IoT in Healthcare
The internet has played a significant role in our lives, including medical care. Technology has changed the way the medical services operate. For instance, patients used to make a phone call or go all the way to hospital to schedule appointments. But now, they can just do it online. Hospitals also used to write patient medical records on paper, but now it is integrated in computer software.
We can also do online consultation with doctors or specialists through official applications or websites and get the prescription needed, without having to go to the hospital.
All of these are proofs that technology and Internet of Things have changed the healthcare system in major ways. Therefore, there is a spike in global IoT healthcare market trends. As an analysis from a research firm GMI Research indicated, IoT healthcare market size is estimated to reach USD 395.0 billion in 2029.
The Examples of IoT in Healthcare
We can find several examples that can illustrate the way internet of things affect healthcare and medical things—or often referred as Internet of Medical Things (IoMT).
- Medical Big Data
Data is a significant aspect when doctors or medical authorities need to make a decision. By relying on big data collected from the internet of things devices, it can help to accurately monitor patients’ condition and overall population health.
We can see the example of big data in Electronic Health Record (EHR) that includes information from data collection or manual data entry.
- Glucose and Heart Rate Monitoring
Manual glucose and heart rate testing might not provide an accurate result, as the levels of glucose and heart rate can fluctuate. IoT devices can help in real-time, continuous, and automatic monitoring of glucose and heart rate levels. These devices can also provide alerts when the levels are concerning.
- Monitoring Patient Remotely
Nowadays, patients who cannot be directly present in healthcare facilities to check their blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature, will be able to do that through remote patient monitoring. With the help of IoT devices, patients can have their personal health metrics checked and collected without having to stay under close supervision by health workers.
- Robotic Surgery
Robotic surgery can help surgeons while performing complicated surgery, by mobilizing a small robot inside the human body. While it can minimize incisions and improve recovery time, the robot must be reliable to navigate complicated conditions inside the body, thus the right decisions can be made during the surgical procedure.
What are The Restraints?
However, there are some restraints and challenges as the Internet of Things advances.
- Security Challenges
Patients’ privacy and medical records are confidential. Therefore, IoT developers and healthcare providers must ensure that the data collected is properly secured, especially from cyberattacks.
- Internet Disruptions
While Internet of Things in healthcare can be valuable assets, it requires internet access which can be a challenge for vulnerable people such as rural residents, lower-income populations, or elderly. The governments can play a part here, by providing the necessary medical assistance to those in need.