IoT in Healthcare: Key Benefits and Challenges

The future brings many wonderful possibilities, and using IoT software in healthcare is one of them. Accurate diagnoses, faster care, and patient well-being are some effective gains IoT brings to the healthcare sector. According to Fortune Business Insight research, the global IoT in the healthcare market is projected to grow from $89.07 billion in 2021 to $446.52 billion in 2028.

Technological advancements can provide the healthcare industry with amazing innovations that will become incredibly useful. One of the main applications of the Internet of Things (IoT) in this segment is precisely the use of connected devices to remotely monitor patients in various clinical contexts. In this way, medical teams can intervene at the right time whenever necessary. Other IoT applications in healthcare include devices that optimize employees’ day-to-day work based on data intelligence that favors the decision-making process.

IoT enables medical care to be brought to the next level. The benefits of IoT in healthcare are undeniable. Medical facilities are already eager to adopt IoT technology to improve the quality of the services provided. Read on to learn more about the benefits of using IoT in healthcare and the challenges that need to be overcome.

What Is IoT In Healthcare Industry?

IoT (Internet of Things) in healthcare reflects the technological innovations brought about by the digital revolution. IoT implementation is characterized by the use of devices connected to the Internet. A great example is smart medical equipment that optimizes various clinical processes, such as exams and monitoring of conditions.

Other smart devices, such as smartphones and smartwatches, are also part of the IoT for remote healthcare. These wearable devices can, for example, remotely monitor patients with diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic conditions that require constant monitoring.

Automated data collection and analysis is another benefit derived from IoT in healthcare. This is essential for improving hospital processes, both from an administrative point of view and in terms of patient care. Working with a concrete, centralized information base is essential so that teams can make decisions assertively and with the necessary agility.

In developed countries, healthcare is a leader in terms of IoT integration – Bernard Marr, the best business influencer in the UK according to LinkedIn

6 Benefits Of IoT In Healthcare Industry

According to the AAMC report, the USA expects a shortage of up to 124,000 physicians by 2034. This includes shortfalls in primary and specialty care. The good news is that IoT healthcare solutions can mitigate the impact of this shortage on the population. 

Here are some of the key benefits to implementing IoT in healthcare.

IoT Accelerates and Enhances Disease Diagnosis

IoT in healthcare does contribute to increasing the speed and even perfection of diagnosing some diseases. In this regard, by using IoT-connected devices, there is a possibility to fetch real-time data from the patient for early detection of health issues that might appear later in his life.

Continuously, the IoT sensors and wearables will monitor all the vital signs of the patient, such as heartbeat, blood pressure, and glucose level, providing instant feedback that may suggest abnormalities. This will consequently allow physicians to make quicker and more accurate diagnoses while reducing the time patients spend in a state of uncertainty. The continuous flow of information provided by IoT encourages the management of chronic conditions, which may be immediately and duly adjusted to improve patient outcomes.

IoT Improves Quality of Patient Care

It is one of the main pros of using IoT in healthcare. Wearable monitors, smart beds, and remote diagnostics are a few of the connected healthcare devices that enable medical staff to provide the right kind of care at the right time. Patients will no longer have to go to the hospital quite frequently for mundane checkups; instead, they can get checkups remotely.

This increases not only the convenience for the patients but also helps physicians monitor the recovery progress of the patient in real time. It saves patients from the bother of having to attend frequent physical consultations by reducing unnecessary hospitalization and optimally using the available medical resources.

IoT Makes Less Strain on Healthcare Systems

The global healthcare system is gripped under pressure due to ever-growing demand amidst limited resources. IoT, however, can ease the pressure through well-established communication between a patient and his or her health provider.

The remote monitoring devices allow the patients to send health information to the doctors directly without necessarily seeing them. This saves so much time and resources for health professionals, who then concentrate on urgent cases. Consequently, this eases pressure on some of the busy hospitals and clinics. The capability of attending remotely contributes to shorter waiting times and more effective resource use in healthcare settings.

IoT Reduces Healthcare Costs In Long-Term

Why are the advantages of using IoT in healthcare so valuable? One of the reasons is cost reduction. The integration of IoT devices into healthcare has proven to be cost-effective for both providers and patients. By allowing remote monitoring, IoT reduces frequent and probably expensive hospital admissions and visits. This results in reduced bills for patients and a reduction in the operation cost in hospitals and clinics.

Besides, IoT technologies can also rationalize the use of medical equipment, reduce energy consumption, and decrease the rate of errors in diagnostics and treatment. All these factors contribute to significant economies in healthcare spending.

IoT Automates Medical Data Recording and Reduces Errors

Manual data entry is ranked as the single most significant source of errors in healthcare and may result in misdiagnosis, the wrong treatment option, and other expensive mistakes. IoT automates data recording from medical devices and treatment procedures, thus avoiding human mistakes and ensuring accuracy in medical records.

IoT allows devices to connect directly with EHR systems and synchronize data in real time, permitting healthcare professionals to possess the latest information about their patients. This automation will improve the accuracy of treatment decisions and reduce the possibility of costly mistakes in patient care.

IoT Improves Efficiency in Healthcare Delivery

This is one of the last advantages of IoT in healthcare. IoT enhances general efficiency in healthcare delivery by simplifying processes in managing patient care and coordination of treatments, among others. It lets healthcare providers have an ongoing real-time view of the patient’s condition to avoid unnecessary tests and procedures.

Moreover, IoT permits predictive analytics, allowing the physician to track health problems that may arise well before the actual intensification of the problem. This proactive approach keeps away hospital readmissions, eases the times of recovery, and streamlines resource utilization, thereby enabling healthcare providers to deliver access to care much faster and more efficiently.

What Are The Challenges Of IoT In Healthcare?

The challenges of IoT in healthcare include unique legal, regulatory, and technical issues, as well as privacy concerns. Today, there are many stakeholders in the IoT ecosystem in medicine: medical device vendors, connectivity providers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), software, system integrators, and end users. A full list of challenges of IoT in healthcare:

1. Data Security and Privacy
2. Interoperability
3. Data Overload
4. Regulatory Compliance
5. Network Reliability
6. Cost and Infrastructure
7. Device Management
8. Battery Life and Power Management
9. Limited Expertise
10. Ethical Concerns

We at OS-System emphasize the current obstacles and challenges into 2 categories. The first is legal. IoT devices generate and transmit data, but it is not always clear exactly who legally owns that data. 

A simple example is a medical device that is on the municipal balance sheet. It collects patient data, stores it in a cloud application, and then transmits it to a private clinic. Who owns the data – the city, the patient, the software provider, or the private clinic? 

The parties can share data and use it for different purposes in quite a few ways. However, the data owner has the legal right to destroy the data. Still, this is not easy to do in a distributed network because the data itself can be replicated.

Another category is regulatory concerns. Because medical data is sensitive, there are strict rules regarding its use, and there are limitations associated with securing the technology.

The technical challenges lie in the distributed nature of the Internet of Things infrastructure in medicine. All software systems and devices must be adapted to securely communicate with each other. However, security protocols and standards change regularly for these types of integration. As a result, there is a risk associated with interoperability issues as new technologies are introduced, especially if legacy systems are not adapted to the changes.

How Can The OS-System Team Help You In Healthcare Software Development?

OS-System is an experienced software development company that improves and enhances innovation and digital projects. We help our clients with digital transformation and their innovation journey. How can we accelerate your healthcare institution:

• We help our clients define the focus of their innovation initiatives and help them achieve a better return on their investments and innovative projects.
• At OS-System, we don’t just talk about great products or customer experiences. We co-create them with our customers.
• We help companies at every stage of the product development cycle. We can assist you with everything from ideation with a prototype to testing a new product or service with an MVP.

By analyzing your institution’s current state, we can propose the best IoT device application, rethink, and look for ways to innovate by using technology to your advantage. Contact us now to schedule a meeting. We’ll help you implement IoT in medicine!

Wrapping Up

We have successfully discussed the pros of implementing IoT in healthcare. All these IoT applications in healthcare contribute to the efficiency of hospital processes from end to end. They enhance the clinical experience of patients. At the same time, they optimize the corporate routine so that employees have more free time and can direct their efforts to those demands where the human factor is indispensable.

So, IoT makes digital healthcare more accessible, saves time for both patients and doctors, increases the efficiency of medical facilities, and is useful for tracking data for future research.

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