Connected Health Solutions Deliver Better Outcomes at Lower Costs

The Internet of Things (IoT) is changing the way the healthcare industry interacts with patients and delivers care. Several factors are driving this trend, beginning with an aging global population. By 2050, a quarter of the world’s 10 billion people will be older than 65, according to the World Bank. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the demand for remote delivery of health services. Furthermore, ballooning healthcare costs—the world spent $8.8 trillion on healthcare in 2021—demand a more efficient approach.

Connected healthcare (IoT in healthcare) uses wireless connectivity, cloud computing, big data and artificial intelligence to make healthcare more personalized, less intrusive, and deliver better outcomes for all parties. The potential of such connected healthcare is fueling impressive market growth: Fortune Business Insights predicts that the IoT healthcare market will experience a 25.9% compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) through 2028. IoT solutions for healthcare promises to solve these challenges while bettering health outcomes, improving patient and experience, and lowering the cost of care.

Transforming the traditional medical system

The promise of IoT in healthcare is that it monitors patients in a less intrusive fashion so medical professionals can intervene only as necessary. Connected technologies relay patient information from a sensor-equipped device to the cloud for monitoring and analysis. These technologies can integrate into all stages of a person’s health journey, from healthy living and preventive care to personalized treatment and home and remote care when needed.

This approach joins medical expertise with technologies to deliver better patient outcomes while controlling costs. Patients can avoid expensive extended hospital stays if they are equipped with devices that monitor their vital signs for ongoing delivery of care.

IoT devices can include:

●?????Fitness trackers that track heart health and everyday activities, such as sleep

●?????Glucose monitoring systems that sound an alarm if blood sugars fall below an acceptable level

●?????Respiratory devices that help track and treat sleep apnea so patients can breathe easier

●?????Compact defibrillators and monitors that help first responders and doctors diagnose patients and allow for faster treatment

●?????Devices in senior care rooms that detect when someone falls

Requirements of IoT in healthcare

In connected healthcare, sensing and positioning technologies gather data from a device and relay it securely to a proprietary system in the cloud for monitoring and analysis. All IoT devices in healthcare must satisfy a long list of requirements, no matter the application.

Effective connected healthcare involves easily deployed and managed implementation of IoT devices. They need to:

●?????Reliably deliver connectivity to a healthcare facility’s cloud infrastructure and so need a robust antenna and network interface

●?????Consume very little power

●?????Have a slim form factor so devices can be small and easily worn and used

●?????Perform reliably with low processing times even in rapidly changing environments

●?????Relay data securely using easily understood IoT messaging protocols

●?????Comply with safety standards like IEC 60601 in addition to certification requirements

●?????Be easily sourced from vendors

●?????Include effective positioning so that they can be continuously tracked

In addition, IoT deployments need to:

●?????Deliver a way for healthcare professionals to understand and process the data that is being delivered, so usability is important

●?????Deliver a platform for IT administrators to manage the different IoT devices at scale and together

Meeting the needs of smart healthcare applications

The hardware components that form IoT healthcare devices, wearable or otherwise, relay data using wireless communication solutions–whether through short-range Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or a mobile network–to an application or gateway that can aggregate and act on sensor data.

u-blox offers a wide range of under-the-hood hardware that can work for a large portfolio of healthcare IoT devices.

●?????Cellular chips and modules that deliver reliable connectivity such as the SARA-R5 and the ALEX-R5 series, an in-house system-on-a-package (SIP) for small form factors and low battery consumption needs. All boast accurate positioning thanks to the u-blox M8 GNSS receiver and secure cloud functionality.

●?????Short range functionality for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, including the ANNA-B4, a Bluetooth 5.1 Low Energy module.

●?????The M-10 GNSS platform works well for healthcare IoT solutions that demand a low power footprint.

Administrators can use these IoT solutions in conjunction with Thingstream from u-blox, which offers management of IoT communication, security, and location as a service.?

Thingstream architecture for portable and wearable health devices

The future of healthcare

As the percentage of aging people in the global population increases, there is increased potential for delivery of personalized medicine and patient-centered care. Connected health solutions optimize health outcomes and decrease adverse effects on health workers, while lowering net cost.

The many advantages of IoT make it the future of healthcare. Using the right IoT solutions and managing their output will be key to realizing its efficiencies.

Learn more about connected health solutions from u-blox