What is IOT and How is it Positively Impacting Patient Care?

Internet of Things technology pairs the Internet with physical devices. While once obscure (and very expensive) this technology has found its way into the homes of most Americans. Smart devices. Speakers that can answer questions and pull up information. Thermostats that adapt based on your schedule. Ovens that can be pre-heated remotely.

Convenient? Sure. Groundbreaking? Well. People have gotten by just fine preheating their ovens manually since the beginning of time. Or least since the beginning of ovens. Where IoT may feel like an unnecessary indulgence in the consumer marketplace, it is a life-saving technology in healthcare.

In this article, we take an in-depth look at how it is being used in healthcare, and what it means for patients. Read on to learn more about IoT in healthcare!

How is IoT used in Healthcare?

Internet of Things technology is used in healthcare to do remotely what once required the physical presence of a doctor or nurse. Patient monitoring. There are already TONS of devices in circulation that allow healthcare professionals to see what is going on with their patients from afar.

• Heart monitors
• Glucose monitors
• Smart hospital beds
• Smart pacemakers

All of the data that hospitals take when a patient is admitted can also be viewed by nurses remotely, without requiring a physical visit into the room itself. If you’ve ever spent time in a hospital, you know that they hook you up to Darth Vaderesque quantities of medical equipment.

Each expensive machine produces information, and with IoT, that information goes directly to the doctors and nurses who are taking care of you. Convenient? That and so much more. Below, we take a look at how IoT is benefiting everyone who comes into contact with the healthcare system.

Nurses with New Talents

As data becomes increasingly more accessible, many hospitals are prioritizing hiring employees with the ability to analyze it. Informatics nurses have graduate degrees that equip them with the skills to understand data and use those insights to improve hospital processes and patient outcomes.

As IoT and other data-taking technology continue to expand, the demand for professionals trained to use them will only increase.

Making the Most out of Limited Resources

It’s no secret that there aren’t enough nurses to go around. While a Bluetooth-powered heart monitor may not seem like a good substitution for a well-staffed hospital floor, it can make a big difference.

Nurses who can check in on their patients remotely can get a lot more done than those who have to stop constantly in every room. While some form of remote patient monitoring has existed for a long time, IoT technology takes everything to the next level.

Nurses do still need to make their rounds, but IoT allows them to optimize toward efficiency.

Patient Autonomy

IoT gives nurses space from their patients, but it also gives patients distance from the healthcare system. A device that constantly tracks their vital health information and relays the data back to their doctor allows them to live normal lives.

For example, a patient with cardio vulnerabilities may not need to go in for constant checkups if their heart monitor is always recording real-time data. Yes, visits are still necessary when there is an issue, but when there isn’t? The patient has more autonomy. They can live a normal life.

This is also great for the healthcare system as a whole. In a world where hospitals everywhere are stretched beyond capacity, it helps to have a technology that allows people to require fewer checkups.

Robust Data

All of this information can also be used to:

• Identify patterns of health and
• Develop a detailed strategy for long-term decisions.

The former consideration establishes a patient’s baseline. This is what John’s health looks like on a normal day. If a reading suddenly deters significantly from his baseline, he’ll know to go in for a checkup.

The second point can be equally important. Remember that we will live not just in an age of data, but also of data processing. Artificial intelligence platforms are able to process enormous amounts of information quickly, putting the numbers IoT devices take to good use.

This makes it easier than ever to develop personalized health strategies. John is 150 pounds. He runs every day. He should be in ideal health. Why is his heart rate a little funky?

IoT data may reveal patterns of his health that pertain not just to John but to other members of his family. Through careful medical intervention, he can receive a detailed plan that not only improves his own health but could potentially serve as a blueprint for his family as well.

John’s son Jim now has a wealth of information he can provide to any physician who asks about his “family history.”

Wearable Health for All?

While this article has focused primarily on medical-grade monitoring devices, that is hardly the extent of IoT’s reach in personal health and fitness. Anyone with a step tracker is using a form of IoT-powered health monitoring.

Many of these devices focus on more than just tracking steps. Higher-end gadgets can give you constant feedback on your heart rate or even your blood pressure. They are reasonably affordable and can be a good way to detect health issues early on.

No, they aren’t perfect, but they can get you to take your health more seriously. In addition to inspiring people to be more physically active, they also have the potential to call attention to health problems that might otherwise have gone unnoticed.

The average person only has their heart rate and blood pressure taken once a year at their annual checkup. Unfortunately, this does not paint a comprehensive picture of their health. Daily readings are a much more effective way to catch issues before they become serious problems.

Conclusion

Don’t forget that we are still in the relatively early stages of Internet of Things Technology. For that matter, we are in the early stages of the internet itself. Who can say where this technology is headed in the next ten years? The next twenty?

We do know that the number of IoT devices in circulation grows by the millions every year. And as AI continues to develop, the potential application for Internet of Things technology improves. Unlimited data and the power to process it rapidly, in real time? Combined, these technologies could have life-saving potential.