Internet of Medical Things: Changing Healthcare

What is IoMT?

Published in

IEEE Women In Engineering , VIT

5 min readMar 15, 2021

According to https://www.aeris.com/in/what-is-iot/,

“The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to a system of interrelated, internet-connected objects that are able to collect and transfer data over a wireless network without human intervention.”

Now, what if we apply IoT to the healthcare sector, providing support and services via connected, wireless appliances?

The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) or healthcare IoT transfers medical data over a safe and secure network, linking to medical technology systems using a coalescence of devices used in healthcare and their applications using networking technologies. These devices operate on Wi-Fi, connecting to cloud platforms where data can be captured and later analyzed. IoMT revolves around “machine-to-machine” communication. The very smartphones in our hands contain applications of IoMT! Our smartphones are equipped with Near Field Communication (NFC) radio frequency identification (RFID) tags which share data with IT systems.

Source:https://www.peerbits.com/blog/internet-of-things-healthcare-applications-benefits-and-challenges.html

What does the IoMT market consist of?

On-body segment:
Consumer health wearables for personal fitness and well-being like sports watches and trackers. A well-known company that comes under this segment is FitBit. Then there are clinical-grade wearables that are devices certified by medical authorities like the Neurometrix Quell, a neuromodulation wearable that eases chronic pain by tapping into sensory nerves.

Source:https://steemit.com/health/@patientmd/iot-in-healthcare-scope-future-and-challenges

2. In-home segment:
This includes Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS), which communicates information between wearable units and live medical call service stations for emergencies. Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) is centered around a more serious, chronic disease management and comprises all home monitoring equipment. Digital tests can be done through video consultations or “Telehealth virtual visits”.

3. Community segment:
Kiosks that can dispense products or provide a connection to service centers, Emergency response intelligence for high priority first responders, “point-of-care” devices like medical camps, mobility services for passengers in transit, and Logistics which is the quick and efficient delivery and transport of pharmaceutical services and materials like drones.

4. In-clinic segment:
Specifically designed for clinical services, where the provider could be remotely located and the device is maneuvered by a qualified professional. An example of this is Rijuven’s Clinic in a Bag, used for assessing patients as a cloud-based examination.

5. In-hospital segment:
Indicative to hospitals, this section of IoMT encompasses environment energy monitoring like electricity use, inventory management, personnel management, and patient flow management like transferral of wards. Boston Children’s Hospital’s GPS-based MyWay app can determine the quickest routes for users trying to reach a destination.

How is IoMT significant now?

COVID-19 has been a downfall of this century and has disrupted numerous fields, including the health care sector. However, it has brought about an enormous increase in the growth of technology. As clinicians and doctors struggle to tackle the issues of treating patients amidst the global pandemic-like screening processes, IoMT has burgeoned. An efficient health-tech system has blossomed, enhanced by IoT in 5G, cloud computing and block-chain powered AI. The wireless connectivity prevents human contact in person-to-person visits, reducing the spread of the virus.

Source: https://www.information-age.com/iot-and-iomt-123482481/

What are the advantages of IoMT?

The various technologies that make up IoMT decrease faulty diagnoses and enhance accuracy. The cost of healthcare is also facing a steep decline as patients can virtually send information and data to their doctors. Continuous monitoring and observation at home make things easier for both the doctors and the patients to accelerate the recovery process. Reminders for medication can be conveyed with very little effort via IT systems. It also allows all-time access to medical services for those living in remote or poorer areas as well as those who are physically challenged. It saves time and capital. The implementation can help with countless issues, ranging from depression to measuring blood sugar levels.

Source: https://www.techplusmedia.com/health/2018/08/13/benefits-of-iomt/

What are the challenges of implementing IoMT?

The data that is dealt with in healthcare IoT is sensitive, and some ethical issues arise as strong security and protection are required. The data covers the patients’ condition, location and treatment details which are prone to cyberattacks. Along with this, personal devices on the market available to consumers like fitness smart devices are pricey. In contrast, this doesn’t apply to smartphone IoMT applications. Integrating IoMT provokes obstacles with interoperability to link devices from various vendors. Software implementation calls for medical professionals to be knowledgeable about technology.

In conclusion, 60% of global healthcare systems are already actively utilising IoMT. According to AllTheResearch, the IoMT market is expected to reach 254.2 billion USD by 2026. Traditional hospital environments are facing a digital paradigm shift. The usage of sensor technology and smart devices has boomed due to change in consumer lifestyle, assisting in humans pursuing healthier day to day activities. It is a mammoth step towards the betterment of medical science, providing better healthcare with fewer errors.