4 Noteworthy Contributions of Smart Technologies to Healthcare Industry

Leveraging smart technologies is no longer a luxury for people across the world. From businesses to individuals, everyone prefers gadgets and latest technologies to ease their lives and improve quality of every service. Healthcare industry is also responding to the present technological change that’s intended to make patient care better and efficient.

Smart healthcare is providing both the healthcare institutions and professionals, opportunities to grow and bring in innovation in their practice. Even patient’s demands for electronic devices that can improve collective lives are fuelling the expansion and growth of smart technology market.

The potentiality of smart healthcare is vast, and we can expect to see more adoption of IoT devices, mHealth app, wearable devices, etc. in the coming years. All these technological assistance are empowering both the healthcare provider and the patient in dealing with health issues. From tracking heartbeat to booking online appointments, smart technology has brought healthcare facilities at the ease of fingertip.

Edible IoT

The term edible IoT may be new to many, but this innovation in the healthcare field is making a lot of news. Some pharma companies like Proteus Digital Health and others have invented smart pills that can help in health monitoring and tracking of medication non-adherence and usage control. This pill contains an ingestible sensor which when dissolves in the stomach and comes in contact with the fluid there, transmits data to the wearable patch. From there the information gets transferred to the app paired with the patient’s mobile phone. Once receiving the patient’s approval, that data then is available to caregivers via an online portal.

Smart pills help patients to respond quickly to non-adherence issues and take immediate action to prevent consequences it may result.

Blood Pressure Monitoring System

Thanks to smart tech, measuring critical health metrics like blood pressure are also possible at home. Nowadays, sensor-based intelligent systems are available that helps patients with hypertension syndrome to monitor blood pressure. Based on the result the device shows, the patient can take medical help and intake medicine accordingly. No longer do they need to rely on guesswork and end up messing their medication routine. These monitoring devices are a blessing in critical cases where there is a risk of cardiac arrest if not taken care of on time.

Smart Watches

Smart Watches help patients be in-charge of their health all the time. As more and more consumers are becoming health conscious, tech companies are coming up with new apps every day. Better features and abilities are making their way into the health watches with the aim to take healthcare a step ahead. From Apple to Samsung, all leading brands are having their version of a smart watch that promises better facilities than the others. These advanced devices have made healthcare facilities more accessible to the patients. Now they can track their track and monitor their healthy activities, fitness level, calories lost, kilometers walked, etc.

Real Time Remote Monitoring

Before the Internet of Things (IoT) came into existence, healthcare services involved physical movement. For instance, a doctor needed to travel to the patient to check his condition and monitor his treatment progress. But, with connected devices coming into use, healthcare facilities have undergone a massive transformation. Even physicians and nurses are upgrading their skills to match up with latest trends and be able to use technologies.

One such attribute of IoT is that it made remote monitoring a reality.  The IoT connected devices transfer signals from one place to the other. If the patient needs immediate medical help, using monitoring devices he can transmit signal the doctor sitting in a hospital. Then from there, he can respond to address the patients as early as possible. This eliminates delay in delivery of care facilities and also offers real-time patient data needed to provide evidence-based treatment.

Diabetes Management Devices

According to reports, approximately 26 million Americans have diabetes. Moreover, these patients fail to produce sufficient insulin needed to control their sugar level. The introduction of sensor-based insulin pumps and glucose monitoring devices can timely report on sugar readings using sensors attached to the body. The sensors are present in a belt which the patient has to wear the device to work.

On the other hand, insulin pumps help a diabetic patient by replacing their daily insulin injections. These devices pump insulin continuously via a catheter that needs to be placed around the patient’s belly. However, how much insulin they need that patients have to tell the device as it won’t be doing it on its own.

Miracles do happen, and in the healthcare sphere, it is possible only because of technological adaptations. It won’t be surprising to see more innovation in the days to come. As of now, let us leverage what is available and keep fingers crossed for better and healthy living.