Medical Devices on the IoT Put Lives at Risk

Digital transformation in the healthcare industry is driven by a number of factors, including the need to scale medical services for a growing population; to serve patients in rural and remote areas lacking available doctors; and to try to reduce or contain the rapidly rising costs of healthcare. The ultimate goal is to improve patient outcomes by delivering high-quality healthcare services in a more efficient and effective manner. Remote patient monitoring (RPM) technology is a favored tool for transforming healthcare delivery. RPM uses technology to monitor patient health outside of a traditional clinical setting and to transmit real-time data to a doctor or clinic for analysis. For example, a person might have an implanted heart device such as a pacemaker or a defibrillator. This device, which is permanently embedded within the patient's body, communicates with an external monitor in the person's home that relays data to the doctor or clinic.