As the aging population continues to grow – projected to be more than 20% of the U.S. by 2030 – remote patient monitoring is becoming an increasingly important healthcare option. A recent industry report shows more than 60 million people in the U.S. will have used remote patient monitoring in 2024.

RPM is one of the ways the Internet of Things and connectivity technologies make health tech more accessible for patients and providers.

IoT expert Chris Baird is CEO of OptConnect, a company that offers systems for various healthcare tech use cases for patients and providers. We sat down with Baird to speak about how IoT can modernize healthcare and its role in remote monitoring and dependable wearable devices.

Q. How can IoT help improve RPM and patient outcomes?

A. The IoT is revolutionizing remote patient monitoring by enabling real-time data collection, analysis and intervention. With IoT-enabled devices, healthcare providers now can continuously monitor patients from anywhere, which reduces the need for frequent in-person visits that still only capture one moment in time.

This capability is particularly important for managing chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension and heart disease, where ongoing tracking is crucial for timely intervention. By having access to real-time data, doctors can make more informed decisions, intervene earlier and prevent complications, ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes.

In addition to making treatment more convenient, IoT also can empower more personalized care.

Devices that track vital signs such as blood pressure, oxygen levels and heart rate can provide patient-specific data in real time and over longer periods. Healthcare professionals then can tailor care plans based on trends and insights gathered over time rather than relying on periodic snapshots taken during office visits.

This continuous monitoring enhances the quality of care, enabling physicians to adjust treatments dynamically – which allows for greater adherence to treatment regimens and overall patient satisfaction.

For instance, an IoT-enabled glucose monitor can send real-time alerts and notifications to the patient, enable instant adjustments and dispensing of life-saving insulin, and keep track of trends to help improve the long-term health of the individual.

IoT-driven remote monitoring systems also can significantly reduce healthcare costs. By avoiding unnecessary hospital admissions and emergency room visits, hospitals and health systems can optimize resources, focusing on critical care when needed.

This cost reduction is critical for both healthcare providers and patients, especially as healthcare systems around the world grapple with escalating costs and limited resources.

Q. Please talk a bit about connectivity and data security issues in healthcare IoT.

A. Today, IoT devices collect vast amounts of health data, which is often transmitted across various networks before reaching healthcare providers. But this capability also introduces a potential attack surface for cybercriminals, who try to exploit vulnerabilities in these devices or their networks.

To help mitigate these risks, cellular IoT providers must enable end-to-end data encryption, robust authentication protocols, and adherence to strict data privacy regulations – for example, HIPAA in the U.S. and GDPR in Europe. Healthcare organizations also must establish protocols for regular security audits and firmware updates to protect against evolving cyber threats.

"Security by obscurity" is not a safe and reliable model. Many people deploy an IoT device with a set-it-and-forget-it mentality, and we know that approach doesn't work. People often joke that the "s" in Internet of Things stands for security since it is often neglected, ignored or misunderstood.

As IoT devices become more prevalent in healthcare, it's imperative that all components of the system – devices, applications, networks and data storage systems – are secure and compliant with healthcare regulations. These protocols are crucial for maintaining patient trust and avoiding legal and financial repercussions.

Oftentimes, it's better to build in cellular connectivity so data can be securely transmitted over private networks. This avoids the reliance on WiFi and other networks that may not be secure, which can expose all parties to potential risks in data breaches.

Q. What are some challenges hospitals and health systems face with IoT medical devices and RPM?

A. One of the biggest challenges hospitals and health systems face with IoT medical devices is the integration of these technologies into their existing IT infrastructure. Many healthcare providers still operate on legacy systems not designed to support the data-intensive, real-time capabilities of modern IoT devices.

This challenge also can create interoperability issues, where data collected from IoT devices may not seamlessly integrate with electronic health records or other clinical systems, complicating care coordination and patient management. Investing in updated IT infrastructure and ensuring IoT devices can work with different systems is a challenge healthcare providers must address to fully leverage the benefits of IoT in patient care.

Another challenge is the cost associated with deploying and maintaining IoT devices. While these devices can lead to cost savings in the long term by reducing hospital readmissions and streamlining care, the initial investment required for the devices, software and connectivity infrastructure can be substantial.

Additionally, the cost of training healthcare staff to use these devices effectively is often underestimated. For IoT to be a viable solution in healthcare, especially for resource-strapped hospitals, the financial burden must be carefully managed and offset by clear returns on investment.

One more challenge hospitals and health systems face is the challenge with medical device life cycles of IoT-enabled devices. Connected devices often are consumable in the fact that they are used and then returned after the patient's health improves.

This requires the hospital or health system to have a way to bring the devices back, clean them, erase the stored data, refurbish them and get them ready to redeploy. All of that can be a cumbersome and costly endeavor.

Finally, there is the challenge of patient and provider adoption. Many patients, especially older adults or those in rural areas, may not be comfortable using IoT devices or may have limited access to the necessary technology.

On the provider side, there is often a steep learning curve when adopting new technologies. Ensuring both patients and healthcare providers are adequately trained and confident in using IoT devices is crucial for successful implementation. Hospitals and health systems need to invest in education and support to overcome these adoption barriers and make remote monitoring a routine part of patient care.

Q. Looking ahead, what are some trends with IoT medical devices in RPM?

A. There are about 17 billion IoT-connected devices anticipated in 2024, surging to more than 30 billion by 2030. That number reflects a drastic increase in the number of IoT medical devices that are going to be connected in the future – and security issues are only going to get more challenging. Greater challenges require a matched effort.

To stay ahead, both IoT and healthcare professionals have to stay on top of security needs. Attacks, vulnerabilities and risks will keep growing. That requires all parties to plan, prepare, predict and be ready. More compliance and regulation will be required. New standards will be established, and all parties will need to increase their vigilance and adopt the new standards.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are two of the most exciting trends in IoT. These technologies, when combined with IoT, enable predictive analytics that can help healthcare providers anticipate patient needs and intervene before issues escalate.

For instance, AI algorithms can analyze the vast amount of data collected by IoT devices to detect patterns and anomalies that might indicate a potential health problem – for example, early signs of heart failure or worsening diabetes. This proactive approach to healthcare will significantly improve outcomes for both patients and healthcare providers.

Another emerging trend is the development of advanced, minimally invasive and noninvasive IoT devices. We are seeing the rise of wearable technologies that are becoming increasingly comfortable and easy to use, as well as the development of implantable sensors that can monitor patient health with little to no effort from the patient. These devices will enable more comprehensive, long-term monitoring without disrupting patients' daily lives.

This shift toward user-friendly and patient-centered devices is likely to drive broader adoption of IoT in healthcare, especially among patients who may be reluctant to engage with more traditional medical devices.

Finally, as 5G networks continue to roll out globally, the connectivity capabilities of IoT devices will drastically improve. The ultra-low latency and high-speed data transfer rates offered by 5G will enable real-time monitoring and communication on a scale never seen before.

This will allow for more complex and data-heavy IoT applications in healthcare, such as real-time video monitoring of patients or continuous, high-definition imaging from wearable or implanted devices. The combination of 5G and IoT has the potential to redefine the capabilities of remote healthcare, bringing us closer to a future where patients can receive hospital-grade care from anywhere in the world.

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