IoT applications in healthcare considerably streamline doctor-patient interactions. Over 60% of healthcare facilities have already introduced some form of IoT devices in their organizations. These devices collect and transfer health data, automate care management, provide predictive analytics, and bring other advantages.
A typical IoT tool is a small device with sensors that track users’ health indicators. The device automatically transfers raw data to a software app that turns it into readable info. Such solutions have multiple uses and advantages covered below.
Benefits of IoT in Healthcare: Hospitals, Clinicians, and Patients
What does the Internet of Things mean for hospitals and patients? It’s a highly effective way of connecting them and making remote care widely available. Implementing IoT technology in a medical facility takes time, effort, and investment, but it benefits every party involved.
For hospitals
- Reduced costs. 57% of healthcare leaders believe IoT helps save costs. When an organization automates patient tracking to work more efficiently, operational costs also reduce. This way, IoT brings business value to companies implementing it.
- Digital transformation. IoT adoption is critical to digital transformation as it enables providers to automate many processes. They can check patients’ health with small sensors, track medical equipment inventory with tags, implement temperature monitoring for vaccine refrigerators, and benefit from many other uses.
- Competitive advantage. Smart tools allow healthcare facilities to deliver better services to their customers and become one of the top providers in the field.
- Convenient medical research. The network of IoT healthcare devices gathers large volumes of structured medical data researchers can use to evaluate the efficiency of various treatments.
- Increased data security. IoT adoption eliminates the need to collect and process patient data manually. As fewer people have access to PHI, it stays more secure.
- Inventory management. An IoT-based inventory provides credible data on hospital equipment, medicines, and asset location through tagging. This information allows medical staff to quickly locate the necessary equipment while optimizing hospital planning and supply chain.
For clinicians
- Continuous health monitoring. With IoT tracking devices, clinicians can check the health of their patients even remotely. It allows them to stay aware of what happens with the patients and have accurate health data.
- Enhanced performance. Clinicians have patients’ health data automatically uploaded to an EHR system or connected app. Thus, they spend less time scanning reports, requesting the necessary details, or doing paperwork. It translates into more effective work and enables them to manage more patients simultaneously. 57% of healthcare industry leaders mention increased productivity among the core IoT adoption benefits.
- Real-time alerts for more control over the treatment. IoT devices trigger the corresponding apps to deliver alerts when something critical happens with the tracked person. For example, if the heart rate reaches a threatening level, the responsible medical staff will instantly receive a notification to take action.
- Quick access to information. Clinicians can immediately check patients’ health and make sure all is well. IoT devices transfer data to healthcare systems in real-time to store it in the cloud.
- Data-driven treatment decisions. The combination of historical and real-time patient data gives clinicians more profound insight into patients’ health. Besides, some IoT systems support artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning capabilities for predictive analytics.
For patients
- Improved quality of care. Patients can use smart devices or implants instead of prolonged hospital stays, which enhances their experience with the healthcare system.
- More relevant communication with healthcare teams. As clinicians have accurate patient health data, they are always on point and can offer personalized treatment approaches.
- Availability of care in remote locations. Patients who need constant supervision but cannot get it where they live can obtain monitoring devices for remote treatment. They will come to hospitals only for important checkups.
- More impact over their treatment. While many tracking devices solely provide information to medical staff, some of them also notify patients. Patients can monitor their glucose levels, detect impending asthma attacks, check air quality, etc.
The Best Examples of IoT Use in Healthcare
IoT has gained popularity across many industries but stays particularly common in healthcare. Even though you can usually see it in patient tracking devices, the uses are more versatile, including:
Cardiac care mobile devices
ECG devices are smart sensors attached to the human body through electrodes to collect data on PVCs, PACs, and ventricular tachycardia. They can also measure blood saturation and temperature. After collecting metrics, ECG devices instantly transmit them to an app that processes the raw data and turns it into informative insights.
Mood-aware IoT devices
Such digital devices measure anxiety, stress, and depression by monitoring heart rate and blood pressure. When these indicators rise, it means an increased cortisol level, which signifies stress. Advanced mood-aware devices may even track eye movements to capture emotions.
Connected inhalers
IoT inhalers help with conditions like asthma or COPD by monitoring the frequency of attacks and environmental factors causing them. These details allow healthcare professionals to find triggers and prevent attacks more effectively.
Temperature monitoring devices for vaccines
Wireless remote temperature monitoring devices enable rural clinics and health facilities to administer vaccines more safely. A refrigeration unit is equipped with a sensor probe that transfers current temperature and grid power data to monitoring personnel. If the storage conditions become improper, staff can take immediate action.
Ingestible sensors
Ingestible sensors are highly effective for diagnostic purposes. A person swallows a small pill that captures unique information from their body and transmits it to the medical team. Although such devices are not commonly used yet, they are likely to become a tool for diagnosing gastrointestinal problems.
Robotic surgery
Small IoT-based robots can do things human hands cannot. They make tiny incisions, causing minimum disruption to the human body. IoT-aided surgeries mean a doctor performs surgery by controlling a small robot with a camera through another device.
How to Adopt IoT Healthcare Devices in Your Facility
You will need equipment and specialized software to implement IoT in your medical facility. Overall, there are two options. You can purchase the necessary equipment and software from a third party and integrate it with your existing system. Or you can invest in custom software development to create tailored IoT healthcare solutions for your company.
The first option takes less time but can become financially draining as you must pay a monthly fee for the third-party software. The second option takes more investment initially but gives you freedom of choice regarding the software functionality and capabilities.
