Covid Impacts
Smart Health

COVID-19’s Short-Term and Long-Term Impacts on the IoT Ecosystem

Prior to the pandemic, Internet of Things (IoT) technology was steadily spreading in the business community. When the pandemic struck, it created more urgency to accelerate the adoption of IoT. Many companies began opening up remote work, which helped countless businesses survive. Here’s a deeper look at how the pandemic affected smart technology networks connected with billions of IoT devices.


Industries Using IoT

Early adopters of IoT technology included utilities, manufacturers, logistics firms and healthcare organizations. These industries initially aimed to cut costs in favor of more sustainable solutions. They embrace smart technology, which includes IoT as well as various forms of AI. Robots and automation are part of this mix, which are both useful for social distancing and mitigating labor shortages.

IoT devices strategically placed throughout a company’s infrastructure report real-time data to a central database. Analysts are able to view a wide range of company data through online portals. This big data has helped water utilities identify and cut water leaks much faster, while it has similarly helped power companies overcome power losses. Since the pandemic shut down schools and college campuses, eLearning has become a solution through online classes. IoT sensors can collect a wide range of interactive data over IT networks that can then be monitored and analyzed by administrators. As much as schools and other organizations need this powerful technology, many are hesitant to invest big money in it due to financial constraints caused by the pandemic.

Many people’s lifestyles changed as a result of the pandemic, as employees commonly either began working from home or quit their jobs to reassess their goals. IoT devices integrated with apps have been the key to maintaining steady workforces to provide innovations such as:

  • Remote asset control
  • Workforce tracking
  • Online collaboration

A big question many companies that are holding out on smart technology have relates to ROI. Many small companies simply don’t have the budgets to invest in expensive technology while larger companies want to see more success stories.


Healthcare

Healthcare providers have used telemedicine for many years, in which patients attend doctor meetings by phone. But due to the pandemic filling up hospitals and a labor shortage, it was necessary for hospitals to quickly shift to telemedicine. This concept has expanded to include online self-help and video conferencing.

Hospitals are recommending an increasing number of IoT-driven wearable devices for remote monitoring of biological data. Another innovation is the use of voice technology to communicate data. Vocalis, for example, is designing a healthcare app that detects Covid-19 symptoms through voice signals. Another use of IoT has been for the testing and tracing of Covid-19.

One of the main reasons for IoT revenue growth the past few years has been due to usage in the healthcare sector. Global Data forecasts revenue from wearables is expected to rise to $64 billion by 2024.


Smart Homes

Modern homes are now increasingly designed with smart technology, such as smart meters that measure energy or water usage. Smart homes will likely become more connected with smart workplaces as several major tech corporations have announced they will continue remote work even in the post-pandemic era. Some of these companies include Microsoft, Twitter and Square. A recent Gartner study found that 74 percent of CFOs are looking at remote work as a long-term solution. IoT devices integrated into homes will contribute to work at home becoming more comfortable.


Smart Buildings

Various innovations can be found in smart buildings from smart HVAC systems for cleaner indoor air quality to smart thermostats that can be controlled remotely with an app. These innovations make it easy and practical to monitor building data in real time to pinpoint physical vulnerabilities such as air leaks.


Smart Cities

The rise of smart cities such as Hong Kong and Singapore has been a result of aggressive investments in emerging technologies such as IoT, automation, AI and 5G. The payoff is that these cities are more prepared to handle widespread disasters better than traditional cities. Hong Kong’s Smart City Blueprint in 2017 provided details on its goals toward more livable and sustainable cities. As a result, the city was able to respond more quickly to the pandemic.

Since the pandemic began, China has implemented its SkyNet project, in which over 20 million cameras have been installed to monitor densely populated areas. Other nations have embraced more privacy-aware monitoring solutions drawing from radars and LIDARs. Thermal cameras that detect fever grew by over 80 percent from 2020 to 2021. Tools used for social distancing and monitoring include camera-equipped drones.


Transportation and Logistics

Smart transportation technology is expected to become a $156 billion market by 2025. But the pandemic has slowed this development due to significantly less freight delivery and supply chain bottlenecks. Public transportation has also declined due to social distancing concerns. Meanwhile, the logistics market is expected to grow this decade due to the rising demand for IoT in warehousing and delivery services. The world’s largest logistics firm, XPO Logistics, has pioneered new features such as enhanced inventory precision and contactless delivery. During the pandemic, the industry has emphasized cold chain logistics, which mixes smart technology and processes to ensure perishable products such as vaccines are transported at a safe temperature.


Industrial IoT

The industrial sector has already gone far with smart technology, setting new standards and paving new directions for other businesses to follow. A recent McKinsey study found that 93 percent of supply chain and manufacturing professionals are preparing to embrace smart and resilient solutions. Juniper Research projects that the number of industrial IoT (IIoT) sensors in use will reach nearly 37 billion by 2025.


Conclusion

Due to the tremendous strain the pandemic put on society and businesses of all sizes, many companies are looking to adopt IoT and other smart technology. The need for real-time remote data monitoring will help bring society back together. It will be the key to a more sustainable business and cultural landscape in the post-pandemic world.


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smart healthcare
Smart Health

Why Smart Cities Require Smart Healthcare

Smart cities are currently on the rise, thanks to technological advancements, networks, and devices. These advanced metropolises use sensors and electronic gadgets to collect information and provide better services to the people living in them.

Though smart cities have many things to overcome, such as ensuring the security of the information they gather, there’s another focus – smart healthcare.


The Rise of Smart Healthcare

Smart healthcare uses various technologies, such as sensors, wearable devices, AI, IoT (internet of things), and more. Big data and business intelligence are also used to effectively respond to the healthcare needs of everyone within the ecosystem.

Many world governments are focused on smart healthcare or the overall need for digital health. India’s government, for instance, offers various initiatives, such as mobile medical units and FDSI (Free Diagnostics Service Initiative).

Over the last year, due to COVID-19, the concept of smart healthcare has gained increased attention. Digital technologies are at the forefront here for the management and control of the virus. For example, many countries developed contact tracing apps to track and, essentially, slow the spread of the virus. Additionally, big data and AI technologies have been very helpful in vaccine distribution and drug discovery.

The pandemic has also brought telehealth, an aspect of smart healthcare and once considered an emerging solution, to the mainstream. More and more people are now experiencing this type of digital care by seeing doctors remotely online or through using IoT-based apps that help to manage their health.


Better Patient Outcomes with Integrated Technology

Networking and connectivity are crucial for smart city development, and that also includes smart healthcare. You can use medical sensors to get real-time data and analyze it to create the right diagnosis or analysis. Plus, patients can wear devices and record information in their smartphone apps to monitor their condition more effectively.

Blockchain technology is also being utilized now to store electronic health records and keep them safe. This is the same technology used by cryptocurrency dealers, and it’s virtually not hackable.

With that, you also have robotics. Surgery robots can perform minimally invasive surgery, leaving the surgeon free to watch for any issues. Plus, robots are now used in the ICU to monitor patients, in radiology, and elsewhere.


What Are the Benefits of Smart Healthcare?

Smart healthcare offers many advantages for smart cities. Patients can receive smart health care services, regardless of where they are. And when you do have to visit a doctor’s office or hospitals, there’s a smoother experience. Plus, these areas have automated registration, smart parking options, online payment gateways, and so much more.

However, smart healthcare also benefits practitioners. They can provide more accurate diagnoses and treatments, which means more efficiency all around. Patients can now also be more involved in their healthcare, which could inspire them to get healthier.


Final Thoughts

Though smart healthcare focuses significantly on machine learning and AI, medical professionals are still required. They must make the right decisions by analyzing the data and understanding what it all means. While IoT can help, smart sensors are crucial, and the data produced must be gathered safely and securely. Though smart cities are the wave of the future, the solution to having a truly smart city is through the use of smart healthcare. That way, the people within the community can remain healthy and happy.

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COVID-19 vaccine logistics
Smart Health

Challenges and Insights into COVID-19 Vaccine Logistics

The logistics sector will be tested in 2021 on how well it can meet the challenges of COVID-19 vaccine distribution. Mass vaccine distribution has begun throughout the world, as businesses and schools particularly have an interest in ending shutdowns. Here's a look at how the vaccine rollout impacts logistics.


The Need for Cold Storage

One of the key metrics of COVID-19 vaccine logistics is temperature, as vaccines must remain cold during storage and throughout the shipping process. Once the FDA approved mass distribution of the vaccines in late 2020, supply chains were challenged to make last-mile adjustments. If not stored below -90 degrees Fahrenheit, the vaccines will become damaged and lose efficacy.

Cryogenic (deep freezing) storage conditions are required for the Pfizer vaccine, whereas the Moderna vaccine can be kept in a standard freezer for up to six months. The regular flu vaccine, by contrast, requires storage temperatures between 35- and 42-degrees Fahrenheit. The vaccines must be stored at the right temperatures during every stage of distribution. Once they are taken out of cryogenic storage, the vaccines must be used within five days.

Since cold storage or dry ice isn't widely available everywhere, Pfizer's strategy is to ship its vaccines directly to healthcare facilities, where they can be appropriately stored. Pfizer is also using special packaging that allows for storage up to 30 days if it's treated with dry ice every five days. Dry ice can be generated by freezing CO2 byproducts from fossil fuel production. Due to lower oil, gas, and ethanol production during the panic, the CO2 needed to produce dry ice has become less available.


Protective Equipment Distribution

Medical supply chains have suffered a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) since the pandemic struck. This supply scarcity has included masks, gloves, and gowns, which are critical for medical professionals. In addition to standard PPE shortages, medical facilities also need supplies such as wipes, needles, syringes, and bandages. It's unclear if they will have sufficient supplies over the next several months of vaccine distribution.


CDC Vaccine Tracking

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides a Vaccine Tracking System (VTrckS) for ordering millions of vaccine doses each year. It uses the same management system for ordering all COVID-19 vaccines. The system is used by various government agencies and pharmacy chains to view vaccine allocations, vaccine order placement, and management and distribution reports that track all vaccine shipments.

This vaccine tracking system integrates with government and commercial partners to receive or exchange vaccine data throughout the CDC's IT infrastructure. The system tracks vaccine inventory as well as waste data and other information relevant to medical supply chains. The CDC's logistics contractor McKesson receives VTrckS orders then directs Pfizer, Moderna, and other vaccine makers to ship vaccines to suppliers.

Another way the CDC is helping suppliers with the COVID-19 vaccine rollout is with its VaccineFinder on its website. This resource is designed to help healthcare providers enter vaccine distribution centers in a central database for real-time inventory monitoring. All COVID-19 vaccine providers are required to update their inventory on a daily basis in the VaccineFinder. Then when they've accumulated a sufficient supply of doses, they can make vaccine distribution locations visible on the platform for suppliers and the public.

Additionally, the CDC has developed two new cloud systems for reporting vaccine data. The Immunization Data Clearinghouse collects COVID-19 vaccination data, allowing healthcare providers to search for patients to identify the vaccine brand given and the number of doses they received. Meanwhile, the IZ Data Lake stores de-identified vaccine data that protects patient privacy.


Conclusion

Analysis of COVID-19 vaccine logistics will help improve the quality and capabilities of a delivery service. Meeting tough challenges under pressure is redefining logistics and supply chain strategies involved with vaccine distribution. The challenging conditions posed by the pandemic have set the stage for more innovative technology to further streamline the logistics industry.

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biosensor technology
Smart Health

How Biosensor Technology Shapes Modern Healthcare

The rapid growth of biosensor technology can be attributed in large part to the healthcare industry. Biosensors have been used by hospitals for years to monitor patient status. These IoT devices monitor biological functions, giving doctors and patients insightful data for analysis.

Another advantage to biosensors is that they facilitate minimal invasiveness for measuring biological activity, such as blood oxygen levels. And what makes biosensors incredibly essential is that they can deliver a wealth of valuable biological information in real-time.

However, while a large segment of the biosensor technology market is in healthcare, other applications include wellness and fitness. In the works are color tattoos that measure blood sugar. Some of the many ailments detected by biosensors include sleep apnea, peripheral artery disease, and obstructive pulmonary disease.


Biosensors Explained

Part of the mystique of biosensors is their ability to collect tremendous data for actionable medical analysis. These highly sensitive devices collect data at the molecular level, as certain molecules are linked to illnesses. Biosensors can also help doctors diagnose a patient's symptoms at a much faster rate than traditional methods. The main components of a biosensor are sensor, transducer, and electrons.


Healthcare and Biosensors

Developers of biosensors have put a strong focus on creating improvements for the healthcare industry. Hospitals have multiple uses for the technology, as it can monitor blood pressure, glucose levels, and heart rate. The technology is also useful for doctors conducting real-time diagnostic tests on patients.

Another feature of biosensors is how they integrate with digital pills. The patient digests the pill, which is then activated by stomach acid. Gilead has designed such a pill for HIV medication. Once ingested, the patient is notified on their smartphone, and the biosensors transmit that information to the cloud.

Digital pills can also monitor mental illness, as well as physical conditions. Otsuka Pharmaceutical has developed a digital pill to monitor depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.


Data Collection on Patients

The wide range of data biosensors capable of collecting data on patients has facilitated the adoption of wearable smart technology by healthcare organizations. Additionally, medical patches placed on a patient’s body can detect biological data, such as skin temperature and respiratory measurements.


Home Monitoring Kits

In recent years, home monitoring kits have been booming for biosensor manufacturers. These kits allow patients to self-monitor themselves on a daily basis. Diabetics, for example, use the kit to monitor glucose levels. The more information collected daily, the faster doctors can treat a patient's condition. Manufacturers are working on meeting the demand for smaller, less expensive, and more user-friendly biosensors for home use.

Home-monitoring is possible for many diseases, including cancer. It can even be used to help doctors ensure patients are taking their medication on schedule. Studies show about half of patients with chronic illnesses fail to follow their doctor's instructions, which can worsen health.


The Eventual Omnipresence of Biosensors

Growing demand among hospitals and patients for biosensors will likely make the technology available at a high percentage of medical facilities in the not-so-distant future. As biosensors continue to play a role in making healthcare more personalized, they will bring considerable improvements to the patient experience.

Smart devices of the future will include T-shirts that monitor multiple health parameters at once and deliver the gathered data through a phone app. Another new development on the horizon is a biosensor that measures drug concentration in blood or saliva. Doctors will help influence new biosensor developments by providing input to MedTech companies on the type of metrics they need to fine-tune diagnostic tests.


Conclusion

The advent of biosensor technology has led to rapid improvements in the healthcare industry, including patient satisfaction. Biosensors, along with IoT, AI, and 5G, are transforming the industry to provide more reliable, responsive, and personalized services.

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online healthcare
Smart Health

How 5G Will Improve Online Healthcare

COVID-19 and social distancing have changed society while blazing the trail for online healthcare in its wake. Fewer people are going to hospitals as more people seek medical help through the internet. Wireless communication plays a major role in this transformation toward telehealth, and 5G will greatly improve connectivity and real-time capabilities.


Types of Telehealth Services

The rise of online healthcare services has raised awareness about telehealth, which at one time referred to healthcare advice delivered over the telephone.

Here are some of the many applications associated with merging healthcare with the internet:

  • Video conferencing for virtual consultations
  • Remote patient monitoring (RPM) for analysis
  • IoT wearables that track blood pressure, heart rate, and other processes
  • Remote robotic surgery
  • The Internet of medical things (IoMT) – a blend of medical devices and applications that can improve health care outcomes
  • Digital communication through email, messaging or chat


Challenges of Telehealth in the 2020s

The main limitation of telehealth in a pre-5G world is network capacity. Many organizations lack the necessary bandwidth and transmission speed to meet the needs of telehealth on a mass scale. But when 5G becomes more widely available, organizations across all industries, particularly healthcare, will strengthen their networks with faster and more reliable connectivity. Internet speed will increase to 20 Gbps while bandwidth widens to support 10,000 times more capacity.

Another challenge for medical organizations is meeting government compliance with privacy laws and regulations. Hospitals will be generating large volumes of data that track information for confidential medical records. A wider use of remote monitoring devices, such as patient wearables, will demand even tighter data protection. Doctors will be using a broader range of data for analysis that leads to providing instructions through digital communications.

Various stakeholders, such as healthcare providers and insurance companies, are working toward the expansion of telehealth services. Government policy changes are expected this decade to clarify responsibilities involved with telehealth data collection. Modern telehealth pioneers must further face the challenges of consumers becoming comfortable with new technology, such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR).


Bandwidth, Connectivity, and Security

The reason 5G will likely gain rapid adoption with the healthcare industry is because it facilitates seamless transmission for massive amounts of data. In fact, it was designed precisely to support robust data transmission of applications, such as telehealth. The rapid development of IoMT devices made for 5G will further contribute to the widespread adoption of telehealth.

Enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) will be an integral dimension of 5G to support real-time 3D video. Media streaming will be free of latency issues, making it more practical for webinars, meetings, and training sessions. Video conferencing can replace a large number of in-person hospital appointments. The convergence of 5G and devices designed for it will mark a new era in technology that sets new standards for industries, particularly healthcare.

Complex medical procedures, such as remote robotic surgery, will become easier to perform, thanks to more robust bandwidth and connectivity. Remote operations will save time, and in the process, help save lives.


Post-Pandemic Planning

Hospitals were already steadily moving toward telehealth prior to the pandemic. Many healthcare organizations were already preparing for 5G by working closely with telecom companies. The rapid growth of patient wearables that communicate directly with hospitals is clear evidence that the healthcare industry is merging with digital technology.

Real-time monitoring will play a significant role in new service models aimed at addressing health issues at a much faster pace. Traditionally, telehealth was focused on connecting with people in rural areas. But as both patients and healthcare organizations increasingly realize the benefits of virtual care, this pattern will continue and extend to include areas of all population sizes. Ultimately, 5G will solidify telehealth as a vehicle for more efficient, personal, and affordable patient care.


Conclusion

Offering online healthcare is becoming the new norm for medical professionals and facilities around the world. Beyond telehealth helping to reduce overcrowded hospital waiting rooms, it also helps patients resolve health issues quicker, create better relationships with doctors, and save some money on health care.

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telemedicine
Smart Health

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Telemedicine

Awareness has spread quickly about telemedicine due to the pandemic. It's simply an effective solution to meeting patient demands, while reducing in-person hospital visits. Telemedicine also helps resolve many issues surrounding in-person visits, especially those regarding social distancing or faster care for urgent medical matters.

Here's a look at the advantages and challenges for a hospital to adopt telehealth.


Major Advantages of Telehealth

  1. Convenience and Access - Greater convenience for patients will be a driving force for the growth of telemedicine in the coming years. Patients will also have better access to health consultations, treatment, and medical advice.
  2. Lower Costs and Greater Savings - Remote monitoring and analysis can lower costs for both hospital and patients. Monitoring connected devices worn by patients gives doctors more data to work with and the ability to make faster decisions. Additionally, digital communication can reduces the need for hospital visits that cost patients time and hospitals space in their waiting rooms.
  3. More Access to Specialists - Doctors are now able to share data with specialists more seamlessly, regardless of location. This also means that patients no longer have to wait days or weeks to connect with a specialist, as they can get answers to questions in real-time from an automated assistant.
  4. Better Patient Interaction - Doctors can engage more with patients through email, messaging, and virtual meetings. The more the patient and doctor interact digitally, the better the chances are of diagnosing an illness quickly and achieving faster recovery.
  5. Higher Quality Patient Care - Telehealth allows for real-time urgent care sessions, which can accelerate treatment options for patients. The faster pace of healthcare can help reduce stress and anxiety.


Telemedicine Challenges to Consider

Not all healthcare operations are in a position to invest the large amount of capital it requires to implement new technologies for telehealth services. Hospitals already invest substantially in medical equipment and other costly resources.

Another major challenge is the fact that the learning curve for telehealth technologies can be fairly steep, and it may take staff members quite some time to learn how to use them effectively and efficiently.

Here are a few other key challenges to adopting telehealth:

  1. Less Physical Contact - Patients have been used to seeing a doctor in person throughout their lives, and many have built familiarity and trust with their doctors because of this. In some cases, a patient only wants to share confidential details about their health with a doctor they trust in person. Furthermore, certain treatments require a physical visit.
  2. Patient Familiarity with Medical Staff - From a patient's perspective, doctors and nurses who know their medical history have a better understanding of their needs. They may feel uneasy about the quality of medical advice given from a stranger on the internet.
  3. Tighter Security Needed - Another important concern for hospitals and patients about telemedicine is data privacy. The more hospitals venture into big data, the higher the risk becomes that some of this data will end up in the wrong hands. Hospitals must step up their investment in cybersecurity to ensure government compliance and the protection of confidential information of their patients.


The Next Phase for Telehealth

Telehealth is already a $45 billion industry and will experience nearly 20 percent growth by 2026. It's important for healthcare organizations to review their current limitations and consider preparing for technological upgrades that support telehealth.

However, it’s imperative to consider the pros and cons of telehealth and before committing the large investment it takes to implement it.

Clearly, companies that adopt this model for delivering healthcare will have a competitive edge. But it doesn't mean those that don't will be left behind, because choices for medical treatment are ultimately left up to consumers. The fact that the new digital direction for healthcare will raise patient satisfaction in multiple ways is a compelling enough reason to, at least, explore it.

Conclusion

The age of telemedicine has arrived, and healthcare organizations must decide how this emerging model for faster, more convenient and affordable healthcare fits with their existing infrastructure. Certain organizations are in better position than others to take the telehealth model to the next level, but those who aren’t at that stage currently should still consider it a possibility for the future.

If you are looking for an affordable and effective telehealth solution for your healthcare organization, we recommend One Touch Telehealth. The secure and HIPAA-compliant platform provides you the ability to create your own branded, browser-based, telehealth solutions for virtual patient care. For more details about the software, go to: https://www.onetouchtelehealth.com/

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5g healthcare
Smart Health

How 5G Technology in Healthcare Can Boost the Patient Experience

The advent of 5G technology in the healthcare is moving the industry toward more affordable and convenient options for patients.

Modern challenges that exist for healthcare organizations in the digital age include managing, storing, and transmitting patient data without compromising privacy. Additionally, these facilities must prepare for dealing with increasing amounts of data, making the tasks of transmitting and protecting it more and more difficult.

Thankfully, the emergence of 5G technology can help solve these issues (along with others) and essentially make the overall patient experience better. Here’s how.


Importance of 5G Technology

One of the most significant ways 5G will improve the patient experience is through greater bandwidth and lower latency that leads to faster response times. That means doctors will be able to diagnose health conditions faster.

Additionally, wearable devices worn by patients at home can help medical professionals track more data on their well-being than ever before.

At the core of this revolution will be cloud computing. Many healthcare organizations already have a proprietary secure private cloud to meet HIPAA requirements. The next step will be to add services to the cloud that improve communication between the hospital and patient through digital solutions. Connecting through the cloud allows medical collaborators to securely access and analyze patient records.

Network slicing also gives healthcare organizations the opportunity to easily manage their own private mobile networks.


Improving Healthcare with Smart Solutions

The expansion of smart technology in healthcare will include new smart devices that monitor human biological functions that will help redefine norms in the industry.

Another innovative component of this new paradigm will be artificial intelligence (AI). Machine learning will take enormous amounts of data and turn it into valuable analysis on patients for doctors.

Hospitals will have more accurate and timely data to work with in identifying individual health issues. Wearable technology worn by patients will include IoT sensors that collect data and send it to the hospital in real-time.

The entire healthcare ecosystem can be improved with smart technology. This ecosystem includes ambulances, which can communicate with the hospital and the patient through wireless connectivity. The wider bandwidth of 5G will allow healthcare organizations to expand the number of connections it can facilitate at one time. Mobile medical professionals will be more confident about their services due to the improved reliability of wireless communication.

Rural and other remote residents will have greater real-time access to healthcare solutions the more that telehealth is adopted. The result will be less hospital visits, yet more personalized healthcare. The market for telehealth is expected to grow from $26.4 billion in 2020 to $70.19 billion by 2026. So, it's vital for hospital and clinic stakeholders to begin rethinking their current infrastructure now and consider transforming in order to the telehealth model.


Efficiency of IoT Monitoring

Smart technology combined with 5G will help make healthcare noticeably much better for all patients. IoT monitoring will allow doctors to remotely monitor patients’ conditions and well-being. And hospitals would be alerted when such a patient needs emergency care.

Smart devices will be able to monitor blood pressure, food intake, and whether or not a patient has taken medicine. Various vital signs can also be tracked, giving doctors access to much more patient information than ever before. This more in-depth body of knowledge will contribute to a better understanding of a patient's condition and what they need for medication. Essentially, it can help reduce the guesswork that can prolong the right treatment for each patient.


Conclusion

The coming 5G revolution will expand patient options for convenience. The converging technologies of 5G and IoT devices will exponentially increase the amount of patient data available for medical analysis, while making it more secure and easier to manage. Healthcare organizations should prepare for this game-changing transformation.

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telemedicine services
Smart Health

How Telemedicine Services Create Better Patient Experiences

Healthcare organizations should be talking about and exploring telemedicine services if they haven't made the transition yet. Since patient convenience has become an increasing demand, it's worth studying how smart technology is continuously creating new conveniences. Healthcare through online resources cuts travel costs, saves time, and addresses health issues more quickly.

Many hospitals were forced to speed up adoption of telemedicine due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It became the clear solution to overcrowded emergency rooms and social distancing. Telemedicine, though based on remote digital communication, actually brings the doctor and patient closer together as it offers them the opportunity to connect more often.


Increasing Convenience and More Efficient Health Care

When a patient utilizes telemedicine services, they can take greater control of their schedule in relation to doctor visits. The patient can schedule an appointment on their smartphone and receive alerts from the doctor's office leading up to the meeting. On the day of the appointment, the patient can monitor the waiting room list remotely. This capability reduces waiting time at the hospital and allows the patient to plan a tighter or more flexible schedule.

Telemedicine also saves time during emergencies. A wearable monitoring device with IoT sensors for heart rate and blood pressure can alert hospitals of any issues in real-time. This gives hospital personnel the ability to provide urgent care much more quickly. And the impact of this faster response can equate to many more lives saved during emergencies.


Toward Virtual Care and More Affordable Options

Virtual doctor visits are steadily reducing the number of in-person visits. Not all trips to the hospital are necessary when you can use digital communication instead. If all a patient needs to do is fill out forms, it can be done remotely online. Email, messaging, and video calls are all options if the doctor and patient simply need to have a conversation about topics like treatment instructions. Physical exams can still be performed in-person, although video conferencing technology opens the door for virtual exams.

By using telehealth, patients can increase the number of options they have for affordable treatments. And the faster communication between doctor and patient can help speed up recovery time, which will also help lower medical bills.


Improving Quality of Patient Care

Patients are attracted to telehealth for numerous reasons. A recent study by Texas State University found that the top reasons patients gave as to why they pursued telehealth were improved results, preferred modality, ease of use, lower costs, and better communication. Another study by eVisit found that 95 percent of respondents who used telehealth services reported a positive experience.

In the future, the keys to making patient care even better will involve standardizing and improving digital tools to make virtual visits more practical and effective. Studies have so far been mixed as to how much virtual meetings help patients, but in the future, doctors will have much more patient information at their fingertips. The combination of bigger data collection and greater connectivity through 5G will significantly improve virtual capabilities.

A growing number of patient surveys show that consumers are becoming more aware of telemedicine as a choice. Research has shown that over 65 percent of people who have experienced telemedicine are satisfied by it. One of the strongest arguments for telemedicine is it creates a closer and even more personalized relationship with the doctor.


Conclusion

The growth of telemedicine services this year has been significant due the current health crisis, and continued development of these services are set to upgrade the healthcare industry even more in the very near future. This modern form of healthcare is sure to become omnipresent since it gives patients better outcomes and options. The more digital a healthcare organization gets using smart technology, the more prepared it will be for telehealth becoming the norm.

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5g healthcare
Smart Health

Why 5G Will Revolutionize the Healthcare Industry

5G technology, designed to create a faster and more reliable internet, is just around the corner, becoming more visible as the decade unfolds. When 5G becomes more widely available, it’s set to noticeably improve the healthcare industry.

Thanks to this technology, the advent of virtual services, like online consultations with doctors, will soon be common.

Here's a deeper look at how 5G will impact society and improve the healthcare industry.


New Emphasis on Remote Healthcare

Since hospitals are commonly understaffed due to rising healthcare demands, leaders in the field are looking toward 5G as a game-changing phase of industry evolution. The much wider bandwidth and lower latency of 5G will improve the reliability of data transmission in real-time across wireless networks. As a result, this development will make telemedicine a more practical and attractive solution than it already is.

With the arrival of 5G, healthcare organizations will benefit from enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), which will increase the reliability of connections with mobile devices. Thanks to this improvement, doctors will be able to communicate more effectively with patients and provide faster diagnostic reports. It will also help healthcare professionals collect information more efficiently through patient feedback surveys to improve services and patient satisfaction.


5G Allows Better Health Services

The 5G revolution will upgrade medical facilities in various ways involving the speed, volume, and storage of data. It will ultimately open the door to new types of surgery and treatment that maximize comfort and convenience for the patient.

Here are some of the ways 5G will improve healthcare operations:

  • Faster transmission of large files - Hospitals use equipment that generates a continuous flow of large files for CT scans and MRIs. This data is sent to specialists for their analysis. The files are so large that transmission can be slow on a 4G connection. But 5G will allow for not only faster data transmission, but a high volume of it as well.
  • Growing number of telemedicine options - From the start to the middle of the 2020s, global telemedicine is expected to grow from $38.3 billion to over $130 billion. The United States will account for nearly half of this 17 percent growth rate. India and China will also contribute to the massive expansion of telemedicine. Not only will 5G cut costs, but it will also broaden access to care and number of choices for it for healthcare patients.
  • Valuable AR, VR and spatial computing - Several modern technologies are converging at once to make 5G a valuable revolution for healthcare organizations. Augmented reality, virtual reality and spatial computing are already commonly used by hospitals, but 5G will trigger an expansion of use. Based on simulated models, these technologies will contribute to avoiding invasive treatments with medical alternatives.
  • More powerful remote monitoring - With the help of 5G, real-time monitoring of IoT devices will be much more seamless and reliable. This will influence a wide growth of new remote monitoring devices. Part of the appeal of wearables is they are expected to cut hospital costs by at least 16 percent this decade.
  • AI speeds up processes - Since no human will be able to analyze the entire collection of big data from IoT devices, artificial intelligence (AI) will play a crucial role in data analysis. Machine learning capabilities will be able to offer decisions for manual or automated adjustments based on the rapid analysis of a large amount of data.

Recent studies show that telemedicine is paying off and saving money for both hospitals and patients. Nearly 80 percent of patients said they were significantly satisfied by telemedicine in a recent study conducted by Sage Growth and Black Book Market Research. About a third of the respondents said the service was better than an in-person doctor visit.


Conclusion

The early 2020s will usher in 5G connectivity for the healthcare industry, which will be viewed by many as the new standard for affordable and convenient healthcare. This new robust internet solution will pave the way for amazing technological improvements in medical equipment and processes involving patient care.

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healthcare technologies
Smart Health

Emerging Trends in Healthcare Technologies

During the pandemic, it has been vital for medical facilities to utilize or invest more in new digital healthcare technologies.

The healthcare sector benefits enormously from going more digital, especially for promoting social distancing. Medical professionals are also improving their relationships with patients by offering more affordable options through digital services.

Instead of patients visiting hospitals for minor incidents, seeking faster solutions online is becoming more economical and convenient. Consumers can order medications online and pick up prescriptions at a local pharmacy.

Digital and mobile technologies are bringing huge benefits to the healthcare sector. By embracing these technologies, healthcare organizations can see better success rates in patient health outcomes, cut costs, and resolve issues at a faster pace. Patients will also have more control of their personal information.


New Healthcare Technologies

Telemedicine is at the forefront for the development of new healthcare technologies and is expected to create more efficient use of staffing and equipment. Here are ways the healthcare industry will gain value by transitioning toward more digital engagement with patients:

  • Telemedicine and Smart Technology - The most profound changes in healthcare involve shifting to an infrastructure that supports telemedicine, which provides solutions on multiple levels for urban, suburban, and rural residents. Some of the ways it helps hospitals and patients are reducing physical visits and improving diagnosing and treatment.
  • Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) - Going more digital allows doctors to gather more information about the patient, particularly through real-time monitoring. Innovative wearables now used for connecting patients with doctors on a virtual level include ECG and EKG monitors. Doctors can further remotely monitor levels for blood pressure, glucose, temperature, and many other health factors.
  • Healthcare Cloud Computing - Private cloud computing has become appealing to healthcare organizations due to how seamless it facilitates large file transfers. Patient medical records are becoming more extensive in the digital age now that hospitals can collect more data with IoT devices. Medical facilities using the cloud approach need to ensure providers are well aware of HIPAA regulations.
  • Adoption of AR/VR/MR in Healthcare - New technology such as Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) and Mixed Reality (MR) are at the foundation of telemedicine. AR involves adding digital elements to a live view, often with the help of a smartphone camera. VR implies complete emphasis on a digital display rather than a physical environment, such as the use of animation to simulate the physical world. And MR is a mix of both AR and VR that allows physical and digital objects to coexist.
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Automation in Healthcare - Machine learning is one of the emerging facets of AI helping reshape telemedicine. Useful problem-solving automated responses to patient medical questions can now be delivered in real-time.
  • Increased of Digital Communication Assistants - Chatbots are part of the shift toward digital communication in healthcare. Patients can use chatbots for queries about medical issues to help reach a faster diagnosis. Hospitals can also program evidence-based responses to common patient questions, leading to faster medical treatment.
  • Using Analytics to Fine-Tune Forecasting - Predictive analysis will become more accurate with the implementation of deeper data gathering systems. AI-driven technology and IoT devices will contribute to a wider pool of data for machine learning software to draw from.
  • Stronger Security via Blockchain Technology - With the amount of sensitive data that has to be stored, privacy is a top concern in the healthcare industry. Blockchain can potentially provide much stronger security since it's much more complex for hackers to penetrate.


Conclusion

Patients and doctors are moving toward providing better patient experiences due to the rapid evolution in healthcare technologies. Staying up to date with constantly improving smart technologies should be a priority for medical professionals in the coming years.

With the right technology solutions, hospitals will be more secure and accurate in making medical predictions, while offering patient more efficient and personalized healthcare services.

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