When I was a kid, I remember visiting my dad’s medical practice and looking at the rows upon rows of patient records. They were kept in manilla folders that were coded by last name and date of the last visit. Often the only times he was able to speak with clients was at their visits and monitoring their conditions only took place in person or over the phone. This was a tedious process and inevitably patients fell through the cracks. For the healthcare industry, the Internet of Things is a disruptive technology that has brought improvements in how doctors and hospitals treat and interact with patients.
Nowadays with IoT, doctors can use wearables to monitor their patients health. These wearables can show if the patient is adhering to the prescribed treatment or if their condition is getting worse. Doctors can also visit with patients virtually, reducing the patients exposure to other diseases and making it easier to schedule. In addition, doctors can share medical files instantly, even if the patient has forgotten any past ailments or surgeries.
Hospitals also benefit from IoT through sensors and wearable technology that reduces inefficiency and medical errors. They can focus on the patients that need to be treated immediately and not have to worry about misidentification or prescribing medication that the patient is allergic to. IoT devices can also be tagged with sensors to provide real-time information on locations on medical equipment. Finally IoT devices can help in management of medications in the pharmacy and monitoring the environment that the patient is in. Going to the hospital will now be about proactive treatment instead of reactive treatment.
Marketing strategy professionals should use this disruption as a way to promote better services from the healthcare industry. Even now, hospitals are running ads showing how they are more friendly and easy to use than ever before. Marketing professionals should make it easy for patients to use healthcare websites and create personal accounts. By making the process more streamlined, better and more personalized care can be given. Patients can have their fears of doctors and hospitals mitigated by assuring them that using IoT means that they are in good hands.
References:
https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/internet-of-things-iot-healthcare-market
https://www.healthtechzone.com/topics/healthcare/articles/2020/05/27/445511-how-iot-solving-pain-points-healthcare.htm#:~:text=IoT%20can%20improve%20patient%20care,view%20it%20in%20real%20time.
https://www.wipro.com/en-US/business-process/what-can-iot-do-for-healthcare-/
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