Healthcare

Before IoT, interaction with doctors was limited to visits, and tele or text communications, and doctors and hospitals could not monitor patients’ health continuously or make recommendations accordingly.

Using IoT-enabled devices unleashes the potential to keep patients safe and healthy, and empowers physicians to deliver the best care possible. This also increases patient engagement and satisfaction as interactions with doctors become easier and more efficient. Other benefits include reducing the length of hospital stay and preventing readmissions, which reduces healthcare costs and improves treatment outcomes. IoT is undoubtedly transforming the healthcare industry by redefining the space of devices and people interaction in delivering healthcare solutions. IoT has applications in healthcare that benefit patients, families, physicians, hospitals and insurance companies.

Healthcare Use Cases

Patient monitoring

The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), also known as telehealth, is the monitoring of health and activity for chronic disease management and wellness (e.g. fitness trackers) in order to reduce readmission rates and improve health outcomes. Monitoring programs can collect data including vital signs, weight blood pressure, blood sugar, oxygen levels, heart rate, and electrocardiograms through wearable devices.

An Elderly Man Sitting on the Couch while Using His Mobile Phone

Independent living

Providing the elderly with easy-to-use modern tablets for simple communication can help people with dementia to live alone via drug management, bed sensors, and GPS or movement trackers which in turn reduces readmission rates, improves patient experience, and improve health outcomes.

Close-Up Shot of a Person Putting Medicines in a Pillbox

Drug management

Improve patient experience, lower readmission rates, improve health outcomes, increase revenue, lower cost, and business risk by controlling the amount of drugs taken.

Remote monitoring of medical hardware

Ensure proper performance of medical equipment, predict maintenance before costly repair or replacement, and increase machine utilization to reduce costs.

Smart beds

Provide a better patient experience and gather valuable health-related information in order to improve treatments by monitoring beds at home or in the hospital for movement, and wetting and give patients a way to call for help or control the bed.

Staff operations

Improve employee experience and lower costs by equipping hospital staff (doctors, nurses, admin, cleaning) with connected devices (e.g. tablets) which will improve staff efficiency.

People Walking at the Hallway while Wearing Lab Gown and Face Mask

Hospital Equipment Tracking

Hospital equipment tracking, also known as a medical Real-TIme Locating Solution (RTLS) uses active/passive RF-based tags and sensors to track the location and monitor the usage of medical equipment to ensure that the equipment can be found when it is needed and also to predict future needs and identify inefficiencies in hospital processes.

man in white dress shirt holding white paper

Medical Facility Access Control

Medical facility access solutions use keyless entry technology to control access to restricted areas, such as supply closets and labs to ensure the safety of patients and staff, prevent loss of equipment and inventory, and increase the efficiency of providing and restricting access, implementing new security protocol and response in case of emergency. Access control solutions can also track who is coming and going through specific doors, and remotely revoke or grant access which eliminates the need for physical keys.