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5 examples of how the internet of things is transforming healthcare

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James Richmond
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In a new age of remote healthcare, how is the internet of things enabling new forms of medical treatment, understanding and care?

The advent of 5G is beginning to make the true transformative potential of smart technology and the internet of things a reality. And with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic placing new demands on healthcare and creating the need for solutions that can aid in providing care remotely, away from a healthcare institution, this couldn’t have come at a better time.

  1. Remote Patient Monitoring (Home, In-Patient)

Remote Patient Management (RPM) is an emerging technique that relies on the latest technology to gather patient data. The fact that RPM gathers patient data outside the traditional healthcare settings is revolutionary and projections show that this will radically change the health care industry.

RPM collects data from one location and thereafter electronically transmits the data to healthcare providers in a different location for assessment and recommendations.  Remote patient management has bridged the gap between healthcare providers and patients, therefore, making healthcare more convenient while also increasing patient engagement.

2. Out-patient tracking

Outpatient tracking is a great example of how IoT technology has evolved to improve healthcare services and outcomes. Tracking patients assists medical personnel to address the patient’s medical needs, improve bed allocation, and identify any gaps in the internal processes. More importantly, outpatient tracking allows physicians to maintain their schedules efficiently.

IoT-enabled medical devices and equipment work in real-time. The devices contain relevant patient information including; name, ID, electronic medical record, current condition, allergies, test results, recommended medications, etc. These devices collect information from tag locations and transfer the same to the IoT cloud for processing and analysis.

3. Remote Diagnostics

IoT-enabled remote diagnostics medical devices and equipment enable physicians to monitor their patients without having to be in close range. Likewise, these devices allow patients with less severe illnesses to stay out of hospital, therefore, freeing more hospital beds.

Remote diagnostics allow around-the-clock monitoring of patients including the performance of preventive and control check-ups outside medical facilities. Remote medical care is used in various sectors within healthcare including diagnostic points, cardiology, obstetrics, senior care, pulmonology. Some examples of IoT-enabled devices that rely on remote diagnostics include pacemakers and motion sensors.

Remote diagnostics rely on a series of interconnected, home-based devices to deliver care. Technology in this area has been evolving and today, using smart sensor technology, M2M Connectivity remote diagnostics can gather and access a wide variety of data while reducing overhead costs.

4. Home Nursing Scheduling

The healthcare industry has been quick to adopt technology to improve healthcare. Home nursing has been such a frontier. Remote patient monitoring has allowed physicians to monitor the health of patients at the click of a button irrespective of distance.

 

Thanks to IoT, patients who in the past were either confined to hospitals, nursing homes, or rehabilitation centers have the freedom to get treatment from the comfort of their own homes. In a sense, this is revolutionary since it has made work easier for physicians and patients alike in addition to freeing up space in terms of time and resources within healthcare settings for both the healthcare facility and the patients.

Home nursing scheduling enabled by IoT devices has therefore made work easier for everyone involved. M2M Connectivity RPM devices constantly monitor and update physicians on the patient’s health status, therefore, enabling the physician to conveniently schedule when to see the patient.

5. Connectivity of medical devices and equipment

The technological age has made people connected in some way. Whether it’s social media, the cloud, search engines, or mobile phones, the internet era is bringing people closer. Healthcare has also not been left behind. As an industry, healthcare has been adopting new technologies at an astonishing pace surprising even the skeptics.

Remote patient monitoring (RPM) technologies and connected medical devices and equipment have been instrumental in changing healthcare delivery. From Bluetooth-enabled scales to Fitbits and wearable heart monitors, connectivity of medical devices and equipment has been essential in taking healthcare to the next level.

M2M Connectivity has been at the forefront in embracing technological advances and has developed various IoT- enabled medical devices and equipment. These devices and equipment have various advantages including providing convenience to the patient and physician alike, access to accurate and up-to-date patient information, reduction of errors, cost saving, time saving, and remote monitoring.


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