More and more hospitals and clinical centers are committed to renewing their traditional diagnostic devices for others with digital technology. These, like EMR or electronic medical records, allow an improvement in treatment plans, data management and clinical results of patients.
Let’s look at some of the many benefits of using connected medical devices:
Better diagnosis, better treatment
Connected medical devices, such as wearables (Fitbit, smartwatch, smart shirts) and others that can be used in the patient’s home through smart devices, are already used to collect a variety of health information. Not only are they less intrusive and more convenient to use, but they can gather environmental, nutritional, and vital data more efficiently.
When combined with clinical data from medical procedures or laboratory tests, connected medical devices help professionals build a more complete picture of a patient’s health. This more global perspective allows them to make more accurate and well-informed diagnostic or treatment decisions.
Once the treatment is chosen, connected medical devices promote better patient outcomes through continuous monitoring. How does the treatment work? Is the patient improving? Connected devices clarify the answers to these questions and alert clinicians much faster than traditional methods.
With Big Data technology, all the information collected can be systematically analyzed. This gives medical staff the ability to identify trends or similarities that could improve treatment.
Remote monitoring of chronic diseases
Chronic diseases such as some heart conditions or diabetes affect many people. In general, patients with these conditions should visit the doctor frequently. But doing so is complicated when, for example, the patient resides in areas far from the closest medical center.
Connected medical devices are solving this problem through remote monitoring. Thus, regardless of where the patient resides, his doctor can continue to assess the evolution of his health and check that both the treatment and the vital signs are correct, providing more peace of mind to the patient.
Remote patient monitoring also allows doctors to perform an emergency intervention in the event of a problem, which is an essential step in reducing risks. In addition to active monitoring, many connected devices can also perform diagnostics, allowing clinicians to personalize treatments with greater precision.
All of this adds up to a much more comprehensive approach to healthcare. And so far, the results have been promising: A recent study found that remote patient monitoring reduced mortality from various causes by 20%.
Improved Workflow = Improved Experience
Workflow simplification is a must for more efficient results. With remote access to data, connected devices simplify data collection and centralization for analysis.
Typically, a lot of time is wasted transcribing data from one system to another. By being able to access and exchange data from different EMRs, clinicians can get the data they need in the format that works best for them.
In turn, this promotes a more personalized approach to the patient experience. Connected devices allow information to be transmitted to patients in a more personalized way. They may also monitor adherence to suggested treatments and therapies.
Improved asset management
The use and maintenance of medical devices used to be an arduous and inefficient task. If an issue arose, it was typically not addressed or fixed instantly. Connected medical devices make it possible to complete and collect device diagnostics remotely. This helps ensure that each device is working safely. Malfunction alerts can even be set up so action can be taken before any adverse incident occurs.
This access to real-time information also allows MedTech developers to better optimize maintenance work. It also simplifies software updates and bug fixes. Like many other digital devices, troubleshooting can be completed instantly, virtually, rather than waiting for a technician.
More data = more solutions
Another benefit of connected medical devices is the feedback flow they generate. With all the data collected, organized and centralized, MedTech developers can mine it to better understand how these devices are being used.
In turn, this can fuel the new iteration of the device and give it a real competitive advantage over others that don’t harness the power of data. This could lead to new diagnostic capabilities and treatment plans.
In other words, MedTech allows the transfer of technology outside of health facilities so that it can be used by society in general. This is about providing tools to patients to master their own pathologies. It’s a win-win situation. MedTech technology helps patients and physicians achieve better outcomes.
