Transforming healthcare with IoT

IoT devices are also capable of predictive maintenance. They can monitor the performance of critical medical equipment

Technology is heralding healthcare transformation across the globe and India is no stranger to such developments. During the global pandemic, two government applications CoWin and Aarogya Setu assisted in immunising the majority of India’s population of about 1.4 billion people. The task of conducting such a massive immunization process without the intervention of technology would have been unsurmountable.Today, smartwatches monitoring vitals to flag a possible medical issue, robots using 4G/5G networks to carry out medical procedures, or patients being consulted on video calls have become common occurrences. Such incidents were almost unimaginable or considered futuristic a few years back, but we are already experiencing these.

The healthcare industry is undergoing a significant transformation. In the last two years alone, the Indian healthcare tech ecosystem has grown exponentially. According to MarketResearch.com, the health-tech market in India is anticipated to reach INR 882.79 Bn by FY 2027. However, the country is still lagging behind on some of the health metrics. India, the most populous nation in the world, has an infant mortality rate of 27 deaths per 1,000 live births and accounts for 21% of the global illness burden. Factors such as inadequate infrastructure, medical staff shortage, India’s geographical landscape, and rising healthcare costs, can further accentuate the need for an evolved tech-driven healthcare ecosystem.

Utilizing the Internet of Things (IoT) and the data produced by IoT devices has the potential to transform the Indian healthcare sector into a patient-centered system that is more efficient and effective. Moreover, the possibilities are unlimited with the integration of medical "things" — gadgets, smart sensors, mHealth apps, artificial intelligence (AI), etc. 

IoT to rescue

According to a report by Research and Markets, almost 60% of patients and 65% of physicians in India now favour digital platforms over in-person consultations. Today, applications such as predictive maintenance, connected ambulances, and medication management are rapidly transforming healthcare in India. IoT is actively being used to remotely generate invaluable data, which is helping improve patient care, reduce healthcare costs, and streamline operations. Consequently, new state-of-the-art medical devices that can manage, store, and secure vital patient data as well as seamlessly integrate it into the intended processes are increasingly in demand. As an example, a high percentage of India’s population suffers from diabetes and needs to monitor their glucose levels continuously.

Devices like Continuous Glucose Monitors not only track glucose levels in patients but also help sustain desired levels by injecting insulin at set intervals. IoT devices are now also used in ambulances too, to allow the collection of real-time data on patient vitals. This data is then transmitted to hospitals, enabling healthcare providers to be prepared to provide timely and effective care when the patient arrives. Clearly, such IoT-powered devices are proving invaluable in ensuring patient well-being by collecting real-time data, making remote monitoring more effective. Both patients and doctors stand to benefit, however, the real potential of these devices lies in the ability to harness data and provide personalized healthcare guidance, thereby preventing unnecessary hospital admissions.

IoT devices are also capable of predictive maintenance. They can monitor the performance of critical medical equipment like X-ray machines, MRI scanners, and ventilators, to predict when maintenance is required and flag off dangerous malfunctions. This also means that IoT devices and systems generate a huge amount of data that needs to be stored, processed, and analyzed. 

Need for automation and data infrastructure 

Most of the data in electronic health records (EHRs) is unstructured. Healthcare providers need to digitize and automate available data to improve patient care. Existing IoT devices produce a huge amount of data which according to available estimates will grow to a staggering 79.4 zettabytes (ZB) by 2025. Given the trillions of bytes of data being generated, the challenges associated with data storage can only be surpassed by using high-end storage solutions. Hospitals and medical institutions will need high-capacity storage solutions that offer greater reliability such as Western Digital’s high-capacity Ultrastar DC HC570 22TB CMR HDD and the company’s Ultrastar Data102 storage platform (JBOD), which can offer up to 2.2PB of raw storage. Data will play a key role in making better healthcare more accessible to people across geographies. Therefore, it is important that the data infrastructure industry continues to innovate and offer storage solutions to help the healthcare industry unlock its potential.  

Author- Jaganathan Chelliah, Senior Director - Marketing, India & Middle East and Africa, Western Digital.