In my last article, I discussed the benefits of the Internet of Things (IoT) for Healthcare Industry and its transformations. However, despite all the breakthroughs and innovations, the IoT technology has its limitations and challenges. Let me address the significant problems which the IoT in the healthcare industry is facing today:
1. Data Security and Privacy: The most significant concern and threat which the IoT technology is posing in general and in the healthcare industry is the security of personal information of the patient. By intent and design, IoT devices capture and transmit the data in real-time on the cloud for data analytics. The infrastructure for receiving and processing the data should be built and designed for scalability to collect, process, and store the real-time data from millions of devices for analytical models for deriving insights. However, most of the IoT devices that receive the data suffer lack of data protocols and standards. Besides, there is also significant ambiguity that shrouds the data ownership regulations and issues of privacy. The patient data collected via various connected devices or wearables are susceptible and precious to the cybercriminals who can exploit the stolen data or information for medical identity theft or blackmail. A hacker or criminal can use a patient’s data to create a fake ID or to buy drugs or medical equipment which can be resold. The cybercriminals also can file for fraudulent insurance claims in the patient’s name.
The technology vendors, device manufacturers, hospitals and other stakeholders should take proactive measures to ensure that their environments are secured and unhackable. The hospitals and other healthcare vendors should be extremely discerning when purchasing “devices or things” for healthcare especially the devices which the hospitals need to adopt. Given these limitations in the IoT technology, the Hospitals and the IT vendors should address the best mode of hosting the vast and complex infrastructure. I have addressed this challenge in my article on “Intranet of Things” providing the solution to tackle the Data Security and Privacy related issues. Please refer to my article here.
2. Natural Calamities: Natural disasters in general causes major adverse event resulting in damage to infrastructures, property, and loss of life leaving significant economic damages disrupting the lives of the people. The ability to recover depends on the resilience of the affected population and also the infrastructure, medical-aid, and other assistance available depending upon the severity of the damage caused by hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, wildfires, etc.
In the event of such calamities, the potential for multiple casualties rise, and there is a great need for the medical-care for both patients with minor illnesses and injury as well as patients with chronic medical conditions and major injuries where the existing healthcare infrastructure might have been incapacitated. For, e.g., during a volcanic eruption, the number of fatalities exceeds usually the ones with injuries.
During such natural disaster, the hospitals and health systems face closure, damaged or destroyed physical assets and displaced patients and workforces. The after-effects of the event are chaotic; systems face capital limitations, downtime in the operations, credit downgrades, etc. Disruption in the pharmaceutical supply chains due to dysfunction in the manufacturing leading to shortages in the labour, products and lab testing problems.
The physical damage of the disaster may be abandoned facilities due to destroyed infrastructure. The damaged hospital buildings and assets become the target of theft. Repairs lag, and Insurance claims move very slowly. In case of the recent Florida hurricane, there was extensive damage to the infrastructures, power lines and poles resulting in power outages which could easily last for several days disrupting the entire ecosystem and bringing the whole city to a standstill condition.
3. Cost: Has IoT has become the cure for rising healthcare costs? Let us understand how the affordability or the cost factor pose a severe challenge for IoT in healthcare. Today the rising cost of healthcare continues to dominate the industry more than ever before. The technological advancements with IoT have not proven to offset the growing costs of medical care; on the contrary, it has become more expensive.
Today the world is rapidly evolving to adapt itself to the digital transformation and connected world. The complexities of implementing the IoT technology and solutions has led many organizations to reconsider their business, delivery, and support models. With the advent of IoT, the affordability of the advanced medical care is still out of reach by an average and or low-income group individual. Even in developed economies, the cost of a good healthcare is always a big challenge. This challenge in the healthcare industry has given rise to the thriving ‘Medical Tourism’ in which the patients with the critical medical condition are availing the similar treatments at the 1/10th of the cost in the developing countries.
The IoT in healthcare has created a booming opportunity for the wearable device manufacturers. However, the cost factor remains a big question which the Industry stakeholders are yet to address. The IoT in healthcare if not made affordable to everyone from my perspective will not make sense to the vision of IoT technology.
To Summarize, I recommend the Industry stakeholders in working together to make the IoT in healthcare safe, secure, and cost-effective which then can be availed by everyone and making the vision of IoT in Healthcare a reality by creating the Smart City and Smart Nation a dream come true.
