Medical and healthcare
The Internet of Medical Things (also called the internet of health
things) is an application of the IoT for medical and health related
purposes, data collection and analysis for research, and monitoring.
This ĎSmart Healthcareí, as it can also be called, led to the creation
of a digitized healthcare system, connecting available medical resources
and healthcare services.
IoT devices can be used to enable remote health monitoring and emergency
notification systems. These health monitoring devices can range from
blood pressure and heart rate monitors to advanced devices capable of
monitoring specialized implants, such as pacemakers, Fitbit electronic
wristbands, or advanced hearing aids. Some hospitals have begun
implementing “smart beds” that can detect when they are occupied and
when a patient is attempting to get up. It can also adjust itself to
ensure appropriate pressure and support is applied to the patient
without the manual interaction of nurses. A 2015 Goldman Sachs report
indicated that healthcare IoT devices “can save the United States more
than $300 billion in annual healthcare expenditures by increasing
revenue and decreasing cost.” Moreover, the use of mobile devices to
support medical follow-up led to the creation of Ďm-healthí, used ďto
analyze, capture, transmit and store health statistics from multiple
resources, including sensors and other biomedical acquisition systemsĒ.
Specialized sensors can also be equipped within living spaces to monitor
the health and general well-being of senior citizens, while also
ensuring that proper treatment is being administered and assisting
people regain lost mobility via therapy as well. These sensors create a
network of intelligent sensors that are able to collect, process,
transfer and analyse valuable information in different environments,
such as connecting in-home monitoring devices to hospital-based systems.
Other consumer devices to encourage healthy living, such as connected
scales or wearable heart monitors, are also a possibility with the IoT.
End-to-end health monitoring IoT platforms are also available for
antenatal and chronic patients, helping one manage health vitals and
recurring medication requirements.
As of 2018 IoMT was not only being applied in the clinical laboratory
industry, but also in the healthcare and health insurance industries.
IoMT in the healthcare industry is now permitting doctors, patients and
others involved (i.e. guardians of patients, nurses, families, etc.) to
be part of a system, where patient records are saved in a database,
allowing doctors and the rest of the medical staff to have access to the
patientís information. Moreover, IoT-based systems are patient-centered,
which involves being flexible to the patientís medical conditions. IoMT
in the insurance industry provides access to better and new types of
dynamic information. This includes sensor-based solutions such as
biosensors, wearables, connected health devices and mobile apps to track
customer behaviour. This can lead to more accurate underwriting and new
pricing models.