The evolving Internet of Things ( IoT) has improved patient care by integrating digital health and advanced technologies. Its market is projected to grow to $289 billion by 2028, highlighting its potential to improve healthcare by creating an interconnected environment that impacts operational efficiency and patient experience.
IoT improves patient healthcare management by providing advances and innovative tools to continuously monitor patient health and provide personalized care. IoT devices such as smart wearable devices, smart thermometers, and IoT-enabled ECG monitors continuously generate and collect data that reveal hidden patterns in patient health. Healthcare professionals use this information to make proactive, informed decisions that enhance health outcomes.
Digital health app development encompasses IoT integration, allowing patients and healthcare professionals to track vitals in real-time, providing valuable health insights, and enabling proactive health management.
IoT in the Digital Health Environment
IoT is a network of interconnected smart devices aligned to communicate and exchange data. When it is applied to medical equipment and applications, it’s called the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT). It improves patient care, organizes clinical operations, and improves efficiency using the IoMT devices that collect, transmit, and analyze data in real time.
IoMT devices continuously track individuals’ essential health metrics for early detection of potential health issues. Smart pill bottles are another case of IoT used in healthcare to remind patients of their scheduled medicine intake. If the intake is missed, the bottles notify patients and healthcare providers to ensure proper treatment.
IoMT devices can detect falls or other emergencies and autonomously alert medical professionals to receive immediate attention.
3 Key Benefits of IoT in Digital Health
IoT enables seamless coordination among patients, healthcare professionals, and hospitals, leading to efficient operational and personalized care.
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Remote Patient Monitoring
Remote patient monitoring through IoT devices provides substantial benefits for chronically ill or elderly individuals. These devices continuously analyze individuals’ essential health metrics and share them with healthcare providers to make immediate, well-informed decisions.
For instance, a patient with diabetes can use a smart Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) to track and analyze blood sugar levels and adjust the treatment plans accordingly. People with mobility issues can benefit from remote patient monitoring to avoid continued in-person checks. This incorporation of IoT in healthcare reduces the burden on healthcare facilities.
Operational Efficiency
The incorporation of IoT into day-to-day healthcare operations improves work efficiency, such as tracking medical equipment, managing inventory, and automating appointment scheduling, ensuring smooth operations at lower costs. Furthermore, sensors and actuators can create context-aware environments by managing and reacting to conditions like temperature, humidity, lighting, smoke, and fire.
Enhanced Medication Management
Smart pill dispensers and medication bottles have improved medication management and reduced the risk of incorrect medication usage. They are IoT-based, having sensors that send regular alerts to patients’ smart devices when it’s time to take their prescribed medicine.
These devices log medicine intake, providing valuable insights for healthcare providers to monitor patient compliance. They can detect if a dose is missed and notify patients and healthcare providers as a reminder to take medicine.
Challenges with IoT Integration
Along with the numerous benefits in the healthcare industry, IoT also brings multiple challenges. Data security, privacy, and interoperability among various IoT devices are the essential challenges when integrating IoT into healthcare systems.
According to SonicWall, in the first half of 2024, cyber-attacks on IoT devices rose an absurd 107% yearly, alerting everyone. Therefore, robust security measures are essential to prevent potential security breaches and secure sensitive patient information.
Safeguarding Patient Data
Healthcare providers must address data security and privacy concerns to safeguard the confidentiality and integrity of patient data. This involves several technical measures and compliance with regulatory standards. Encrypting patient data in rest and transit is fundamental. It ensures the safety of sensitive information, which remains restricted to unauthorized users even if intercepted.
Furthermore, healthcare organizations should utilize secure data servers with strong access controls, encryption and authorization methods, and regular security audits. Adhering to regulations like HIPAA in the U.S. or GDPR in Europe is crucial as these regulations set stringent requirements for data protection.
According to Gartner, the following are the key methods of protecting data.
- Encryption
- Masking
- Data erasure
- Data reliance
Overcoming Financial Barriers to IoT Adoption
Implementing IoT technologies in the healthcare industry presents financial challenges, including initial costs for purchasing and installing smart devices and expenses for integration, maintenance, and continuous software updates. These ongoing costs strain the implementation of IoT in healthcare, specifically for smaller facilities.
To overcome them, you can prioritize high-return IoT solutions like remote patient monitoring and medication management to reduce expenses. Furthermore, exploring different funding options, such as government grants, subsidies, and private partnerships, can ease financial burdens.
Bridging Gaps in Device Interoperability
The interoperability and compatibility among different IoT devices remain challenging. IoT device manufacturing companies follow different communication protocols, such as HL7, FHIR, and DICOM, and use other data formats while manufacturing IoT devices, leading to interoperability and compatibility issues. Therefore, standard protocols are essential to bridge the interoperability gaps among IoT healthcare systems.
To implement IoT effectively in healthcare, it’s essential to follow a standard protocol, so the devices can communicate and exchange data effectively. Furthermore, joint efforts between IoT device manufacturers and healthcare providers are vital for implementing standardized protocols, conducting interoperability testing, and creating guidelines for smooth data exchange.
The Future of Healthcare: What IoT Will Bring
As the IoT continues to evolve, its impact on healthcare is expected to grow exponentially, leading to numerous advancements and innovations. Future IoT developments will focus on integrating Artificial intelligence (AI) with IoT devices, enabling more sophisticated data analysis and predictive analytics, leading to early disease detection, personalized treatment plans, and efficient management of chronic conditions.
Moreover, integrating AI with IoT will further enhance the healthcare landscape. AI-driven insights from IoT-generated data can optimize treatment plans, improve patient outcomes, and streamline healthcare operations, making medical services more efficient, accurate, and effective.
