Internet of Things, or better known as IoT is undoubtedly transforming the healthcare industry by redefining the space of devices and people interaction in delivering healthcare solutions. The proliferation of healthcare-specific IoT products has opened up immense opportunities. IoT has resulted in reducing healthcare costs significantly and improving treatment outcomes.

Today, with cities left nearly dysfunctional, technological solutions like IoT might just be the answer to better Covid-19 management.

IoT for Patients

IoT has changed people’s lives, by enabling constant tracking of health conditions. Innovative devices in the form of wearables like fitness bands, or other connectable devices like heart rate monitor cuffs, or even pulse oximeter during Covid-19 to monitor oxygen levels give patients access to personalised attention. This opens up a whole new realm of diagnosis called the ‘portable diagnosis’.

IoT for Physicians

With the help of home monitoring equipment embedded with IoT, physicians can keep track of patients’ health more effectively. Data collected from IoT devices can help physicians identify the best treatment process for patients and reach the expected outcomes.

IoT for Hospitals

IoT devices are highly useful for on-the-ground staff for tracking real-time location of medical equipment like wheelchairs, oxygen pumps, and other monitoring equipment. Deployment of the medical staff at different locations can also be analyzed in real-time.

It also helps in asset management like pharmacy inventory control, and environmental monitoring, like checking refrigerator temperature, and humidity and temperature control.

IoT for Health Insurance Companies

Insurance companies can leverage data captured through health monitoring devices for their claims operations and detect fraud claims to identify prospects for underwriting. This brings transparency between insurers and customers in the underwriting, pricing, claims to handle, and risk assessment processes. 

IoT for the Community

Early detection within communities with the right method of tracing and isolation should be prioritised, where IoT can come in as a sustainable and reliable solution. Among the elderly and vulnerable communities, IoT such as contactless payments at pharmacies, or even online health consultations can greatly reduce the spread of the deadly virus.

Responding to Covid-19 with IoT

The huge amount of data generated by these connected devices holds the potential to transform healthcare. This data is a goldmine for healthcare stakeholders to improve patient’s health and experiences while improving healthcare operations. Being prepared to harness this digital power would prove to be the differentiator in the increasingly connected world, enabling a more controlled outcome to our nation’s Covid-19 responses.