The healthcare sector today faces a multitude of challenges that require continuous development in order to meet increasing demands and the shortage of skilled workers. The digitalisation of processes is a promising answer to these challenges. In this article, you will learn how digitalisation can optimise processes in the healthcare sector and thus save costs and relieve staff.

What does digital healthcare mean?

Digitisation in healthcare refers to the integration of digital technologies and solutions to improve the efficiency, quality and accessibility of healthcare.

The applications can be very versatile. In addition to electronic patient shares, telemedicine, robot-assisted surgery, IoT solutions such as wearables and smart buildings also ensure greater efficiency in the healthcare sector. As experts for the Internet of Things (IoT), we will go into more detail below on how IoT solutions can create added value in the healthcare sector.

Bevor wir uns den konkreten Anwendungen von IoT-Lösungen im Gesundheitswesen zuwenden, ist es wichtig, das Konzept des IoT zu verstehen. IoT bedeutet “Internet der Dinge” und bezieht sich auf die Vernetzung physischer Geräte und Objekte über das Internet. Diese Geräte und Objekte sind mit Sensoren, Aktoren und Kommunikationstechnologien ausgestattet, die es ihnen ermöglichen, ohne direkte menschliche Interaktion Daten zu sammeln, Informationen auszutauschen und auf Befehle zu reagieren.

Digital infrastructure creates more overview

In the digitalisation of healthcare, IoT solutions have the potential to improve the efficiency, safety and quality of patient care. This is because by integrating smart sensors that capture data in real time and using the latest communication technologies, IoT solutions enable seamless networking of medical devices, facilities and medical staff. This intelligent networking creates a digital infrastructure that provides a comprehensive overview of the health status of patients, the operation of medical facilities and the use of resources. With this knowledge, decision-makers can make informed, data-driven decisions and optimise processes. The following practical applications show how the IoT optimises everyday processes by networking objects.

1.Precise temperature monitoring: protection for medicines, samples and foodstuffs

The temperature ranges of medicinal products specified by the manufacturer may not be exceeded or undercut during storage in pharmacies - this is stipulated by the Pharmacy Operating Regulations.ApBetrO §4, §29The situation is similar for foodstuffs. The EU Regulation (EC) No. 852/2004 on food hygiene, which came into force on 1 January 2006, makes it obligatory for everyone who handles food or puts it into circulation to establish a HACCP concept. HACCP concepts are internal self-control systems to guarantee food safety for the consumer and also provide for the documentation and control of temperatures.

Often, the checks are carried out and documented manually, which is time-consuming and labour-intensive, offers an increased risk of errors and makes evaluation difficult. This is where IoT-enabled sensors provide a remedy. Because they enable precise and automated Monitoring temperatures in medicine cabinets, laboratories and canteens. The intelligent sensors detect temperature and humidity and continuously send data to central platforms. Medical staff and administrators receive immediate notifications when temperatures are outside the specified range. This allows them to respond immediately to ensure the integrity of medicines, samples and food. The accuracy of temperature monitoring contributes to improved patient safety and optimised resource utilisation.

2. Patient Monitoring

Wearables in the form of wristwatches and sensors can monitor patients and collect important health data such as heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation and activity level. This data can be transmitted in real time to medical staff to enable continuous monitoring and timely intervention in case of changes in health status or falls, etc.

3. Smart Buildings: Automated Buildings

In the building sector, there are numerous IoT applications that can optimise building efficiency, energy consumption, space utilisation and resource use. For example, lighting and air conditioning can be automatically adjusted to demand in order to save energy. In addition, IoT sensors can detect which rooms are currently being used and which are empty. In this way, the use of space can be optimised and it can be ensured that resources are used efficiently. Smart cameras and sensors can also help increase security in medical facilities. They can detect potential security risks such as unauthorised access and inform staff in time to react appropriately.

4. Networked Medical Devices

The networking of medical devices through IoT technologies is one of the most advanced applications in healthcare and offers numerous advantages. By integrating sensors and communication functions into medical devices, they can be connected to each other and to other IT systems in the facility. This creates a seamless network that captures, monitors and shares important medical data in real time. This enables a comprehensive picture of a patient's condition to be obtained and informed clinical decisions to be made. This in turn can increase patient safety and improve the quality of medical care.

5. Air Quality Monitoring

IoT sensors monitor the air quality in rooms. In doing so, they record the temperature, air humidity, CO₂ and volatile organic compounds. In this way, infection risks can be detected at an early stage and appropriate measures can be initiated. Real-time warnings enable quick reactions or the automated control of air supply and exchange.

Conclusion

Digitalisation in healthcare and the integration of IoT solutions offer enormous potential to improve the efficiency, quality and safety of patient care. From precise temperature monitoring of medicines, samples and food in pharmacies to real-time monitoring of patients' vital signs through networked medical devices - the possibilities are many. Automating and networking buildings also makes for more efficient use of resources and increased safety. The monitoring of indoor air quality by IoT sensors helps to detect infection risks at an early stage and to take appropriate protective measures. Digitalisation and IoT solutions thus play an important role in the transformation of healthcare towards a connected, efficient and safe environment for patients and medical staff.

Supply chain management can be fundamentally changed through the use of IoT devices. Find out what the challenges are and how the IoT can improve the supply chain in this article.

1. Challenges in supply chain management
2. How can the Internet of Things improve the supply chain?
3. Examples for the implementation of IoT devices in the supply chain
4. Conclusion

The supply chain describes the network of companies that ensure that goods get from A to B without interruption. Due to economic growth and globalisation in recent years, these very companies must act in an increasingly networked and efficient manner. Digitalisation offers numerous opportunities for optimising and automating processes.

Challenges in supply chain management

Die Lieferkette beschreibt das Netz von Unternehmen, die dafür sorgen, dass Waren ohne Unterbrechung von A nach B gelangen. Aufgrund des Wirtschaftswachstums und der Globalisierung der letzten Jahre müssen genau diese Unternehmen immer vernetzter und effizienter agieren. Die Digitalisierung bietet zahlreiche Möglichkeiten, Prozesse zu optimieren und zu automatisieren.

• Transparency and visibility
  Due to the high volumes, it can be difficult for companies to know where and in what condition a delivery is at any given time.
• Responsiveness
  To prevent delivery failures, companies must be able to react quickly to disruptions.
• Cost control
  Storage, transport and processing costs must be minimised to increase the profitability of companies and thus make them more competitive.
• Identification of problems & faults
  Companies must be able to clearly identify and minimise supply chain disruptions and quality problems.

How can the Internet of Things improve the supply chain?

Logistics is already classified as highly digitalised, because as a rule, some areas of the supply chain are already interconnected. This already forms a good basis so that new technologies such as IoT devices can be implemented quickly and easily into existing processes. The Internet of Things (IoT) has proven to be a powerful tool to optimise industrial processes, because IoT creates one thing above all: transparency.

According to recent studies by research institutes such as Statista, up to 30 billion networked devices are expected to be in operation by 2030 [1] and provide more transparency in processes. Due to the complexity of supply chains, they offer particularly great potential for networking processes and optimising or automating them in the process.

In order to gain more transparency, companies can use IoT sensors and devices to, for example Track deliveries. Dabei lassen sich zeitgleich die Umgebungsbedingungen wie zum Beispiel Monitor temperature and humidity. Furthermore, by monitoring parameters, it is also possible to determine whether a delivery has been improperly handled or damaged. This enables companies to guarantee the quality of their deliveries. In addition, possible problems in the supply chain are identified and can be eliminated.

Through the use of IoT devices, real-time inventories can also be mapped. This allows companies to react quickly to changes in stock levels and thus avoid overstocking and shortages. In addition, IoT devices can automatically place orders when stock is running low.

Examples for the implementation of IoT devices in the supply chain

• tracker can be attached to deliveries, load carriers or transport packaging. They provide information about stock levels or the position of the item or delivery.
• Datalogger can be attached to goods in vehicles or transport containers such as thermal containers. They are used to automatically document temperature and humidity, for example.
• Smart storage racks & scales can be used to automate ordering processes or send alerts when stock is low to optimise inventory management.

Conclusion

The IoT has the potential to fundamentally change supply chain management. Through more transparency in the supply chains, the players can increase their efficiency and reduce costs. In addition, the use of IoT devices can open up new business areas, for example by allowing companies to offer additional services for their deliveries. All in all, it can be said that the Internet of Things will play an important role in the world's supply chains in the coming years.

Sources:

[1] Statista: Number of Internet of Things (IoT) connected devices worldwide from 2019 to 2021, with forecasts from 2022 to 2030