as store past data.

Wearable Activity Tracker for Cancer Treatment

There exist various factors other than weight age that determine the treatment of cancer patients

Their lifestyles and fitness levels also play a significant part in determining the best treatment approach for them. Activity trackers monitor a patient’s movements, exhaustion levels, diet, and other factors. 

Furthermore, the data acquired from the tracker before and after treatment will inform healthcare experts about any changes that need to be made to the proposed treatment plan.

Heart Monitoring Devices

Patients can wear gadgets that track their heart rates and identify if they have excessive blood pressure. When it comes to checkups and exams, healthcare providers will have access to reporting patients’ heart monitor data. 

Wearable devices can notify healthcare professionals of patients experiencing arrhythmias, palpitations, strokes, or full-fledged heart attacks.

Ingestible Sensors

Patients can now ingest gadgets with pill-shaped sensors. When sensors are swallowed, they send data to a patient’s mobile app, which assists them in adhering to medicine doses. 

The majority of drugs are not taken as directed owing to forgetfulness or other human mistakes. This ingestible sensor ensures that patients are taking the correct meds at the correct time and in the correct amounts.

Trackable Inhalers

IoT inhalers send information to patients’ smartphones or tablets about what they’re doing or experiencing that causes asthma attacks.

Their doctors also have access to this crucial information that helps reminding patients about their medications.

Wearable to Fight Mental Disorders

Apple has created an app for the Apple Watch that assists manic depressive sufferers in dealing with their despair. The app monitors cognitive and emotional functions and follows a patient’s episodes outside of planned sessions.

Benefits of IoT in the Healthcare Industry

Simultaneous Reporting & Monitoring

Remote health monitoring via linked devices has the potential to save lives in the case of a medical emergency such as heart failure, diabetes, asthma attacks, and so on.

The Internet of Things gadget captures and transmits health data such as blood pressure, oxygen levels, blood sugar levels, weight, and ECGs.

These data are saved in the cloud and may be shared with an authorized individual, such as a physician, your insurance company, a collaborating health firm, or an external consultant, allowing them to view the gathered data independent of their location, time, or device.

Better Connectivity & Affordability

With the support of healthcare mobility solutions and other innovative IoT technologies, as well as next-generation healthcare facilities, IoT may automate patient care workflow.

IoT in healthcare offers interoperability, artificial intelligence machine-to-machine connection, information sharing, and data transfer, all of which contribute to the effectiveness of healthcare service delivery.

Connectivity protocols: Bluetooth LE, Wi-Fi, Z-wave, ZigBee, and other modern protocols, healthcare workers may transform the way they detect illnesses and afflictions in patients, as well as invent novel ways of treating across several healthcare disciplines.

Data Analysis & Assortment

The vast volume of data that a healthcare device delivers in a very short period of time due to its real-time application is difficult to store and manage if cloud connectivity is unavailable.

Even for healthcare experts, manually acquiring data from many devices and sources and analyzing it is a risk. IoT devices can gather, report, and analyze real-time data, eliminating the need to retain raw data.

This may all take place on the cloud, with providers just having access to final reports with graphs.

Better Tracking & Alerts

In chronic illnesses, timely alerting is crucial. Medical IoT devices capture crucial signs of any condition and transfer that data to physicians for real-time monitoring, whilst mobile applications and smart sensors alert folks about critical components.

Reports and notifications provide a solid judgment regarding a patient’s status, regardless of location or time. It also helps healthcare practitioners make educated decisions and provide timely treatment.

Thus, IoT offers real-time alerting, tracking, and monitoring, allowing for hands-on treatments, improved accuracy, timely intervention by doctors, and improved overall patient care delivery outcomes.

Conclusion

IoT in healthcare is not without its difficulties. IoT-enabled connected devices collect massive amounts of data, including sensitive information, raising security concerns.

The Internet of Things explores new aspects of patient care through real-time health monitoring and access to patients’ health data.

This data is a gold mine for healthcare stakeholders looking to improve patient health and experiences while also increasing revenue and streamlining operations. In an increasingly connected world, being able to harness this digital power will be the differentiator.

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