December 19, 2019 - Parul Saini, Webmedy Team
Updated Version - July 17, 2023
The Internet of Things (IoT) has already transformed our world. It affects the way we work and live our life.
It won't be wrong to say that the healthcare industry lags behind other sectors when it comes to technology. It needs government inspiration to get physicians to adopt electronic health records (EHRs) widely, and it seems as it will take incentives and discipline to drive interoperability. Because interoperability and integration both are now big challenges for the healthcare industry.
The patient experience is really meaningful for the healthcare industry to measure its success. Technology plays a vital role when a patient is getting treatment, wants to have an appointment or interacts with physicians through telehealth. In modern healthcare, continuously changing rules, regulations, insurance, and physician-patient engagement are both a challenge and an opportunity.
A solution that allows healthcare to transform user exposure, financial issues and efficient workflow is the best form of 'Integrated Healthcare Management'. The patient's experience, better health, and interaction of patients are the main ingredient of an integrated healthcare system. Electronic Health Record (EHR) provides integrated healthcare solution that seamlessly offers information transparency, appropriate treatment, patient-centric data, and efficient workflow. EHR is an integrated point-to-care system which is developed to manage distant patients from your clinic. EHR links all specialists, connects patients with their physicians, moves reports from one place to another. It can be viewed as a facilitator of quality care.
IoT helps in implementing an integrated healthcare platform.
According to the survey of Black Book in 2014, 89% of independent practice providers agreed that to stay profitable, it is necessary to upgrade their practice management system.
There is a lot of research in the area of benefits of an integrated healthcare system for small practices and large healthcare industry. West Health Institute estimated that integration and interoperability can save as much as $36 billion for the industry. Earlier Black Book survey also highlighted that 90% of managers in the healthcare industry agree that an innovative EHR system improved profitability.
Obviously while utilizing IoT, healthcare providers should comply with HIPPA security and privacy rules. Generally IT departments of medical and hospitals uses a secure method to share data on the cloud, but still, there are some challenges to overcome.
Adopters of the Internet of Things are growing steadily in the healthcare industry. There are countless solutions for applications, like monitoring patient visits, collecting data, monitoring hospital assists, automated devices.
Healthcare providers can monitor patients in real-time by using IoT solutions and connected medical devices. This results in lesser visits to physicians, fewer hospital stays and unnecessary readmissions all thanks to data collection.
Patients are more engaged in their health by being connected through IoT, leading to a more accurate diagnosis since the doctors have all the necessary data at hand.
IoT solutions provide better drug management as medical staff don't have to spend much time searching drugs and medicine, track hygiene practices and hence prevent infection in a hospital. Through the IoT monitoring system now the patient can adhere to medical treatment plans and physicians can track compliance to prescriptions.
There is an excellent cut down in waste (like unnecessary tests) after using IoT resulting in reduced system costs and errors (due to humans).
By connecting healthcare solutions to technologies like Cloud computing, Big data, and IoT, caregivers are now able to track real-time data that are used for better decision-making and hence offer better evidence-based solutions.
By collecting and accessing patient's real-time medical information provided by IoT networked devices, providers can provide customized treatment and better patient experience.
In today's hectic world people don't have time to visit clinics back to back so healthcare mobile apps play a vital our in our society. Medical practices now can easily implement a single platform to manage their all aspect of their business, hence no need to implement multiple software. Now it's the right time to consider a change and adopt technology. Healthcare IoT offers lots of opportunities and benefits. All thanks to the evolving technology which gives us such powerful and useful applications that can be used to better manage our health.
IoT in healthcare enhances patient care, improves data management, reduces healthcare costs, increases accessibility, and augments medical research. By providing real-time patient monitoring, improving medication adherence, and enabling early detection of diseases, IoT devices significantly enhance the standard and efficiency of care.
IoT devices can monitor vital signs and critical health metrics in real time, allowing healthcare providers to make timely and informed decisions. IoT can also enable remote patient monitoring, reducing hospital stay durations and readmission rates, improving patient outcomes.
IoT devices like wearables and health monitors allow for continuous tracking of patients' health parameters such as heart rate, blood pressure, glucose levels, etc. These devices can send data in real-time to healthcare providers, enabling timely intervention and reducing the need for in-person visits.
IoT devices generate massive amounts of valuable health data. This data can be stored, analyzed, and utilized to personalize patient care, predict health trends, identify potential health crises, and enhance research. It makes healthcare more data-driven, accurate, and proactive.
IoT enables seamless communication between different medical devices and systems. This interoperability not only improves data exchange and workflow efficiency but also ensures all devices are updated with real-time patient information, leading to more integrated and coordinated care.
IoT devices can help manage chronic diseases by continuously monitoring vital signs, reminding patients to take medication, and notifying healthcare providers of any significant health changes. This constant oversight and interaction can result in better disease management and improved quality of life for patients.
IoT can reduce healthcare costs by enabling remote patient monitoring, which minimizes hospital readmissions and unnecessary visits. Efficient data collection and analysis can streamline operations, eliminate waste, and lead to more accurate diagnoses and treatments.
IoT enhances healthcare accessibility by allowing remote patient monitoring, telehealth consultations, and digital health applications. This is particularly beneficial for patients in rural or underserved areas, elderly individuals, and those with mobility issues.
IoT empowers patients by giving them more control over their health and well-being. Devices can provide feedback, reminders, and personalized recommendations, encouraging patients to take an active role in their healthcare. This increased engagement often leads to better health outcomes and higher patient satisfaction.
IoT can significantly enhance emergency care by providing real-time patient data to healthcare professionals even before they arrive at the scene. It can also ensure that critical information is relayed to the hospital ahead of the patient's arrival, enabling immediate and informed treatment.
By continuously monitoring a patient's health parameters, IoT devices can help detect anomalies and patterns that may signal the onset of a disease. Early detection often leads to early intervention, better prognosis, and reduced treatment costs.
IoT devices such as smart pill bottles and wearable technology can remind patients when it's time to take their medication, monitor adherence, and notify caregivers or healthcare providers if doses are missed. This can significantly improve medication adherence and overall treatment effectiveness.
IoT devices facilitate telehealth by enabling remote monitoring of patients' health and virtual consultations with healthcare providers. They can transmit vital health data in real time, making virtual care a viable option for many patients.
IoT technology streamlines data collection and analysis, automates routine tasks, and optimizes resource allocation. This not only frees up time for healthcare providers to focus more on patient care but also reduces human error and improves service delivery.
IoT can enhance healthcare supply chain management by providing real-time tracking of medical supplies and equipment, reducing waste, and improving inventory management. This can lead to cost savings and ensure critical supplies are always available when needed.
By monitoring health indicators and lifestyle habits, IoT devices can help identify risk factors and provide personalized recommendations to prevent the onset of diseases. They can also promote healthier lifestyles by tracking physical activity, diet, sleep patterns, and more.
IoT devices provide continuous, real-time health monitoring, which generates a wealth of data for healthcare providers. This data, combined with advanced analytics, can result in more accurate diagnoses and personalized treatment plans.
IoT can streamline healthcare facilities management by automating environmental monitoring (like temperature, humidity), managing energy use, tracking equipment and personnel, and enhancing security. This leads to more efficient operations, cost savings, and a safer environment for patients and staff.
IoT can provide invaluable real-time data for research and clinical trials, enhancing the understanding of diseases, treatment effects, and health trends. It also allows for remote monitoring of participants, which can increase the reach and scope of clinical trials.
By improving resource management, reducing waste, and enabling remote care, IoT can help make healthcare more environmentally sustainable. For example, telemedicine reduces the need for transportation, and smart buildings can optimize energy use.
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