IoT Helps Streamline the Patient Experience
IoT technology has helped meet increased demand from younger generations to receive virtual care through remote patient monitoring via wearables such as Fitbit and Apple Watch.
This approach not only improves the patient experience by eliminating the need for some office visits, but also helps enhance patient care. The Accenture report notes healthcare systems and insurance providers consider wearables a major part of their wellness IoT solutions; both groups cited consumer satisfaction as a top driver.
The report also states the majority of remote patient monitoring IoT investments are focused on cardiac conditions.
At the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Magee-Women’s Hospital, teams are using the technology to monitor women with pregnancy-associated hypertension. Participants are given a blood pressure cuff and asked to download an app on their phones upon their discharge to monitor their condition.
Most women who experience hypertension during pregnancy notice the condition goes away after they give birth. Since the pilot launch, the hospital found that 57 percent of participating patients were able to skip their first appointment due to the remote monitoring.
Beyond wearables, Oishei Children’s Hospital in Buffalo, N.Y., is adopting IoT along with wayfinding technology to reduce visitor anxiety. A smartphone app integrated with a patient’s electronic health record can provide appointment notifications, estimated arrival times and guided directions through the necessary facilities. It can also help find nearby parking.
The benefits IoT devices offer patients and providers, both inside and outside of hospitals, are tangible. By investing in IoT technology, hospitals can help both parties save time and money, as their facility takes a meaningful step into the future.
This article is part of HealthTech’s MonITor blog series. Please join the discussion on Twitter by using #WellnessIT.