1. IOT in Healthcare
Midhun P Abraham
midhun.pa@hotmail.com
Mobile: 7760611886
Table of Contents
Abstract ....................................................................................................................... 2
Introduction.................................................................................................................. 2
Issues and challenges in Healthcare IOT .................................................................... 3
Current market for Healthcare IOT .............................................................................. 3
Healthcare IOT at present ........................................................................................... 4
Healthcare IOT startups............................................................................................... 5
Future of Healthcare IOT............................................................................................. 6
References .................................................................................................................. 6

2. Abstract
The term “Internet” was coined when few experts realized that when computer systems
were interconnected together, inconceivable benefits were obtained. It made people
and organizations to be in contact anywhere anytime and information was made
available seamlessly. Internet grew exponentially.
By 2013, more experts had vision to uncover potential benefits in utilizing the Internet
that will transform everyday life; rather than just interconnecting computer systems. That
vision had to be nurtured with care to reality due to its complexity. The “Internet of
Things (IOT)” is in the growth stage now.
However technologically we advance, we will never miss out Healthcare. IOT paved a
unique way to cater entire humanity, which is in proportionate to the motto of
IOT: transform everyday life.
This report highlights the milestones of IOT in Healthcare and its future.
Introduction
Internet is wholly dependent on human beings for information. We have to capture,
store and interpret manually. Internet doesn’t have an independent thinking capability.
Hence, there is a gap in accurate data capture. There is huge requirement in automated
decision making and expert systems in sectors such as precision agriculture,
healthcare, energy and transportation. These sectors are complex since their operations
should be monitored all the time; the captured data should be precise and should be
interpreted accurately whereby reducing human efforts.
This is where IOT comes into picture. IOT helps us to track and count everything and
reduce errors, waste, loss and cost. IOT will help us to know when things needed
replacing, repairing or recalling.
IOT is a conglomerate of smart devices, wireless technologies, sensors, micro-
electromechanical systems (MEMS), Information Technology (I.T), Internet and more in
pipeline.
The sector which got quick reaction to IOT is Healthcare. At present, IOT has influenced
in wearable medical devices, material and human resource management in hospitals
and around-the-clock patient monitoring. Still there are more untapped functional areas
which need to be upgraded via IOT but, there are some issues.

3. Issues and challenges in Healthcare IOT
 Privacy and security challenges in the network of Hospitals.
 Securing the devices (smart phones, laptops, workstations and medical devices).
 Lack of standards and protocols for communication and interconnectivity.
 Lack of efficient training for physicians, staffs and other hospital employees.
 Huge amount of information is generated. It is difficult to manage the workflow
intelligently.
 Due to large number of medical device manufacturers, there is a lack of
interoperability.
 Many IOT applied medical devices are still in developing stage. It takes time to be
commercially available after regulatory screenings.
 At present Healthcare IOT has high implementation cost.
 It takes huge amount of time to integrate the traditional systems with latest
technologies.
 The medical field is always facing challenges because of new health problems, new
communicable diseases, drug resistance and more. The technology in Healthcare
needs to be adaptable to these challenges.
Current market for Healthcare IOT
 The global IOT market will grow to $1.7 trillion in 2020. Healthcare IOT will be worth
$160 billion by 2020. Source: IDC and Forbes
 $117 billion opportunities for Healthcare IOT. Source: Forbes
 The sale of wearable wireless medical devices grew more than 100 million and
exceeded $2.9 billion. Source: ABI Research 2016

4. Healthcare IOT at present
Some of the current applications of IOT in Healthcare are:
 Telemedicine:
Use of telecommunication and information technologies to provide clinical health
care at long distances.
 Clinical Operations and Workflow Management:
Healthcare sensors monitor patients. Radio-frequency identification (RFID), Real
Time Location System (RTLS) and Admission-Discharge-Transfer system (ADT)
helps in overall operations of the hospital.
 Connected Imaging:
Connected Imaging enhances collaboration among radiologists, physicians, and
technologists in different locations.
 Remote patient monitoring:
Enables monitoring of patients outside of conventional clinical settings (e.g. in the
home), which decrease healthcare delivery costs.
 Medication therapy management:
Medication therapy management includes therapy review, documentation, follow ups
and intervention plans.

5. Some examples of IOT medical devices:
 UROSENSE by Future Path Medical:
UROSENSE automatically measures urine output and core body temperature (CBT)
for catheterized patients. By monitoring these vital signs, care can be started early
for heart failure, kidney injury, infectious disease, prostate tumors and diabetes.
 Medication Dispensing Service by Philips:
The device alerts a patient (especially elder patients) when it’s time to take their pills.
When the patient pushes the button, pre-filled cups with medication are dispensed.
The device is synced to the user’s phone line, so messages are tracked if the person
misses a dose.
 NIOX MINO of Aerocrine:
The NIOX MINO is a hand-held device that takes routine measurements of Nitric
Oxide (NO) in a patient’s breath, which can improve the management of asthma and
other inflammatory airway conditions. The data that is collected can be synced with
electronic medical record systems.
Healthcare IOT startups
Healthcare IOT startups are finding new applications and leveraging connected sensors
to better diagnose, monitor, and manage patients and treatment. Some of those
startups are:
 Awarepoint (San Diego, US):
Provide location-tracking on patients and medical equipment in real-time using
sensors.
 Beddit (Finland):
Beddit has created products for tracking of sleep, heart rate and breathing without
any disturbing wearable sensors; instead they use special sensor technology and
sophisticated signal analysis algorithms.
 Cooey (Bangalore, India):
Cooey is an end to end health monitoring IOT platform that intends to collect, store,
analyze and provide insights of vital signs for patients.
 ProdIntel Technologies (Bangalore, India):
ProdIntel have a product called “Sensor” which transmits the pulse, blood pressure,
glucose level readings to centralized database.

6. Future of Healthcare IOT
Healthcare IOT is promising and will witness wide span of growth and revenue in near
future. Even though the technology is present now, it should be available to all at
competitive prices and should be introduced in rural sector as well.
Wearable connected devices can be designed for all discharged patients to monitor vital
signs. Data will be sent to the consulting doctor and real time diagnosis can be done at
real time. The monitor device is returned to hospital once the patient is fully recovered.
Though this technology exists, it should become commercially viable to entire
population.
More connected house hold medical devices can be designed to improve quick
diagnosis such as Internet-enabled thermometer which can send the readings of high
temperature to doctor and determine whether or not an appointment is necessary.
An aggregate storage device can be designed to store all the scan reports so that the
patient doesn’t have to carry the hard copies when going for diagnosis. Huge amount of
wastage and cost is reduced. The data can be shared online between physicians and
technicians.
After all, Healthcare sector and Food sector are the prime factors of life. All the current
applications of Healthcare IOT can be integrated with standard protocols so that
everyday life of everyone can be transformed; which is the motto of IOT.
References
1. “Internet of Things (IoT): A Vision, Architectural Elements, and Future Directions” -
Jayavardhana Gubbi, Rajkumar Buyya, Slaven Marusic and Marimuthu
Palaniswami.
2. http://internetofthingsagenda.techtarget.com/
3. http://www.forbex.com/
4. http://www.financialexpress.com/