Use Case: Healthcare Monitoring with IoT

The integration of the Internet of Things (IoT) into healthcare helps to receive real-time data and support remote monitoring capabilities, which hence improve patient outcomes, and reduce healthcare costs. IoT connectivity, in particular wireless cellular connectivity and LPWA technologies, are widely adopted as they can function in wireless, mobile, and hard-to-reach environments. 

The Variety of IoT Healthcare Devices

The market of IoT hardware is constantly growing with demand for connected ecosystems within hospitals, homes, transportation, and health control:

At the same time, the IoT connectivity device manufacturers are growing in number of new IoT-enabled chipsets, modems, modules, and gateways:

Remote Health Monitoring for Chronicle Disease Patients 

• Challenge 

  Patients with chronic illnesses require constant monitoring, which can be difficult and costly for both patients and healthcare providers. 

• Solution 

  IoT-enabled RPM systems allow patients to transmit vital data from home, reducing hospital readmissions, improving patient compliance, and providing timely intervention. The three primary uses entail observing patients who utilize sleep therapy equipment, tracking the glucose levels of individuals with diabetes, and overseeing patients with implantable cardiac rhythm management (CRM) devices. In 2021, the number of patients under remote monitoring amounted to 56.8 million, reflecting the increasing adoption across several important sectors within mHealth. The number of remotely monitored patients can reach an annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.2 percent, with a total of 126.1 million by the year 2027. Learn more in Berg Insight Report 

Medication Adherence and Dispensing  

• Challenge 

  Many patients forget to take their medications, leading to treatment inefficacy and health complications. 

• Solution 

  IoT-connected medication dispensers send reminders and track doses, improving adherence rates and health outcomes. IoT sensors track medication levels and adherence patterns, sending real-time data to patients and healthcare providers. Moreover, IoT connectivity enables medication authentication via RFID/NFC tags, which ensures the correct medication is dispensed, enhancing safety. Remote monitoring, synchronization across devices, integration with wearables and analytics generation helps to make the process simple for the patient and accurate for the company/hospital. 

Telemedicine for Rural Areas 

• Challenge 

  Rural and underserved areas often lack access to healthcare facilities and specialists. 

• Solution 

  IoT-based telemedicine connects patients to healthcare providers, even from remote, which improves healthcare access and decreases travel costs. The market for advanced telecare solutions is poised for expansion, with approximately 2.9 million users in the EU 27+3 countries by the conclusion of 2021. Learn more in the report. 

Medical Equipment Tracking  

• Challenge 

  Hospitals often struggle with the inefficient allocation of medical equipment, leading to wasted time, increased expenses, and potential delays in patient care. 

• Solution 

  Hospitals can utilize IoT sensors to monitor the real-time location and status of critical assets such as medical equipment, ensuring that they are readily available when needed. This reduces downtime, prevents losses, and improves the efficiency of healthcare delivery. 

Elderly Care and Health Emergencies 

• Challenge 

  Elderly individuals living alone are vulnerable to falls and health emergencies. 

• Solution 

  IoT wearables for elderly care, including fall detection sensors and smart clothing, provide real-time monitoring and immediate assistance when needed. Berg Insight anticipates a substantial increase in cellular connections, reaching up to 3.3 million in 2021 to exceed 9.1 million by 2027. These connections will be used in the medical sector, elderly care in particular, due to their mobility and wireless capability.