In recent years, technology has been a key ally for hospitals and clinics, bringing innovations that optimize the work of healthcare professionals and improve the quality of patient care. In particular, one of the key technological changes that has revolutionized the hospital environment is the Internet of Things (IoT).
IoT is a technology that connects physical devices to the internet, enabling information exchange and remote control of these objects. In the hospital context, the IoT (Internet of Medical Things) can be applied in a variety of ways, from real-time patient monitoring to equipment management and inventory management of medications and materials.
Process automation is an increasingly evident need in hospitals and clinics. With IoT, it's possible to reduce time spent on manual and repetitive tasks, allowing healthcare professionals to focus more on patient care. Furthermore, IoT can help reduce errors and human error, increasing patient safety and improving the efficiency of hospital processes.
According to a report by Research and Markets , the global IoT market in healthcare is expected to grow from $127.7 billion in 2023 to $289.2 billion in 2028. This means that more hospitals, clinics, and healthcare professionals will be utilizing IoT devices to improve their medical services and treatments.
IoMT Applications in Hospital Infrastructure
Gas Networks: Through sensors installed at consumption points, in generation plant controllers, or on the network itself, real-time data can be collected on flow, pressure, voltages and currents, temperatures, number of activations, start-up, or any other information for operational analysis. This data is sent to the cloud platform, where it is analyzed in real time and stored for notification and visualization on dashboards and apps, respectively. This allows operations to receive advance notifications of operational degradation, while managers can monitor performance, identify potential failures or leaks, and optimize resource utilization. Monitored systems include:
- Cryogenic Tanks,
- Reservation Centers,
- Medical Compressed Air Generation Modules,
- Medical Air Mixers,
- Vacuum Modules Alarm Panels (PAE) and (PAO)
Magnetic Resonance Equipment
The solution monitors equipment such as compressors and chillers that are part of the MRI infrastructure. Continuous infrastructure monitoring allows for the detection of anomalies, issuing automatic notifications via app to the maintenance team before the failure becomes irreversible, thus ensuring service continuity.
By monitoring parameters such as voltage, current, humidity, water temperature, and pressure, it is possible to ensure the best operating conditions for various equipment vital to the operation of resonance and imaging.
The system also features comprehensive control dashboards with real-time readings, as well as historical data, predictive analysis, alarms, and notifications, providing increased operational safety and reduced maintenance costs.
The Cold Chain
Monitoring the cold chain in hospitals is crucial to ensuring the efficacy and integrity of temperature-sensitive products, such as medicines, vaccines, and biological samples, which are stored and transported at controlled temperatures. Inadequate temperatures can compromise product quality and, consequently, put patients' health at risk.
This process is complex, as it involves temperature control at every stage, from storage to product distribution. Temperature must be maintained within a specific range, which varies depending on the product type, to ensure it maintains its properties and effectiveness.
IoT technology can significantly contribute to this task. Using sensors, you can monitor temperature in real time and receive alerts if there are any variations. Furthermore, you can store data in the cloud and access detailed reports on the product's temperature history.
This technology allows for greater precision and efficiency in cold chain monitoring, reducing the risk of product loss and ensuring patient safety. Furthermore, the use of sensors can help identify problems more quickly, allowing immediate action to correct the failure.
Another advantage of using IoT technology in cold chain monitoring is cost reduction. With an automated monitoring system, it's possible to reduce the need for on-site inspections and prevent losses due to temperature increases.
Boiler Monitoring
The boiler supplies steam for various processes within the hospital, such as sterilizing surgical equipment and materials. It also heats water for bathrooms and other uses.
Boiler malfunction can lead to serious consequences, such as burn injuries and even explosions. Therefore, constant monitoring is essential to identify potential problems before they become critical.
In this sense, IoT plays a fundamental role. With installed sensors, it's possible to monitor various parameters in real time, such as temperature, steam in the network, and water pressure.
This data is sent to an analytics platform, which uses algorithms to identify potential issues and alert those responsible for equipment maintenance. The platform can also generate reports with information on boiler performance over time, allowing hospital managers to make data-driven decisions about preventive or condition-based maintenance (CBM) or equipment replacement.
Monitoring of Primary Hospital Cabins
The importance of monitoring primary cabins in hospitals is unquestionable. With IoT, it's possible to monitor various aspects, such as temperature, humidity, voltage, and current, for example. Variations in any monitored parameter are identified, and alarms inform maintenance teams to take immediate action, allowing operations to continue.
Remote Patient Monitoring
IoT can remotely monitor patients, allowing vital data to be collected and transmitted to medical staff in real time. This enables continuous monitoring of patient health, chronic disease management, and early detection of complications.
QI Control – Intelligent Management and Monitoring of Hospital Infrastructure
In an exclusive partnership with White Martins, Above-Net launched QI Control, an intelligent IoT monitoring solution for hospital infrastructure.
QI Control enables intelligent management of hospital infrastructure, providing information on the operational conditions of centers and networks, correlating measurements and generating real-time alarms for adverse situations, such as failures or potential wear and tear on hospital operations.
Control and Notifications via APP
The QI Control app is practical and easy to use. The main screen displays active or recent alarms from all monitored locations in the hospital network.
By clicking on the alarm or device, all alarms and parameters are displayed, listed in order of criticality. This gives the technician immediate access to information that could impact operations in the short term.
In addition to quantitative parameter information, the application provides real-time views of supervision diagrams, trend graphs, and a documentation repository for maintenance monitoring.
WEB control
QI Control offers dashboards for controlling and monitoring the entire hospital infrastructure.
Through an intuitive and user-friendly interface, the system offers real-time smart alarm dashboards on its home page, listed by priority. Alternatively, you can search for the network hospital or monitored equipment through a Google-style search or by location on a map.
When detailing any equipment, the system is capable of monitoring simple, accumulated parameters and even providing customized calculations of functions with their respective alarms and notifications.
In the graphs section, you can cross-reference historical information for any system parameter, export it to different formats, and even generate instant reports.
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