The use of IoT and technology escalated in 2009 after the creation of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH Act). The Internet of things has changed our lives altogether, the way we live, communicate and do our daily tasks. Today every person is dependent on the Internet in one way or another. Broadband companies are offering the best services and packages to their users. The use of IoT in healthcare is also growing to provide several applications.
Wearable devices :
These wireless devices are very efficient at collecting health-related data and monitoring the functioning of the body i.e heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen level, and blood glucose. These wearable devices have changed the normal way of keeping a track of one health record, acting as your digital mini-physician keeping you updated about your health status . these devices come in various forms and shapes with different ranges of functions.
Telemedicine :
WHOs report on the second survey of global eHealth strongly emphasized the application of telemedicine worldwide. Most of the healthcare domains are present in telemedicine. Telemedicine means healing at distance, and we must understand its importance by the situation which the world is facing today. The majority of the population are willing to try and apply this mode in their lives.
Tracking of the patient :
IoT allows monitoring remotely located patients very easily and efficiently. The patient doesn’t have to travel hundreds of kilometers to see his physician, it is budget-friendly to the consumer and easier for the physician too, to keep a check on his patient and treat him more effectively.
No misplacement of resources :
IoT helps us utilize the labor force at the right place, instead of professionals searching for drugs and hospital workers maintaining a track of the supplies and consumption. The work burden is lessened.
Patients do not have to wait in long queues, they get their visits happily and more regularly. The implementation of IoT has improved the patient experience and worker experience, providing better care to the patient and a better environment for the staff.
Better research opportunities:
IoT collects vast amounts of data that is beneficial to healthcare researchers. The enormous amount of data collected by patients can be used to perform target-oriented research leading to the improvement of the overall healthcare structure. This data should be used to study trends, a common occurrence of symptoms among patients of the same disease. Collection of data for research was done manually before the use of IoT, research then was a time-requiring and hectic process which delayed many discoveries. But today different sorts of data are being collected, you just have to put it to the right use.
Many reports have proven healthcare to be one of the largest and growing enterprises in the world. The application of IoT has several benefits, all of which cannot be summarized in a single article. Tech is the future of all industries and the backbone of modern civilization!
