Technology has changed the way many manufacturers, industrial organizations and utilities operate. The addition of IoT to sensors has expanded their impact and use cases, delivering more connectivity and analytics to processes than ever before. As of today, these smart sensors are internet-enabled and are becoming more sophisticated than ever before.
So What Is The Internet Of Things?
The Internet of Things, or IoT, joins billions of physical devices around the world and makes collecting and sharing data easier. Thanks to cheap processors and wireless networks, it’s now possible to turn anything into part of the IoT. This adds a level of digital intelligence to devices enabling them to communicate real-time data without a human being involved, effectively merging the digital and physical worlds.
Basically, the concept is about connecting any device with an on and off switch to the Internet (and/or to each other).
Healthcare Digital Transformation
Internet of Things (IoT) is a coming-of-age term which tends to many areas of life, including life sciences. Advantages of the IoT in the life science industry is mostly related but not limited to:
- Cost reduction
- Better equipment management
- Quicker and more precise diagnosis in healthcare
- Error reduction in data analysis
The IoT market is expected to grow up to $72.02 billion by the next two years, which means the interest for sensors and devices inside life science and healthcare industries are expected to rise. Studies show that the market will be dominated by patient monitoring systems. These sensors will detect patient’s signals, measure, and later monitor them. This will drastically change the ways caregivers and patients interact with the healthcare system.
6 ways the Internet of Things is Changing Healthcare
With the Internet of Things, anything that can be connected will be connected. IoT allows for virtually endless opportunities and connections to take place.
1. Frictionless monitoring of assets
IoT devices will monitor, collect, and transfer the data such as blood sugar level, blood pressure, and ECGs. This means that the patient, doctor, and/or the insurance company can look at the data no matter the time, place, or device. Real-time type of monitoring can greatly benefit medical emergency situations such as heart failures, asthma, diabetes, etc. Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) is, most easily put, a set of connected devices which measure and monitor data in real time. It provides more individual care and better final medical solutions. The technology prevents upcoming possible diseases and cures the present ones. IoMt will divide each medical issue to find the best solution in the life science industry.
2. Safety and adherence tools
Safety is the biggest concern, especially because of the maintenance of maximum security while successfully tracking the patient’s data. This is challenging especially for the larger institutions. IoT in life science and healthcare delivers inexpensive and cutting-edge tools to monitor everyday activities. Doctors can track and contact patients (and vice versa) which means immediate assistance when needed, such as medication dispense if the patient’s device to the medicine dispensing machine. Billions of devices and sensors will become part of the IoT life science market, where healthcare will be based on personalized care more than ever.
3. Quality, compliance, monitoring
More of the IoT can be implemented to cut costs, increase patient safety, better data recording, more reliable monitoring, and for more direct and immediate doctor-patient calls. This means huge benefits for high-quality patient care while using the real-time data and regular updates of the patient’s records. Hospitals will see huge help by IoT devices giving better hygiene monitoring results which go hand in hand with the already planned real-time environmental monitoring benefits.
4. Closed loop diagnosis for treatment
A patient has a possibility of immediate communication with the doctor no matter the place, because of the real-time data in the patient’s register. This means better diagnosis and ailments, with up-to-date information, and drugs distribution based on the patient’s prescription.
The cost-effective system as this one means remote health monitoring together with efficient diagnosis, and improvement of patient’s quality of living.
5. Real world data and environments
IoT healthcare devices are connected directly and share data through SSL (secure service layer) connecting to a cloud server. A huge amount of data sent by the devices is not easy to store and analyze it is a tough bet. IoT devices do not only collect and report, but also analyze the raw data, with the possibility of final reports being with visualization such as graphs. This means vital information and conclusions are up-to-date and speed up the decision making process whilst minimizing error possibilities. Wearable sensors and devices mean constant valuable monitoring on vitals.
6. Digital biomarkers to capture disease symptoms
Alerts are the crucial and critical factor in life-threatening circumstances, transferring vital data to doctors who can capture real-time symptoms, giving the doctor enough information to give the best diagnosis ever for the recurring health problems.
This can also help chronic disease monitoring, and understanding important determinants in health, giving a firm and precise report.
Creating a Better Patient Experience
In many ways, the IoT is all about providing patients with a better service experience. Nobody said that the transition would be easy. It might require a concentrated effort from everyone involved, including the patients, but nevertheless, IoT will ultimately change the scope of healthcare for the better. Healthcare is one of the noblest causes IoT can help and it’s already doing it.
The Internet of Things is not only meant to improve lives, but it is also transforming lives in a great way.
Resources:
https://www.iotforall.com/exciting-iot-use-cases-in-healthcare/
https://www.wipro.com/business-process/what-can-iot-do-for-healthcare-/
https://www.electronicdesign.com/embedded-revolution/iot-ushers-healthcare-industry-revolution
https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/press-release/internet-of-things-iot-healthcare-market.html
https://www.healthcatalyst.com/the-rising-healthcare-revolution-the-future-is-already-here/
https://www.techbriefs.com/component/content/article/tb/supplements/st/features/29017