This article mentions what the Internet of Medical Things is, its' importance, & how it is being used in the healthcare industry & a few prominent devices

1. What is the Internet of Medical Things
(IoMT)?
As many are new to these devices called the ‘Internet of Medical Things’, here is a
little explanation for them. We all know ‘Internet of Things right’? Well, IoMT, is a
subbranch of this market. In this part of the market, the focus is on the healthcare
industry where technology is growing with the inclusion of AI.

2. These are the web-enabled devices of healthcare. Yes, of healthcare, medical
facility with devices that have internet connections. Such devices that use IoMT are
growing rapidly, as these devices can collect and analyze data from the human body
24/7 from any place and send data to the doctors via the web. With this, the patient
receives virtual medical assistance at any time and place.
With the help of these medical devices, patient’s real-time data is received by the
doctors, which means, the doctors will have more accurate information of their
patient’s health when it is disturbed. Here are a few examples of where and how it is
being used in the healthcare industry –Hospitals and clinics – Here, with the help of
the IoMT, the quality of services is being improved and at the same time, the cost is
being reduced. These devices are operated by the application that monitors
patients, its user.
These devices are not just used by hospitals and clinics for recording their health,
but IoMT is also widely used for regulating equipment like X-ray machines, MRIs,
CT scanners, etc, remotely. This also gives them the advantage of detecting
problematic issues with the machine that staff might not be able to notice on time.
Companies like Philips and GE use such technology.

3. IoMT at our homes – Telemedicine gives medical assistance at home through
technology so that the patient can receive basic hospital services at home. How? By
the Remote Patient Monitoring (RTM) facilities. The RTM devices are movable and
can monitor a patient’s heart and glucose level and can alter the medicine
immediately when needed, on its own. This facility enables patients who suffer
from chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes to avoid frequent
hospital visits for check-ups.
Virtual Home Assistants are valuable when it comes to elderly patients. As these
devices can interact with them, remind them regarding their medicines also. Their
family member and physicians can also be connected to them.
With the advancement in biosensor technology, the wearable smart device
monitors its user’s health. These devices are of various types, some can be attached
to our body, and some can be implanted, depending upon the need of the patient
and the type of the device.

4. Technology is the result of Artificial Technology (AI), advanced sensor technology,
and internet connectivity technology. The performance of IoMT is mainly
sensor-based technology and the deduction in its cost has directly empowered the
industry.
The IoMT device works when the sensor detects its user’s body movements, some
parts of the body, breathing, blood flow, and even the tissues. After collecting this
data, the device sends it to the doctors with the help of the internet connection
automatically.
In this procedure, a vast number of protocols are being followed and authorizations
are taken. Here the AI software sorts through all the data from IoMT devices and
sends it to the doctor accordingly.

5. Why is IoMT important?
With these capabilities, the importance, and advantages of IoMT devices have
increased in the healthcare industry. It saves time by giving all the alarms and
warnings in advance.
With this, now doctors can check their patients without visiting them, from
anywhere in the world, all the real-time data will be displayed on their smartphones
with medical images. This will save many in a medical emergency. It will save the
check-up and analysis time, which means quick needed assistance will be given to
the patient.
These devices also help patients to make their insurance claim more quickly, as
IoMT also provides necessary data to the insurance company, which makes the
process faster than before with accuracy.
IoMT devices also reduce the money spent on treatment as they save time, number
of hospital visits, and hospital staff needed for the patient. It also enables the
patients to check their health data online.

6. The cost-saving part is also affected by the investment needed for the complete
set-up of the infrastructure, the application building, training the people according
to these devices, and the more economical development of hardware. This needs a
good amount of planning which means time, money, and workforce for its
implementation.
So, what are these devices? And who manufactures them? Here are a few examples
of IoMT companies and the devices they make – eVisit is a place where doctors are
able to examine and treat their remotely located patients by using this telemedicine
platforms. Another company is for cardiac arrhythmia, InfoBionic’s MoMe Kardia
provides a facility by which cardiac arrhythmia patients can be monitored remotely.
Abilify MyCite is the company that makes smart pills, yes, smart pills. When the
patient swallows the pill, it has a smart sensor that sends a signal to the
smartphone’s application. This pill is for treating schizophrenia, it has aripiprazole
in it with smart sensors. It is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration.Amiko.IO is a company that gives a fully AI-powered platform, its
products are for the respiratory systems. It is designed to manage respiratory
diseases. There is also a pill that gives imaging data of the stomach, colon, small
bowel, and esophagus.

7. When the patient swallows the pill, it provides the visual transmission to the
viewer/physician for the analysis. The pill is PillCamTM made by Medtronic.
Conclusion – Internet of Medical Things
(IoMT)
IoMT devices are the future of the health care industry with the facility like remote
monitoring. This facility allows the patients to not be present physically in the
hospital, which means they don’t have to travel far, this will not only save their time
and money but will also be more convenient for them.
This will be very helpful for old people or people with disabilities. The feature is
that the devices can give alerts in advance to the doctors. For example, information
regarding the heart rate will prove to be very vital in an emergency.
The glucose level monitoring for the diabetes patients is very important, with the
help of these devices the patient’s glucose levels will be monitored constantly
without disturbing them, and the process of checking and maintaining all report
records manually will be also eliminated.

8. This will also record the fluctuation in the glucose levels more accurately and
continuously without any problem. Heart rate monitoring just like glucose
monitoring now can be done without anyone’s assistance, with the heart
monitoring IoMT device that gives 90 and above percent of accuracy.
The device tracks the 24/7 heart rate of the patients and records all the
fluctuations. With this attached device, patients don’t have to be in the hospital and
be attached to the wires in one place.
Now there are such devices that monitor hand hygiene. With these devices, the
spreading of viruses and bacteria will be eliminated in healthcare facilities. These
devices give reminders to the staff to wash and sanitize hands at the workplace.
IoMT devices like ‘Mood Aware’ can monitor their user’s moods and depression. Yes,
such IoMT devices also exist, which collects data of their moods continuously.
It understands the mental state on the basis of detecting its user’s blood pressure,
and heart rate. Some advanced devices can also track mood data by patient’s eye
movements. But these devices do have the challenge of accuracy.

9. There are more examples of IoMT devices like Parkinson’s disease monitoring,
where the patient’s data is collected continuously without them being stuck in the
hospitals. They are free to go home. These were the most common types of devices
of IoMT.
There are some devices that actually live inside the patients and give them
continuous treatment also like the connected inhalers for COPD or for asthma
patients.
Where attacks are sudden, these devices collect the data of how frequent these
attacks are plus the reasons for the attacks, what triggers them in the environment
is also recorded. It also reminds the patients if they forget to keep the inhaler with
them.
Also, there are IoMT devices like the Ingestible sensors for the stomach, then
connected contact lenses for eyes that not only improve their health but also make
them more powerful.

10. There are robotic surgeries in IoMT, where the small robot performs the surgery,
these robots are connected to the internet easily and perform surgery that is
difficult for the human hands and they cause fewer damages while performing,
which results in faster healing.
These healthcare providers ensure the safety of the collected data, the devices are
qualified under the HIPAA or similar regulations. The systems like Order System
Control Engine (SCE) provide security for IoMT devices.
These devices also provided very helpful assistance during the COVID-19 phase,
when people were not able to step out of their houses, and many hospitals were
converted into covid centers for treating only covid patients.
In the lockdown situation, people were not allowed to go outside of their houses,
and many facilities were shut. These devices have proved to be helpful in such
situations by providing many facilities at home, and by maintaining social
distancing.

11. Even the hospitals were highly overloaded, and a number of doctors were not
enough for the demand of time. Hence IoMT has been very helpful for many in
these difficult times.