An Investigative Study on Internet of Things in Healthcare

Introduction

The Internet of Things is a young technology that has just recently emerged. It deals with data exchange with other systems or devices through the Internet or other communication networks. Sensors, connectivity, data processing, and user interface are the four components that make up an IoT system. Sensors/ Devices are the critical components of IoT, which collect data from the environment; few examples include humidity sensors, heart rate monitors and temperature sensors. The following element is connection, this describes how the sensors are linked to the cloud. This can consist of various Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or cellular methods, which connect the device to the Internet and enable communication. Once data reaches the cloud, data processing is implemented; this could involve checking whether readings are within the acceptable limit or detecting anomalies and objects as per requirement. Next comes how the data collected and processed is made helpful to the end-user. This can be through a mobile application or alerts. The user may also make judgments using IoT applications depending on the data they have received. Due to its utility, simplicity and cost-effectiveness, the adoption of IoT has seen considerable growth. The basic framework of IoT in health care is shown below in Figure 1.

Figure 1.

The basic framework of IoT in healthcare

Smart Wearables: Wearables refer to the physical devices worn by individuals to track, analyse and send personal data. These devices can either be wearable or implantable and track physiological (Mathew et al., 2018) data such as heart rate, sleeping pattern, calories burnt. Typically, these wearables take the form of accessories like watches, apparel, or eyewear. The market for such devices is expanding rapidly with a continuous increase every year; According to the most recent projection from Gartner, Inc., worldwide end-user spending on wearable devices would reach $81.5 billion in 2021, up 18.1% from $69 billion in 2020 (Thakor et al., 2021). The healthcare industry is getting the best of wearable technology as vital information like blood pressure, and temperature can be relayed directly to the patients and healthcare professionals. Using this data, healthcare professionals may keep an eye on the patients, follow their movements, and create a personalised strategy.

Smart Hospitals: IoT is also finding its use in Smart Hospitals; using IoT’s various tools and capabilities, an integrated healthcare system can be created that provides patients with cost-effective and efficient treatment. The aggregation and analysis of the multiple types of data can help healthcare providers make automated workflows that can be used for non-medical objectives. Hospitals, for instance, employ IoT systems to manage resource utility costs and regulate the temperature in operation rooms. This technology can also give way to the proper administration of hospitals in pandemics such as COVID-19. The information from IoT sensors can help inappropriate distribution and reduction of waste. Additionally, it can lessen the likelihood of accidents and stop medical device theft. (Javaid & Khan, 2021).

Remote Monitoring: Remote monitoring involves collecting data from sensors and then performing different processes based on the data, such as triggering automatic alerts and notifications. IoT enables an organisation to obtain equipment maintenance data and use it to make informed decisions. In the case of healthcare, remote monitoring can be used to track the patients’ health continuously and provide timely help when required. In this way, a patient can receive high standard services without even stepping out of the house or consulting doctors routinely. Through remote monitoring, there will also be a lot of patient data available with the doctor, enabling them to make custom and personalised plans.

Remote monitoring can also be helpful for Insurance companies. These companies provide their users with rewards and benefits for sharing their routine activities. The intent behind doing so is to identify fraudulent claims and enable a transparent process