High Score Labs News   •   Mar 12, 2020

What do you think of when you hear the word ‘hospital’? Plastic syringes, a boring routine of procedures and big bills? That is going to change in the very near future.
New advances in AI, mobile technology, healthcare is changing the way that health care providers operate and interact with their clients.
The internet of things, IoT, is a system of devices connected to the Internet that can collect, send and receive data. For example, meteorological sensors can collect and sell data regarding temperature, humidity, etc.

With this rapidly advancing technology, health care providers are able to increase the quality of their care, accuracy of diagnoses and improve the overall patient experience.

So how will these IoT medical devices be used? Will it be integrated into our bodies like Neo or other science fiction movies? The answer is yes and no.

Some IoT medical devices are external. For example, different biosensors can monitor temperature, blood pressure, oxygen and glucose levels, etc.

Implanted devices may make you feel uncomfortable and understandably so. These implanted devices can be drug-delivery devices, glucose monitors, neuro and cardio stimulators, etc. In fact, many people live with implanted heart valve (but without net connection) but imagine, if this implant could monitor heart rhythm, pressure, temperature, hemoglobulin level and push it to the patients app which includes the check-up and the reference value to share with your health care practitioner. This would certainly be a good thing for those that are confined to the house due to age or illness, allowing a health care practitioner to regularly check on the patient without needing to be there.

Stationary IoT devices can be used almost everywhere; from the surgeon to lab tests and monitoring. Images from X-ray and other machines could be quickly collected and delivered to your main provider, allowing them to diagnose and recommend treatment.

How do IoT devices connect with the net and other devices? Often it is through Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC and other types of connections. We found out three main benefits of using IoT devices in healthcare:

Constant monitoring of vitals
Some diseases require real time monitoring. This is especially useful for those that suffer from cardiovascular disease. According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular diseases cause almost 31% of deaths worldwide which makes it the number 1 cause of death globally.

IoT medical devices let healthcare staff monitor patients in real-time wherever the patients are. No need to visit doctors often, no need to stay in the hospital for monitoring and this helps improve the cost of medical services.

The other case is hi-res data for making critical decisions. IoT devices could provide data with excellent accuracy and improve existing diagnostic methods.

Assist patients with long term illness

Such technologies could offer real help for long-term diseases. For example, IoT devices can make life easier for people with diabetes possibly saving their lives.
According to the International Diabetes Federation statistics, every seven seconds someone is estimated to die from diabetes or its complications, with 50% of those deaths under the age of 60 years.
Small IoT implanted devices will do necessary injections on schedule, without interruption.

Cost-cutting through automation

Healthcare is often a cost intensive pursuit, from both the patient and healthcare provider’s point of view. Hospitals must maintain large budgets to support the medical staff, equipment, and medicines. Patients spend money on paying for insurance and the medical bills. IoT devices can help automate many of the more routine processes that health care institutions engage in, which reduces the cost for both patient and health care institution.

Surely, the advantages of making use of newer technologies in the medical field is obvious. It will certainly be interesting to see how the trend evolves over the years!

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