Data-driven medicine is not a new concept. Long before the COVID-19 epidemic, remote patient monitoring (RPM) was assisting healthcare providers in the treatment of chronic illnesses. However, the pandemic has surely pushed the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) into mainstream healthcare, reducing the strain on overburdened hospitals and allowing patients to be monitored and treated at home. RPM offers exciting prospects for providers and has the potential to change the way patients and practitioners approach healthcare, from diagnosis and treatment to doctor-patient meetings.
IOMT
The IoT services is playing a critical role in remote healthcare and monitoring to improve the efficacy of medical devices as well as the speed and accessibility of medical services. The integration of healthcare devices with computer networks via the web, which receives information in real time and also allows interaction with patients, is the notion of IoMT. IoMT connects living and non-living things over the internet.
The IoMT can remotely connect people regarding chronic diseases by tracking medicine orders and wearable health devices and using the patients’ and hospitals’ geolocation. It facilitates speedier disease detection and decision-making by accumulating large amounts of medical data (i.e. big data) in real time, in conjunction with careful examination.
IoT-Enabled Remote Health Monitoring
Existing patient monitoring systems are fixed monitoring devices that are exclusively available in hospital intensive care units (ICUs). These devices are massive in size and are only appropriate for monitoring patients in hospital beds. There is no automatic system that can deliver essential data on the patient on a regular basis while he or she is mobile. Medical help, health monitoring, and rehabilitation for the elderly and disabled are pressing challenges that necessitate a perfect network of people, medical equipment, and health service providers. As a result, wearable devices with minimal power that are dependable and cost-effective are required to improve their quality of life.
Internet of Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology has received a lot of attention recently due to significant advancements in the realm of technology, particularly in the miniaturization of embedded hardware components.
In the medical field, a nano-sensor is any sensor that can detect nanoparticles. Nano-sensors can also detect physical and biological characteristics at the nanoscale. In the sphere of healthcare, nano-sensors can be utilized for remote monitoring of any individual who has worn sensors capable of detecting and monitoring important indicators. Each one of these nano-sensors can be communicated with a smartphone wirelessly using low-energy Bluetooth or any other communication device (or even it may be a wired connection). A central server can be set up to manage, store, and control the entire system architecture. Communication with the central server is accomplished via a smartphone on the patient side and a router on the hospital side, both of which will be entirely wireless. A central server will also include an online portal displaying the whole profile of the data measured/detected or monitored by the nano-sensors, as well as the feedback/prescription or advice provided by the hospital’s medical representative.
Health parameters can be self-assessed while sitting at home with the help of the remote health monitoring framework, and the information can be exchanged with a certified doctor who is far away. If a patient has a significant medical problem and the specialist treating him or her is unable to help, these parameters can be remotely communicated to a doctor who can aid him or her from any location. In the worst-case scenario, even if the treatment is not available in his or her home country, he or she can interact with and continue treatment with a professional from a more technologically sophisticated country. Thus, employing remote health monitoring with IoMT, death rates can be reduced, and service quality can be improved.
The Advantages of Remote Patient Monitoring
Remote patient health monitoring (RPHM) is gaining popularity in hospitals and healthcare facilities, and many professionals are interested in next-generation platforms that will address the problems and inefficiencies of present patient monitoring platforms. According to research surveys, the market is quickly expanding, and the benefits for patients, care providers, and public health authorities are stated below:
- Better treatment outcomes and quality
- Real-time assistance and interventions enhance disease management and reduce errors
- Avoiding emergencies and readmissions
- shortened hospital stays
- Improve real-time access to patient health data
- Patient health metrics are continuously monitored, regardless of the patient’s location.
- The precision of treatment would be improved if the accuracy, dependability, and relevance of data reading were improved.
- Reduction in the cost of re-admissions and hospital stays
The IoT Future in RPM
Care has expanded outside the confines of hospitals and clinics, allowing clinicians to provide better care to their patients. However, in many regions, RPM is still not the standard. More devices are projected to enter mainstream treatment and receive FDA approval in the near future to help enhance healthcare. RPM usage is increasing at an exponential rate, with 30 million US patients predicted to use it by 2024.
IoT device advancements in healthcare have increased access to health treatments while also improving care results. Resource constraints can no longer create delays in therapies that improve health outcomes. It is also easier for practitioners to give proactive treatment when patients are more engaged.
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