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Introduction to Modern Healthcare
The healthcare sector has seen radical changes with advancements in modern technology. Every emerging tech which has been incorporated in this sector has led to improved health care services and treatments. Hospitals and clinicians have proactively adopted new innovative technological solutions of the modern times. This is not just restricted to the research and diagnosis of ailments and developing treatments for patients. This has extended to other aspects like record retention and data storage using the computers and online web storage. Newer technologies like telemedicine have made it easier for doctors to diagnose patients from a remote location. The concept of virtual hospitals has kicked off and ailing patients can consult a doctor with the help of web portals and mobile apps. The idea behind e-commerce websites has also been tweaked and this allows patients to order medicine online and get them delivered at the doorstep.
The Internet of Things and Virtual Hospitals
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a recent phenomenon which connects physical and analog devices through the internet with the use of actuators and sensors. The IoT application development technology allows these manual devices to store data and share information with each other. The use of this technology eliminates the need for human intervention and enables the transfer of information over a network. The Internet of Things has a lot of caliber to revolutionize the healthcare services, in the way healing centers collect and utilize information. Almost all healthcare centers have adopted an information management system which mobilizes business patterns and automates the process of data monitoring. IoT can aide significantly in systems administration. For instances, IoT functions with the help of actuators and sensors that are installed in a manual gadget. These sensors can be used to collect and transfer data about daily operational activities using the internet as a medium.
Virtual Hospitals are also an emerging trend. It uses telemedicine applications as a medium through which patients and doctors can communicate with each other. Such healing centers have a wider outreach and can cater to patients without boundaries. Virtual Hospitals also have a crucial role in improving the administration of social insurance facilities for both the inpatients and outpatients. The concept of virtualized care is in stark contrast to the traditional treatment plans. Virtualization is gradually transforming the Medicare sector in many ways such as:
- Observing and Monitoring Patients Virtually
One of the critical and time-consuming areas of the physicians is to continually monitor all inpatients and outpatients in the treatment facility. This is a huge task and it is too difficult for doctors to monitor multiple patients at the same time. Prioritizing emergences cases pitted against each other simultaneously with observing other patients can often be a confusing decision. Virtualization can be of great benefit to tackle such scenarios.
With the help of high definition videos and two-way communication devices, doctors can interact with the patient and the family members and provide consulting virtually. Such a system can also be streamlined to in hospitals where doctors can attend to various patients with the assistance of bedside staff. Such a patient monitoring system can be particularly effective in emergency units as well for observing infants. Using this technology, a physician can remotely keep an eye on babies and even relay critical instructions to staff using virtual mediums and communications.
- Monitoring Patients Using Sensors and Fall Detection Devices
The IoT technology has come with a brilliant and thoughtful innovation called fall detection devices. Sensors are embedded in devices like bracelets, wristwatches and similar wearable accessories. These devices keep track of patient movements and activities. Such devices can automatically trigger alarms to hospital staff in cases of medical emergencies. Typically, the traditional hospitals relied on a panic button near the bedside to alert hospital staffs to patient needs. But with the help of fall detection devices, hospital staff will be immediately alarmed about the criticality of the patient. This can trigger an emergency and automatic response to any contingency. The best part about the IoT sensors on the fall detectors is that the patients need not be connected to wires or sensors. Just wearing the accessory will suffice.
- Wearable Accessories for Patient Monitoring
ID arm ornaments are one of the current trends which enable patient monitoring with the use of IoT technology. This technology is particularly effective in maternity hospitals to observe newborn children. An IoT backed ID labeled on the infant and the mother can keep the patient connected to the wi-fi systems of the healing center. This will track the patient’s movements anywhere within its range. Similar labels for staff identification can also enhance the supervision of facility staff. This will detect the presence of staff and pinpoint the area in which the staff is present. This will also help in alarming the nearest medical staff in the event of an emergency.
- RFID’s or Radio Frequency Identification
RFID is the short form of Radio Frequency Identification. RFID tags are integrated with a circuit which transmits data with the help of an antenna. A data reader converts this radio waves into meaningful data. RFID tags can be attached to people or to objects and can be useful for tracking and identifying as well as for security features. It can be used to pinpoint the closest accessible wheelchair or to track facility bedsheets and similar resources.
- Controlling Temperature in Labs
All clinics rely heavily on the research and analysis of blood tissue and antibodies. The number of samples collected in a healing center can be overwhelming. All these specimens have to be stored in a temperature-controlled environment. IoT technology can be very helpful in reviewing the temperature of labs and controlling the atmosphere within to preserve samples.