The internet of things and the digital medical world are merging together with the advent of IoT to bring about major opportunities for healthcare organisations. Health care systems have been around for years but a lot of the traditional systems are not compatible with new technology or have bugs that make them unusable. This makes healthcare hard to operate. The system can be fixed, but only if there is a long term strategy in place, with the right people and the right focus.
One area that is ripe for disruption is medical devices. The old models were slow, unreliable and complex to use. The newest generation is extremely speedy, flexible and easy to use. It is making the device life of patients much easier.
Some of the biggest names in the industry have been talking about IoT devices for years, particularly in their efforts to reduce healthcare costs. Samsung recently released its own mobile application that use the internet to gather patient data, as well as offering doctors insights on how to treat patients more effectively. Medical institutions are also starting to look at these devices to reduce their carbon footprint. Devices like these may also be used to monitor patient fluid levels, help with preventative care, and even potentially provide instant feedback to the doctors themselves, which will eliminate some of the guesswork and human error that is inherent in some healthcare organisations.
There are many other devices that will be able to help improve healthcare operations. Some of the smaller organisations are already experimenting with artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve the way they communicate with each other and with doctors and nurses. Other experiments include using electronic medical records to track all patient information from every level of the organisation, down to the lowest detail. A big trend is the integration of all healthcare organisation components into a single system. The obvious benefit is that there will be one central point of contact for any questions or problems, and one unified reporting and data storage platform.
This isn’t just a case of larger organisations adopting this technology, though. Many smaller organisations are finding that the benefits are huge. The internet of things allows devices to connect wirelessly, meaning that many devices will be able to communicate with each other, as well as being able to access the internet and update the system. This can be particularly useful in the healthcare organisation, because it means that problems in one part of the organisation can easily be investigated from another.
For example, imagine this scenario. An elderly person in the hospital has lost strength in her legs. This person may require a wheelchair, but due to lack of space, the team transporting this person may not be able to transport her in an ambulance. This problem is easily solved by using iot technology with a medical device called an iMedico lifeline. By logging onto the internet, caregivers can find medical devices that can detect the weak spots in the patient’s leg muscles. Then, the device communicates with the vehicle transporting the senior, and together they work to restore mobility.
Healthcare organisations have been slow to adopt new technologies, partly because of a fear of investing in such technology. However, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t do so. In fact, the benefits of iot software in healthcare organisation can be seen now. The technology can help to improve the efficiency of operations, cut costs, reduce staff training time and improve overall patient care. It also provides patients with a way to connect to their healthcare organisations through the internet.
But the device needs to be certified before it can be introduced into healthcare organisations. This is because certain devices can interact with each other, and some won’t be compatible with others. iot certification ensures that only the latest devices can be used, saving money and improving patient care. A qualified IT manager should oversee the process and carry out quality assurance tests to ensure that the device is compliant with all standards.
Deepak Wadhwani has over 20 years experience in software/wireless technologies. He has worked with Fortune 500 companies including Intuit, ESRI, Qualcomm, Sprint, Verizon, Vodafone, Nortel, Microsoft and Oracle in over 60 countries. Deepak has worked on Internet marketing projects in San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange Country, Denver, Nashville, Kansas City, New York, San Francisco and Huntsville. Deepak has been a founder of technology Startups for one of the first Cityguides, yellow pages online and web based enterprise solutions. He is an internet marketing and technology expert & co-founder for a San Diego Internet marketing company.