Smart Asset Tracking and Management for Healthcare

The following is a guest article by Risa Takenaka, Product Marketing Manager – SMS API & Wireless at Telnyx.

The healthcare industry in the US has long been the subject of spirited discussions. With both costs and chronic disease on the rise, improving efficiencies within the medical field is long overdue. Thankfully, recent advancements in IoT technology may provide much needed relief to a struggling field.

From patient care to facility operations, we’ll cover how IoT is helping improve resource utilization and cost reduction through smart asset tracking and management.

Starting with the Patients

One of the biggest challenges in healthcare right now is keeping up with a rapidly aging population. Current projections indicate that by 2030, roughly 20% of the US population will be aged 65 or older. Coupled with the dramatic rise of chronic health conditions, there has never been a greater need for remote healthcare solutions.

That’s where IoT technology comes into play.

With the development of wearable technology, patients will be able to receive personalized medicine and tracking at a much lower cost. Additionally, IoT medical devices will create more efficient real-time patient management. Which will in turn provide around the clock care and monitoring without expensive inpatient procedures.

One popular trend focuses around wearable medical technology that helps patients manage health conditions. Think of blood pressure monitors, automated insulin pump systems, and glucose monitors being used to track and automate healthcare. For example, an insulin pump device that measures your glucose after a meal and automatically administers the appropriate amount of insulin. Making higher quality and personalized care more easily accessible for the average patient.

Better Resource Management for Physicians

As the US ages, and disease becomes more prevalent, one could easily see a growing need for medical professionals. The problem is, there seems to be a shortage of physicians. By 2033, projections indicate there will be a shortage of anywhere between 54,000 and 140,000 physicians. Which makes it all the more important to better utilize both time and resources within the healthcare field.

With new technology, specifically the interrelation of computing machines, physicians will be able to manage patients much more efficiently.

The more people choose to adopt smart medical technology in their everyday lives, the more benefits we’ll see for both patients and their doctors. Through more accurate data, physicians will have deeper understandings of medical needs. Allowing for better, evidence-based decisions.

In addition to improved treatment, around the clock monitoring will also lead to quicker disease diagnoses. Catching health complications early on, even before noticeable symptoms appear, will reduce the cost and treatment needed down the line. Instead of focusing on reactive care, physicians can better use their time on proactive care.

Facility Management and Workflow

IoT technology isn’t just for the patient and physician, it can help with management and workflow operations in healthcare facilities as well. Here’s a look into the different ways smart asset tracking can reduce waste, improve efficiency, and better utilize resources.

While the current pandemic has expedited digitalization, there was already a major shift happening in healthcare. The reason being, management with IoT provides a number of benefits that we’re currently seeing a need for.

One of the major benefits we’ve seen is helping healthcare facility managers stay on top of maintenance and resource allocation. For example, IoT is providing better insights into IT infrastructure, such as power circuits, that make it possible for managers to better anticipate potential downtime. Which again, puts more emphasis on proactive maintenance than reactive maintenance.

Real-time data and analytics can also be leveraged to improve operational efficiency and reduce costs. For example, healthcare facilities that are looking to cut back on energy use can use data from all connected devices and machines to find out where efficiency can be improved.

   

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