There’s no question that the global pandemic is changing the way healthcare is delivered.
With lockdowns ongoing in countries worldwide, hospitals maxed at full capacity and human interaction brought to a minimum, the need for technology to help combat the restrictions placed by COVID-19 on health systems is at an all-time high.
The pandemic has accelerated the need for stressed healthcare systems like the NHS to develop new ways to diagnose and treat common health problems.
With video consultations now commonplace, the next step is to use technology, such as IoT, more generally to help diagnose and treat specific ailments reducing the need for a physical visit to the doctor.
Take sleep. Half of the population at some point struggles with sleep. In some cases, the condition is chronic enough to require medical intervention. The increased anxiety, stress and isolation as a result of the pandemic has exacerbated the problem. Rather than allow this to become another strain on the NHS, technology offers a solution.
Sleep technology company Kokoon has recently launched its latest product, NightBuds, the world’s thinnest Bluetooth headphones that help make sleep more straightforward and more enjoyable. These smart sleep-sensing headphones delivers immersive, intelligent audio that works with an app to help relaxation. It is like a sensor in your ears, gathering data about your sleep patterns, and creating a personalised answer to your sleep problem.
FoodMarble is another example. Based in Ireland, the digestive science and technology company who developed a portable breath test with a connected app for individuals who experience digestive difficulties. Digestion problems are commonplace and a real drag on healthcare. Identifying the underlying problem can take time. Breath analysis has been used by doctors for years to solve digestive issues, and now FoodMarble’s AIRE product is the first personal device of its kind that helps identify trigger foods while tracking a persons’ symptoms and results.
Both are just a few of the many thousands of devices that have the potential to disrupt the healthcare sector. They allow the healthcare industry to become more efficient all while reducing the strain placed on having to go to the hospital or see a doctor to treat any illnesses. One of the biggest problems, though is adoption. Large healthcare systems can be slow to adopt new technology. However, the pandemic has shown that if needed change can be quick.
In a global pandemic where health is at the forefront of society, these devices are needed now more than ever.