IOT is Expected to Soon Create a New Healthcare Revolution

This is an era of digital technology, in which AI, IoT, and ML are all intertwined closely. Internet of Things (IoT), in particular, has impacted people’s lifestyle and the way businesses are operating on the global level and it is no exception to the healthcare sector. In all its brilliance, IoT technology is making a significant difference in the industry and holds the potential to radically revolutionize the industry in the coming years. Everything from traditional healthcare practices to equipment are replaced with cutting-edge, innovative, and accurate IoT devices. The penetration of IoT in all aspects of healthcare is slowly gaining momentum and with this pace of adoption, the future of the healthcare industry would certainly witness a phenomenal change.

IoT is not a new thing to the healthcare industry. It has been gaining enough traction and is one of the most high-profile technology trends as of late. No doubt, IoT would soon be the backbone of the future healthcare industry. In general, the concept of the Internet of Things entails using electronic devices with connectivity to network or cloud to monitor or capture health data automatically and trigger specific events, if and when needed.

In the advanced healthcare domain, some hospitals are starting to implement smart technology in various ways such as interconnected devices and ‘smart beds’ that enhance patient care. These IoT based ‘smart’ connected devices allow automatic collection and uploading of patient data to ensure that all the vital signs are kept under control with no need of manual interaction from a medical professional. Everything from heartbeat, pressure, temperature controls, fetal monitors or blood glucose levels, and other health information are tracked and monitored via these devices for the physicians to utilize the data and prescribe appointments or medications, thus minimizing the need for direct communication.

Improvements in Healthcare with IoT:

The benefits of the IoT technology are undeniable and as a result of which, it exerts a huge impact on the everyday operations of healthcare and patient care. Either it be the wearables that monitor vital signs or the smart pill boxes or remote monitoring devices, IoT technology has proliferated the healthcare industry deep and wide. It is being predicted that the increasing prevalence of IoT within the healthcare continuum would pave way for a revolution that would boost the data relevance and connectivity. By 2020, nearly 85 percent of the healthcare organizations are expected to incorporate IoT into their hospital operations and patient care.

Enhanced disease management: With IoT, it is possible to monitor patient health constantly and in real time. This allows organizations to collect and store patient health data that enables physicians to provide the accurate and prompt diagnosis for diseases.

Better treatment results: Timely diagnosis and treatment are a few of the assured outcomes with IoT. Since IoT devices are connected to the cloud, it allows healthcare providers to constantly and consistently monitor patients even when they are miles apart. As a result, it is possible to make informed and timely decisions, despite being in remote locations.

Decrease in treatment costs: Generally, healthcare can be expensive, particularly for those from remote locations and those who need long-term monitoring. IoT helps to solve such challenges in healthcare by enabling remote monitoring through inter-connected IoT devices. Patients needing constant medical attention can be discharged from hospitals and post-op progress can be done at home by monitoring via mHealth apps. This would indeed prevent unnecessary hospital stays and also reduce healthcare expenses.

Improvement in patient experience: With decreased healthcare costs, instant disease diagnosis, at-home monitoring, and a comparatively better patient care, IoT technology caters to provide an overall enhanced patient experience.

Concerns with regards to the usage of IoT:

Implementation of IoT in healthcare would likely raise the concerns about data privacy and security.  Similar to any connected network, IoT devices transmit and receive personal health information (PHI) in large measures. It is, perhaps, vulnerable to hackers and data snoopers who are on the prowl to get access to sensitive information. Even though secure methods are used for communication of information to the cloud, still, there exists a tremendous risk of exposure. It is necessary that healthcare organizations stay aware of the possible dangers and follow strict guidelines and regulations to ensure the data collected through IoT devices are encrypted at both the ends to be safe and secure.

Regardless of all the concerns, the IoT is undeniably growing in popularity and is on the rise within the healthcare domain. By adopting IoT, healthcare organizations can open up a whole new gateway that would cater to revolutionary products and solutions for better patient care.

With the new technologies and ‘smart’ IoT devices redesigning patient care and revolutionizing the entire healthcare market, it is necessary for the industry to adopt the changes at the earliest and make the best use of it to improve healthcare services, quality, and efficiency. Nonetheless, to keep pace with the developments, the healthcare education sector also has to stay prepared for the upcoming trends and focus on providing the aspirants with quality, industry-oriented education that enables them to meet the current industry changes.

In that sense, IIHMR, Delhi is a pioneer institution, providing educational excellence at all levels of healthcare management. Right since its inception in 1984, IIHMR has been catering to the needs of the healthcare sector in India, offering management and executive training programs to produce efficient healthcare professionals for the future.