Doctors: 3 Easy Steps to a Smart Home based IoT Healthcare Network

As a doctor, immense opportunity knocks on your door as the convergence of IoT and HealthCare becomes a reality. This is further fueled by the rapid global availability of high quality yet affordable smart IoT medical/wellness devices, Smartphones, Internet & Wi-Fi. In other words, a ‘perfect storm’ of an opportunity is being set-up.  As an IoT practitioner over the past few years, I will describe the 3 key components needed to build a robust smart home based ‘DIY/Self-monitoring Diagnostic Capability’ by harnessing the power of IoT  HealthCare.

In my last blog, titled Doctors:3 Key Reasons to Adopt Internet of Things(IoT) based HealthCare, I had referenced an article published by Deloitte University Press, titled “No appointment necessary: How IoT and patient-generated data can unlock healthcare value” by RJ Krawiec, Jessica Nadler, Peter Kinchley, Elan Tye & Jennifer Jarboe.  The article goes on to describe how Patient-Generated Data(PGD) via ‘smart health & wellness device’ technologies can positively impact specific areas of healthcare & wellness, such as Short Term Care(at home), Chronic Disease Management and Senior Citizens(living independently). So, in practical terms to achieve positive impact in the specific areas implies that we need to create ‘DIY/Self-monitoring Diagnostic Capability’ at the point-of-care; in this case the home is the point-of-care.

Here is how we build that capability....

To build a home based ‘DIY/Self-monitoring Diagnostic Capability,’ we need 3 key components:-

"Secure Smart Home IoT HealthCare Network"
(Source: Diagram created by Shamsheer Ahmed with images from www.123rf.com)

1.    IoT/Mobile based DIY Home Diagnostic Kit – Identify your list of regulator approved(such as FDA) smart devices across the health & wellness landscape that will form part of your Home Diagnostic Kit(HDK). These could be fitness devices, ECG on-the-go devices, Blood-Glucose devices, vital signs devices and many others. Examples: Withings, Qardio, Alivecor. The output from these devices can be aggregated and presented in a useful format  by a user friendly Mobile App. 

2.    Secure IoT enabled Home Network – This is a critical cog in the set-up as it forms your own low power, reliable & secure Personal Area Network(PAN) within the confines of your home. Most devices in the HDK should form part of the PAN. The PAN is controlled by a small, versatile & very secure IoT hub. The hub helps connect to the external cloud network via secure Wi-Fi or other similar connectivity options that are available or may emerge in the future. Example: Cubical Master(Hub) from Cubical Labs, India

3.     Secure Cloud Network – The cloud network is what enables Patient-Generated Data(PGD) to be shared and stored with Doctors, Hospitals, Care Providers  and others as the case maybe - anytime, anywhere & any device.  Please remember access to the cloud network is not needed for any of the devices in the Diagnostic Kit to function.

Starting today, as a first step you need to identify your high-value target segment such as Cardiac Care, Cardiac-Diabetic Care, Senior Citizens, Baby Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y or any other and then begin to explore applicable device & service options needed to serve your identified high value target segment.

"Identify Your High Value Target Segment"
Image Source: www.123rf.com

Quote for the Day: “As an entrepreneur, your two BEST COMPANIONS are Failure & Persistence” – Shamsheer Ahmed

My name is Shamsheer Ahmed and I am a very active supporter of entrepreneurial activity in diverse fields such as IoT, Health & Wellness, ecommerce, Social Media & others. Please feel free to connect with me at @shamsheerahmed.

Entrepreneurs: 3 Key 'Building Block' Tips on How to Create a Home-Based IoT HealthCare Network

As an entrepreneur, immense opportunity knocks on your door as the convergence of IoT and HealthCare becomes a reality. This is further fuelled by the rapid global availability of high quality yet affordable smart IoT medical/wellness devices, Smartphones, Internet & Wi-Fi. In other words, a ‘perfect storm’ of an opportunity is being set-up.  As an IoT practitioner over the past few years and a Coursera student undergoing the ‘Social Marketing Specialization’ online course run by Professor Randy Hlavac of Northwestern University, I will describe the 3 key building blocks needed to build a robust home-based ‘DIY/Self-monitoring Diagnostic Capability’ by harnessing the power of IoT HealthCare.

In my last blog, titled "Doctors:3 Key Reasons to Adopt Internet of Things(IoT) based HealthCare," I had referenced an article published by Deloitte University Press, titled “No appointment necessary: How IoT andpatient-generated data can unlock healthcare value” by RJ Krawiec, Jessica Nadler, Peter Kinchley, Elan Tye & Jennifer Jarboe.  The article goes on to describe how Patient-Generated Data(PGD) via ‘smart health & wellness device’ technologies can positively impact specific areas of healthcare & wellness, such as Short Term Care(at home), Chronic Disease Management and Senior Citizens(living independently). So, in practical terms to achieve positive impact in the specific areas implies that we need to create ‘DIY/Self-monitoring Diagnostic Capability’ at the point-of-care; in this case the home is the point-of-care. 

Here is how we build that capability.....

To build a home-based ‘DIY/Self-monitoring Diagnostic Capability,’ we essentially need 3 primary components:-

Secure Home Based IoT HealthCare Network
(Source: Diagram created by Shamsheer Ahmed with images from www.123rf.com)

1.   IoT/Mobile based DIY Home Diagnostic Kit – Identify your list of regulator approved(such as FDA) smart devices across the health & wellness landscape that will form part of your Home Diagnostic Kit(HDK). These could be fitness devices, ECG on-the-go devices, Blood-Glucose devices, vital signs devices and many others. Examples: Withings, Qardio, Alivecor

2.    Secure IoT enabled Home Network – This is a critical cog in the set-up as it forms your own low power, reliable & secure Personal Area Network(PAN) or Home Area Network(HAN) within the confines of your home. Most devices in the HDK should form part of the PAN/HAN. The PAN/HAN is controlled by a small, versatile & very secure IoT hub. The hub helps connect to the external cloud network via secure Wi-Fi or other similar connectivity options that are available or may emerge in the future. Example: Cubical Master(Hub) from Cubical Labs, India

3.    Secure Cloud Network – The cloud network is what enables Patient-Generated Data(PGD) to be shared and stored with Doctors, Hospitals, Care Providers  and others as the case maybe - anytime, anywhere & any device.  Please remember access to the cloud network is not needed for any of the devices in the HDK to function.

Starting today, as a first step you need to identify your high-value target segment such as Cardiac Care, Cardiac-Diabetic Care, Senior Citizens, Baby Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y, Millenials or any other and then begin to explore applicable device & service options needed to serve your identified high-value target segment.

"Identify your High-Value Target Segment"
Source: www.123rf.com

Good Luck!

Quote for the Day: “As an entrepreneur, your two BEST COMPANIONS are Failure & Persistence” – Shamsheer Ahmed

My name is Shamsheer Ahmed and I am currently a Coursera student at Northwestern University undergoing the ‘Social Marketing Specialization’ online course. I am also very active supporter of entrepreneurial activity in diverse fields such as IoT, Health & Wellness, ecommerce, Social Media & others. Please feel free to connect with me at @shamsheerahmed.

Doctors: 3 Key Reasons to Adopt Internet of Things(IoT) based HealthCare

As a doctor, you know the rapid emergence of ‘smart health & wellness device’ technologies with a non-invasive flavour coupled with IoT, Smartphones, Internet & Wi-Fi will radically alter the health & wellness agenda.  As an IoT practitioner over the past few years and a Coursera student undergoing the ‘Social Marketing Specialization’ online course run by Professor Randy Hlavac of Northwestern University, I have found two articles that clearly articulate the importance of embracing IoT based HealthCare.

The first article published by Deloitte University Press, titled “No appointment necessary: How IoT and patient-generated data can unlock healthcare value” by RJ Krawiec, Jessica Nadler, Peter Kinchley, Elan Tye & Jennifer Jarboe talks about how healthcare providers  by adopting IoT based HealthCare can bring about a transformational shift in the way healthcare is delivered. The article goes on to describe how Patient-Generated Data(PGD) via ‘smart health & wellness device’ technologies can positively impact specific areas of healthcare & wellness, such as Short Term Care(at home), Chronic Disease Management and Senior Citizens(living independently). The article also discusses some of the challenges that will be faced in the adoption of such IoT based HealthCare too.

Image Courtesy: www.flickr.com(http://bit.ly/1NNMXeV)

The second article written by Vijayakannan Sermakani of Robert Bosch Engineering and Business Ltd, titled “Transforming healthcare through the Internet of Things” echoes the same sentiment as the first article.  Interestingly, this article presents case studies on how the digital divide in healthcare can be narrowed by adoption of such technologies in a rural setting as also refugee camps. The author also presents a simple and clear roadmap for adoption of such technologies in a phased manner.

Based on the two articles and my experience in the IoT field, I have listed 3 KEY REASONS for doctors to whole-heartedly adopt IoT based HealthCare:-
      

·     Rich Patient Data – PGD provides an opportunity for healthcare providers to gain access to valuable patient data outside of a clinical setting which in turn can lead to better health outcomes

·       Empower Patients – Patients can now be motivated to be more proactive about their health by adopting the self-monitoring/DIY approach

·        Digital Inclusiveness – Doctors can now have a more powerful societal impact by reaching out to the less fortunate members of our society via virtual care options

Starting today, you need to examine how IoT based HealthCare can have a meaningful impact on your patients, your clinical practice and our society as a whole.

My name is Shamsheer Ahmed and I am currently a Coursera student at Northwestern University undergoing the ‘Social Marketing Specialization’ online course. I am also a very active supporter of entrepreneurial activity in diverse fields such as IoT, Health & Wellness, ecommerce, Social Media & others. Please feel free to connect with me at @shamsheerahmed.