IOT and Smart Health: The Rise of Personalized Medicine in 2024

The rapid advancement of the Internet of Things (IoT) has revolutionized various industries, and healthcare is no exception. As we step into 2024, the integration of IoT in healthcare — often referred to as the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) — is driving a new era of personalized medicine. This transformation is making healthcare more efficient, accessible, and tailored to individual needs.

What is IoT?

Internet of Things (IoT) is a network In which objects, animals or people are given unique ids and the ability to transfer data over a network without requiring human to human or human to computer interaction.

What is IoMT ?

The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) is a specialized subset of IoT that focuses on healthcare applications. IoMT devices connect patients, doctors, and medical devices to create an information platform. They use automation, sensors, and machine learning to reduce the need for human intervention.

IoT for Patients:

Remote Patient Monitoring

Remote patient monitoring stands out as one of the most prevalent uses of IoT technology in healthcare. This system leverages connected devices to continuously track and assess patient health data in real time. IoT devices can seamlessly gather vital statistics such as heart rate, blood pressure, and temperature from patients, even when they’re not at a healthcare facility. This innovation eliminates the need for patients to visit clinics or manually record their health metrics.

Once data is collected, these IoT devices send it to a specialized software application where it can be reviewed by healthcare providers or the patients themselves. Advanced algorithms may analyze this data to suggest treatments or trigger alerts. For instance, if an IoT sensor detects an unusually low heart rate, it can send an immediate alert to prompt healthcare intervention.

However, a significant hurdle remains: safeguarding the sensitive personal data collected by these IoT devices to ensure privacy and security.

Enhanced Medication Management: Automatic Pill Dispenser

A major healthcare challenge is poor medication adherence, which is defined as how closely a patient takes their medications as prescribed. IoT-powered automatic pill dispensers ensure that patients take their prescribed medications on time by dispensing the correct dosage at the right intervals. It can be customized according to the patient’s medication schedule, ensuring they receive the correct pills at the right time. The pill dispenser also has an alarm system that notifies the patient when it’s time to take their medication. This can also include visual indicators (like blinking lights), audible alarms, or even notifications sent to a smartphone or smartwatch.

Wearable Health Technology

Wearable health technology is a type of electronic device that’s worn by the user and used to monitor health conditions. These devices often have medical sensors that collect and send health data to the user or their care provider. Wearable health technology is designed to be non-invasive and integrated into everyday life.

Here are some examples of wearable health technology:

Smartwatches

• These devices can monitor pulse and body movements. Some smartwatches, like Garmin watches, also have built-in sensors that track heart rate, steps, and stress levels.

Wearable ECG monitors

• These devices can continuously monitor vital signs, such as the electrocardiogram (ECG), which can help diagnose and assess health risks and chronic cardiac diseases.

Wearable health technology can help with disease diagnosis and management, and can be especially useful for neurological conditions.

TeleMedicine and Virtual Health Assistance

Internet of Things (IoT) based telemedicine uses a network of connected devices to provide healthcare services remotely. This allows patients to receive care from their homes, reducing the need for travel and increasing access to healthcare services. IoT-based telemedicine can also help monitor chronic health conditions in real-time, providing updates and alerts if vital signs are outside of normal parameters. It involves the delivery of healthcare services and consultations remotely via technology, such as video calls, phone calls, or secure messaging.

Connected Contact Lenses

Internet of Things (IoT) connected contact lenses, also known as smart contact lenses (SCLs), are wearable devices that combine smart sensors with contact lenses to monitor physiological information of the eye and enable human-machine interaction. It monitors physiological changes like eye fluid pressure, drug delivery, color deficiency correction, and corneal cell repair.

IoT for Physicians:

IoT-assisted Surgery and Prosthetics: Robotic Surgery

Surgery is being revolutionized with the advent of IoT medical devices. Surgeons now have the ability to use tiny, Internet-connected robots to perform operations with remarkable accuracy. These sophisticated tools help minimize human error, especially in delicate procedures requiring high precision. Thanks to the streamlined insertion of these IoT devices, surgeons can make smaller incisions. This advancement makes the procedures less invasive and also shortens recovery times for patients.

Conclusion:

As IoT and IoMT continue to evolve, the healthcare industry is on the brink of a transformation that will redefine patient care. The rise of personalized medicine in 2024 is just the beginning, with IoT paving the way for a future where healthcare is not only more efficient but also more attuned to individual needs. However, the journey also brings challenges, particularly in ensuring data security and privacy, which must be addressed to fully realize the potential of these technologies.