The pressure to improve patient care, particularly in larger population areas where multiple healthcare systems compete for patients’ attention, is top of mind. That’s why the new driver of success for value-based healthcare organizations is the patient experience.
As a result, the Internet of Things (IoT)—or the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT)—has become a critical strategy for healthcare organizations to help improve the patient experience and outcomes with faster, more accurate diagnoses and treatments.
Here’s a brief look at how some IoT/IoMT initiatives—such as medical devices, deep learning, real-time location systems (RTLS), and telehealth—are driving better care and experiences for patients and their families.
Learn more about Logicalis healthcare solutions by visiting us at HIMSS 2019 (Booth #969).
Medical devices: Monitoring patients through network-connected devices
A report from Berg Insights indicates that 7.1 million patients use remote monitoring and connected medical devices—which does not include personal health trackers—as an integral part of their care routines. Remote monitoring is expected to grow at a CAGR of 47.9 percent to reach 50.2 million patients by 2021.
Why? Medical devices throw out a lot of data and physicians see value in monitoring and tracking that data to improve patient care. Patients then feel empowered to manage their own health and take the devices out into the community.
Deep learning in imaging for greater diagnostic accuracy
Another way to improve patient care is with deep learning techniques for medical images. Deep learning uses knowledge of commonly known tasks to automatically process medical images. With this knowledge, radiologists, pathologists, and other image-based diagnosticians can identify anomalies, such as tumors or lesions.
While still in its infancy, deep learning techniques can help reduce diagnostic error and deliver diagnostic expertise to parts of the world where radiologic expertise is limited or non-existent today, say researchers.
Asset tracking and real-time location systems (RTLS): Keep an eye on assets
Real-time location systems (RTLS) use data to track and determine the location of healthcare assets at any point in time. Assets can be things—for example, infrastructure, devices, or equipment. Knowing where these assets are and preventing them from leaving the facility are key to reducing healthcare costs—costs that can be diverted to patient care.
Assets can also refer to people, such as doctors, nurses, patients, visitors, and others. For example, real-time data from sensors can guide visitors as they navigate throughout the hospital or track and monitor patients from the moment they are admitted to the hospital and throughout their stay.
Telehealth: Healthcare outside the four walls
Finally, better patient care is no longer confined to the “four walls” of a hospital or healthcare provider. With telehealth—or remote health monitoring—patients can engage clinicians on-demand for a variety of non-emergency healthcare issues.
Patients with limited mobility, limited (or no) means of transportation, or homes in rural areas can now “visit” a doctor with minimal hardship. Not only does telehealth make visiting a doctor easier, it can cut down on emergency room visits, reduce missed or late appointments, and increase the number of visits that these patients can make.
Physicians can also collaborate via telehealth for faster, more accurate diagnoses and treatment plans for better patient care. Physicians can also remotely check on patients with medical devices or equipment and eliminate 15-minute follow-up appointments.
Logicalis: Your IoT/Internet of Medical Things expert
Learn more about our healthcare solutions by visiting Logicalis at HIMSS 2019 (Booth #969). Or call us at 1-866-456-4422.
Mike Riley is the Healthcare Solutions Practice Leader for Logicalis, responsible for helping healthcare organizations align their business and technical needs to enhance both financial results and patient outcomes.