The combination of big data provided through cloud applications and IoT devices has an almost limitless potential, and one of the industries that stands to gain the most from it is healthcare. In early December, this fact was realized in the annual IoT In Healthcare Report; Yahoo! Finance analysis highlighted the amount of money being driven into data-driven diagnostics through IoT devices, which the report estimates will help to grow the IoT healthcare market to $200bn. Like with so many other industries, a tipping point has been reached and the combination of technologies will now revolutionize healthcare.
Unifying systems
A primary benefit of combining cloud data and IoT for medical applications is the way it can be use to unify systems. Currently, medical systems can be disconnected and data disparate. A study conducted by the MIT School of Management noted this in detail, finding that significant barriers were placed between medical institutions as a result of poor data sharing protocols. The result is reduced efficiency and, in some cases, poorer patient outcomes. Moving to an integrated system, where bespoke medical devices can access data from the cloud that is guaranteed as to its quality standards, will benefit healthcare businesses significantly. American integrated systems experts CoreTech.us espouse the benefits of this approach in any working environment; simply having a situation without barriers, where data can be shared and managed effectively, will improve the business.
Using data for good
Big data is not a new arrival in medicine. Consultants McKinsey state that it has been used for years to improve diagnoses and map disease trends across the globe. By having big data as a continuous stream on the cloud, and then connecting this to a full range of IoT enabled devices, these effects can be amplified. A great example is in the wearables industry. The likes of Fitbit and FDA approved glucose monitors take anonymous data and use that to influence future medical policy and research. This combination of big data with the connected nature of devices to provide a constant and accurate stream of medical information will only improve future patient outcomes.
Cutting-edge architecture
Behind the ready-for-the-public face of this technological combination is ever improving architecture. Tech blog Techerati reported in November ‘19 that edge computing is being rapidly deployed in some countries to improve healthcare even further. By redirecting security away from the clinic and towards the background work of their integrated systems, this will provide to be another incremental but powerful increase in efficiency for healthcare businesses; ultimately, putting IoT and the cloud at the center of the clinical care.
The internet of things has created devices that allow people to improve their day-to-day medical outlook. When combined with plentiful data from the cloud, and combined into an integrated system, constant monitoring and correction of issues will improve patient outcomes. As a positive knock on effect, data for research will be plentiful, and ultimately lead to new breakthroughs in medical science.
