The Internet of Things (IoT) is bringing myriad benefits to the healthcare industry, transforming the way practitioners care for their patients. With a stream of breakthroughs in connected healthcare, healthcare providers are coming to expect real-time visibility into diagnostic data, patient records, inventory, health alerts and more.
This expectation poses a challenge for providers of connected healthcare solutions: As volumes of connected devices and the number of facilities proliferate, so do choices. What network technology offers the reliability needed for smart hospital operations? How can you connect your specialized devices so that they work together efficiently and accurately while also protecting patient privacy, ensuring regulatory compliance and keeping costs under control?
Build your smart healthcare solutions using tools and technologies that deliver healthcare providers the greatest benefit from medical IoT so they can expand the reach of what they do best ― care for their patients.
The Building Blocks of a Smart Healthcare System
Patients and healthcare providers will benefit from smart, connected healthcare systems. The key to success is starting with the best-suited wireless connection strategy and expert tools.
Private LTE Networks
As the number of medical IoT applications grows, smart healthcare facilities and medical IoT solution providers are turning to private LTE ― a dedicated wireless network separate from the wide-area macro network ― to meet their connectivity needs. Benefits of private LTE over Wi-Fi include better security, latency management, better indoor and outdoor coverage, absolute control over the network and more.
5G Healthcare Technologies
Emerging 5G technologies promise superior performance aligned with the rising demands of the medical IoT market, promising to transform telehealth, creating significant positive impacts for healthcare providers and their patients. Among other benefits, 5G technologies, including private networking (private 5G), enable the fast transfer of large data files, real-time remote monitoring and sensor innovation.
IoT Modules
Smart healthcare is built around specialized devices such as sensors, surveillance systems and wearables — all of which must be connected. A module-based approach to connectivity solutions offers the broadest IoT product portfolio on the market. There are several options to choose from that serve the medical IoT sector, target specific healthcare solution needs and easily adapt across multiple technologies.
End-to-End Security
Protecting patient data and privacy are paramount. Ensure the technologies you build on are real-world tested from providers with a long-standing commitment and a solid track record in security and privacy, specifically in your market and application area. Providers should help customers protect their IoT data, devices and infrastructure from internal and external threats, including exposure to connectivity, modules and platforms originating on or traversing networks and servers from or in countries not subscribing to the strictest security and privacy norms. Your security chain is only as strong as your weakest link in it.
IoT Applications for Healthcare
Connected devices and the services that go with them are reinventing healthcare by keeping workers and patients informed in real time with what they need to know to attain optimal health outcomes. Reliable connectivity is essential.