11 Healthcare IoT
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11.5 Key Services and Applications of IoT Healthcare
In this section, we will briefly review a few of the applications made possible within
the IoT e-Health ecosystem [1, 9].
11.5.1 Mobile Health (m-Health)
Cloud technology makes it possible for patients to access health information no
matter where they are. m-Health can be accessed via smartphone applications or a
web-based cloud dashboard. Medical professionals or caregivers can also make use
of the IoT platform and m-Health smartphone applications through P2P video and
audio, which enable patient/caregiver interaction anywhere and at any time. This
technology allows patients to more conveniently receive diagnoses and treatment
such as prescription medication refills without a hospital or clinic visit. Because
healthcare professionals can access a patient’s holistic health database through
the cloud platform at any time, they are able to receive the most effective and
appropriate treatment possible. Therefore, a holistic IoT e-Health system would
grant the patient’s better access to the most appropriate care available.
11.5.2 IoT in Ambient Assisted Living
An IoT e-Health ecosystem would also enable geriatric or disabled individuals to
live longer and more independently. The geriatric population is growing significantly and current estimates suggest that 20% of the world’s population will be age
60 or older by 2050. Increased age brings a greater risk of chronic illnesses such
as cancer, type II diabetes, stroke, etc. The integration of IoT technology through
ambient assisted living (AAL) allows real-time, location-specific monitoring of
patient living parameters (i.e., heart rate) as well as environmental conditions [8].
11.5.3 IoT Medication
IoT can also be useful in determining compliance with medication regiments and in
the prevention of fatal adverse drug reactions (ADR) [13]. A combination of smart
pill bottle technology, wearable audio sensors, and classification capability is able
to accurately determine medication compliance. Research shows that the ADR rate
in hospitals is approximately 6.5% worldwide [14]. IoT medication, in partnership
with NFC-equipped smart pill bottles, a cloud-based electronic medical records
531
11.5 Key Services and Applications of IoT Healthcare
In this section, we will briefly review a few of the applications made possible within
the IoT e-Health ecosystem [1, 9].
11.5.1 Mobile Health (m-Health)
Cloud technology makes it possible for patients to access health information no
matter where they are. m-Health can be accessed via smartphone applications or a
web-based cloud dashboard. Medical professionals or caregivers can also make use
of the IoT platform and m-Health smartphone applications through P2P video and
audio, which enable patient/caregiver interaction anywhere and at any time. This
technology allows patients to more conveniently receive diagnoses and treatment
such as prescription medication refills without a hospital or clinic visit. Because
healthcare professionals can access a patient’s holistic health database through
the cloud platform at any time, they are able to receive the most effective and
appropriate treatment possible. Therefore, a holistic IoT e-Health system would
grant the patient’s better access to the most appropriate care available.
11.5.2 IoT in Ambient Assisted Living
An IoT e-Health ecosystem would also enable geriatric or disabled individuals to
live longer and more independently. The geriatric population is growing significantly and current estimates suggest that 20% of the world’s population will be age
60 or older by 2050. Increased age brings a greater risk of chronic illnesses such
as cancer, type II diabetes, stroke, etc. The integration of IoT technology through
ambient assisted living (AAL) allows real-time, location-specific monitoring of
patient living parameters (i.e., heart rate) as well as environmental conditions [8].
11.5.3 IoT Medication
IoT can also be useful in determining compliance with medication regiments and in
the prevention of fatal adverse drug reactions (ADR) [13]. A combination of smart
pill bottle technology, wearable audio sensors, and classification capability is able
to accurately determine medication compliance. Research shows that the ADR rate
in hospitals is approximately 6.5% worldwide [14]. IoT medication, in partnership
with NFC-equipped smart pill bottles, a cloud-based electronic medical records