As technology continues to take on a larger role in our society, medical providers are incorporating more and more internet-based solutions into their practices. Long gone are the days of paper medical records, which come with additional costs and are typically far less efficient. EMR, or electronic medical records, have a high success rate in transferring across offices, thorough documentation, and increased accessibility. The transition to electronic medical records opened the doors to a multitude of internet-based alternatives.
Since the beginning of 2020, COVID-19 has increased patient demands in the medical field. The Internet of Things plays a crucial role in improving efficiency, optimizing the patient experience, and increasing facility capacity. In this article, we’ll cover three ways in which technology and the internet are transforming the healthcare industry.
Contactless Temperature Monitoring
Thermal sensors are a successful alternative to human-staffed temperature check sites. They help to reduce employee and patient exposure while delivering swift, accurate results. Thermal temperature checks eliminate the possibility of user error that comes with handheld models.
Virtual monitoring of temperature can also be utilized to monitor the temperature of medications both in transit and in the pharmacy. In order to maintain their effectiveness, vaccines and refrigerated medications must be kept in a set temperature range. Virtual temperature monitoring through remote sensors is now an essential tool in pharmaceutical supply chain management.
Uptick in Telehealth Visits
The beginning of 2020 saw a 154% increase in telehealth utilization from the preceding year. Approximately 1.5 million telehealth visits were conducted in the first three months of the pandemic alone. This option is especially helpful to high-risk patients who are concerned about contracting the disease or their ability to physically attend an appointment.
The CDC points out a few more benefits of telehealth visits: they can help reduce staff exposure, increase patient access, and preserve medical supplies. Virtual visits allow providers to accommodate more patients and relieve strain on building capacity.
Contact Tracing
The Internet of Things allows healthcare providers to take a more proactive approach to contact tracing. Through the IoT, social workers, patients, civilians, and providers can contact each other and stay informed on developing situations.
Technology makes it easier to monitor patients during diagnosis, quarantine, and recovery. With increased accountability, it can help increase patient cooperation with quarantine restrictions. Monitoring throughout all three phases aids in the prevention of a large-scale outbreak. Reporting symptoms through an app or website has become a preliminary task for appointments and vaccinations. As the effects of COVID-19 continue to unfold, developers look for solutions to contact tracing through wearable devices and healthcare software development.
The Internet of Things has been at the forefront of pandemic planning, and it continues to bring new solutions to the medical field. As the pandemic continues to evolve, technological advancements will undoubtedly relieve the strain placed on facilities and staff. These tools can be applied to a wide range of healthcare settings