HYDERABAD: As more and more wearable technologies such as fitbits, smart watches and wearable monitors are becoming increasingly popular, doctors seem to be the happiest. IoT (Internet of Things) devices are providing healthcare professionals and patients with new and accurate ways to monitor their vitals.
Dr Namrata Rupani, founder and CEO, Capture Life Dental Care, Banjara Hills, welcomes the change and says, “One of the best IoT healthcare applications is remote patient monitoring, which can automatically collect health measurements from patients who aren’t in a healthcare institution, thus removing the need for patients to travel or collect it themselves. An IoT gadget today helps send patient data to a software application that can be accessed by both the doctors and patients.
For instance, IoT sensors on patients could warn doctors if their heart rate is low.That being said, these come with benefits as well as problems.”Dr Sudheer Reddy Udumula, founder of Wishealth Lifestyle Homeo Clinics, Ameerpet, says that artificial intelligence and IoT is helping make precise diagnosis a possibility. “Statistical and empirical data is helping in better treatment as well as prescription, allowing doctors across the globe to map and tap on these findings, even generations later. Robotic scanning and surgeries have brought in the beauty of technical accuracy and clarity.” However, he adds, that doctors have to learn to adapt and be updated about the technology.
“The recent cases about people finding low levels of oxygen or other data related to lifestyle diseases on their smartwatches, and proactively rushing to the doctor has reinstated our faith in such devices. They are helping lay people track their bodies without much interference and trips to the doctor, which is welcome,” he adds.
Krishna Veer Singh, co-founder of Lissun, a mental wellness app, says, “The issue of mental health is more significant than most of us imagine. During the pandemic, the mental health issue highlighted the significance of how digital healthcare is a big step toward filling the mental health gap. Technology is making therapy and other psychological tools available at your convenience anytime and anywhere. With technology, mental health apps are like your own personal pocket assistant, they help fill the mental health gap, making mental health solutions more accessible to all. With a team of experts and in-depth, informative content, apps like ours are a mini healthcare centre online.”
He adds that psychological tools such as journalling, flash cards for concepts and tracking, meditations, creative visualisations, breathing techniques, psychological assessments, etc., are all available on such apps, making remote consultations more effective.