In the last few years, with the surging growth and influence of technology, we see and experience changes happening around us, whether it is good or bad. Not just in the health/patient care industry but also in every other sector. With the entry of the Internet of Things (IoT), the distance between physicians and patients has become less. 

Earlier before that, the patient-doctor interaction was limited only to visits. After reading this article, you will get a good idea about the role of IoT in health/patient care and its top 5 benefits. 

So, what is the Internet of things?

According to a source, “The Internet of Things describes physical objects or groups of objects that are implanted with sensors, software, processing ability, and other technologies that connect and exchange data with other devices and systems over the internet or other communication networks”. 

The field has developed due to the divergence of multiple technologies. The Internet of Things is enabled collectively and independently by the traditional fields of embedded systems, wireless sensor networks, control systems, automation, etc.,

Let us explain to you with some examples. This technology is mostly identical to consumer products in the market like smart home products, devices, and appliances like home security systems, CCTV cameras, thermostats, automatic air purifiers, etc. which can be controlled by associating with smartphones and smart speakers.

It not only helps to improve the consumer market but also plays a big role in the healthcare industry too. It can be put in service to witness the creation of abundant new ideas to uphold the field.

The Role of IoT in health/patient care

The Internet of Things-enabled devices in the healthcare sector empowered the use of Remote Patient Monitoring and emergency notification systems, which helped in potentially keeping the patients safe and sound by providing ways to tend to them in time. It helps them deliver the highest level of care in the shortest time, to the most needed.

• The role of IoT starts from the time a patient enters a hospital premises or when they call to book an appointment for a service/consultation. It’s involved in every aspect of the interaction between a patient and their healthcare system.

• The increasing challenges in the healthcare industry have resulted in an increase in the requirement of high-quality healthcare services from the provider’s side.

• The application of IoT in health/patient care can ultimately change the management of chronic diseases and disease prevention and control. For example, Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) is made possible through various powerful wireless connections. 
• This connection helps the practitioners to collect and gather patients’ information and do follow-ups.

The top 5 Benefits of IoT: In health/patient care 

Who doesn’t need the help of technologies, smart appliances, and the internet these days?

Everyone is in need to excel in their fields to even survive through the competition. And the Internet of Things comes to their rescue. The world is evolving around smart applications now. To keep up with the pace, healthcare services need to upgrade and adapt to the changing ecology.

IoT sensors communicate and store health data and enable data analytics and smart health care. This will empower people to self-manage by improving the diagnosis process, treatment, risk factor identification, and remote monitoring.

Below are some of the benefits the health industry can attain from using the Internet of Things.

1. Enables Real-time Monitoring 

True to its name, real-time or Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) enables healthcare providers to use various forms of telecommunications to reach out to their patients.

They can even use basic communication tools like zoom, whats app calls, snap chats, smartphones, landlines, etc.,

Usage of smart functions enables the physician to get alerts for diagnosis of illness, symptoms which will result in early diagnosis and treatment, eventually saving the patients in case of emergencies.

This doesn’t need the patient to be present on the hospital premises (except for emergency and crucial cases).

2. Improves patient’s comfort

The environment of a hospital or other facilities may seem dull for both the patients and their caretakers. A good positive vibe is necessary for the early recovery of the patients. It also helps the caretakers to remain calm. So it is necessary to improve the surroundings of the premises and keep it warm and welcoming for the patients.

By installing smart lights and smart thermostats in the rooms and surroundings, the patients and also the attendees of the patients can feel free like they are at home. This is possible with IoT.

There are now some hospitals that have started using smart beds with sensors for patients. It captures their movements and sends them to the nurses as alerts.

Another example is the automated window shades.

3. Reduction of healthcare costs

Healthcare/hospital costs these days are rocketing like anything. Costs for services like diagnosis, treatments, surgeries, chronic illness care, etc, are non-tolerable for many classes of people. Even the consultations charges these days are super high due to the pandemic and limited patient visits. 

Yes, there are insurance companies for these purposes. But still, they are uncertain, due to its reject/decline situations.

IoT with the implementation of services like remote monitoring can solve this problem. IoT services are affordable. It makes you avoid the expensive visits to the hospitals and makes the treatments/tests you take more personalized and cost-friendly.

You just need to have a smartphone and an internet connection which everyone does now.

4. Accessibility of medical data

An electronic medical record or Electronic Health Record (EHR) is nothing but the digital record of a patient’s paper chart. It is the process of managing all the patient’s history electronically, from the side of the provider. 

The patients need not carry their medical history along with them all the time. This saves them from the psychological pressures of keeping everything filed.

These records include all the details about the patient’s medical conditions including allergies, medications, discharge summary, lab results, previous medical conditions, and so on.

The providers can access them anytime, anywhere when they find the need to check. This system helps the patients to just simply get an appointment, walk in, consult and go on to be happy.

5. Prevention is the “New-gen” mantra

As the saying goes, “Prevention is better than cure”, everything should be done with a little care, foreseeing the future. It is not ideal to worry about something that went wrong because you didn’t do it at the right time. Good Health is all about the right things you do for your psychological and physical well-being. So you should act before it’s too late.

The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us to lead a healthy lifestyle, live a good life, and also survive. And because of the pandemic, we saw the emerging technologies using IoT, to help us track our health.

The innovations in smartwatches and electronic gadgets made living easier.

There are many IoT devices in healthcare that helps patients to manage and live happily by keeping their conditions at bay. Such devices are smartwatches (as mentioned above) that can track one’s heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen level, etc, and most of them have workout settings that can track the calory intake and burning levels.

Then there are Insulin pens and smart CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitoring), brain swelling sensors, smart video pills for procedures, etc.

There is no need to worry, we are here at your service

The advancement in healthcare makes every provider nervous sometimes. The abundance of growth of technologies using IoT can overwhelm anyone. Starting from choosing the best service, to rendering them can seem to be a long and tedious process. And it should fit your pocket. Don’t worry, no need for you to go anywhere. Fill out the form at the “Capminds” website, through the link below and you will be amazed by the services we provide to make your work easier, more efficient, and better than ever.

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