Today, every industry is seriously impacted by the Internet of Things (IoT). This technology gives the feel of Midas touch where ever it sweeps. Since the time the internet was discovered, IoT has been creating a huge difference, which no industry can deny. And if any companies deny this fact, they will be left long behind as the world today is technology-driven and competition is getting tougher. In this blog, let’s explore what difference IoT applications in healthcare have brought about. Recent IoT applications in healthcare have helped people enjoy personalized attention for their health requirements. The IoT has allowed people to tune their devices to remind them of their calorie count, appointments, blood pressure variations, exercise check, and much more.
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What is IoT?
IoT or the Internet of Things refers to the cluster of physical devices available globally that are connected to the internet and collect and share data. When devices or objects are connected digitally, it becomes easy to control them from anywhere. IoT is one of the transformational forces that can help organizations to improve performances through IoT analytics and IoT Security to deliver better and accurate results. The healthcare industry is among the fastest industries to adopt IoT. IoT applications in healthcare have greatly improved the quality of service and its effectiveness, which brings high value especially for the aged ones, chronic disease patients, and those who require constant supervision. IoT applications in healthcare are turning out to be a great revolution for the industry as well as for the patients. Let’s see how:
Here is the list of a few innovative IoT applications in healthcare:
IoT Applications in Healthcare
#1. Tracking real-time location
IoT applications in healthcare are making it possible for doctors to track the devices used by patients for treating them using real-time location services. Medical devices and apparatus like scales, wheelchairs, nebulizers, defibrillators, monitoring equipment, or pumps can be attached with sensors and located easily with IoT. There are also other IoT devices apart from real-time location services that help in monitoring the environment as well.
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#2. Monitoring hand hygiene
Recent IoT applications in healthcare have made it a reality to monitor hand hygiene. Today’s IoT devices can detect the cleanliness degree of any healthcare worker. A recent study showed that one out of every 20 patients gets infection and disease due to a lack of proper hand hygiene in public hospitals. There are many patients who develop serious diseases out of such hospital infections and ultimately die. New IoT applications in healthcare have made it easy to fetch all the information of a healthcare worker such as his/her ID, location, and time, which is then fed into the database of the device for analysis by the concerned authorities.
#3. Remote health monitoring
Monitoring health in remote areas is one of the important IoT applications in healthcare. People who stay in remote areas, where the health facilities are not that appropriate, can be given adequate help through IoT. Every day, lots of people lose their life because of the scarcity of timely and prompt medical assistance. IoT applications in healthcare have made it possible to fit devices with sensors that notify the concerned doctors in case of any change in the condition of a patient. With the help of remote monitoring, there can be a significant reduction in the length of hospital stays and also in the re-admission rates. This kind of innovation by IoT is a boon, especially for aged people. Such monitoring devices are available in the form of wearables too, which makes them easy and convenient.
#4. Enhancing patient experience
IoT applications in healthcare have helped in enhancing the experience of patients. It has now become easy for the patients to control the temperature and lightning of their room with the help of the seamless connection between them and devices. Also, now it’s no more boring for the patients to stay for long in the hospital bed as recent IoT applications in healthcare have made it easy for them to communicate with their friends and family. They can also interact with nurses through intercom for any necessity. Such IoT applications also provide easy access to patient information by the medical staff from the cloud by medical staff.
#5. Enhancing management of drugs
Prescription medication is one of the most breakthrough innovations of IoT in healthcare. It seems very Sci-fi, but there are microscopic sensors in the pills that are grain-sized and can send signals to external devices. This ensures proper usage and dosage of drugs. Handy smartphone apps also help patients gain access to information and track their personal performance.
#6. Helping chronic disease treatment
Recent IoT applications in healthcare have made big breakthroughs when it comes to treating patients with chronic conditions. Today, a single device can never cater to the treatment needs of the 21st century but it is the combination of wearable technology, mobile connectivity, and next-generation analytics that new IoT applications in healthcare have brought into function. Devices like Fitbit have helped in personalizing healthcare and have given exciting results.
Today, IoT has the rich potential to reach every human being globally at a single time. Newer IoT applications in healthcare are transforming the sector and the market will continue to advance with the constantly improving technology but how far it will take the world is one of the debatable points for everyone.
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