Background
Demands on health services across the globe are increasing due to the combined challenges of an expanding and ageing population, alongside complex comorbidities that transcend the classical boundaries of modern healthcare. To meet these challenges, we must increase the quality of care, and the efficiency with which it is delivered. Continuing to provide and coordinate care in the current manner is not a viable route to sustaining the improvements in health outcomes observed in recent history. To ensure that there continues to be improvement in patient care, prevention of disease and reduced burden on healthcare systems, it is essential that we adapt our models of delivery. Providers of health and social care are evolving to face these pressures by changing the way they think about the care system and importantly how to involve patients in the planning and delivery of services.
Objectives
The objective of this paper is to provide:
1. An overview of the current state of IoT and key implementation considerations
2. Key use cases demonstrating technology capabilities
3. Overview of the landscape for healthcare Internet of Things use in Oxford
4. Recommendations for PITCH-In proof of concept projects
Methods
This paper describes the proof-of-concept (PoC) projects that will be created to explore both cost effectiveness, clinical efficacy and user adoption of IoMT systems. The projects will focus on three areas: 1) Bring your own device (BYOD) Integration, 2) Chronic Disease Management and 3) Personal Health Records.
Results
This project is funded by Research England’s Connecting Capability (CCF) fund. The project started on March 2018 and results are expected by the end of 2019.
Conclusions
Embracing digital solutions to support the evolution and transformation of health services is essential. Importantly, this should not simply be undertaken by providers in isolation. It must embrace and exploit the advances being seen in the consumer devices, national rollout of high-speed broadband services and the rapidly expanding medical device industry centred on mobile and wearable technologies. Oxford University Hospitals and its partner providers, patients and stakeholders are building on their leading position as an exemplar site for digital maturity in the NHS to implement and evaluate technologies and solutions that will capitalise on the Internet of Things (IoT). Although early in the application to heath, the IoT and the potential it provides to make the patient a partner at the centre of decisions around care represents an exciting opportunity. If achieved, a fully connected and interoperable healthcare environment will enable continuous acquisition and real-time analysis of patient data offering unprecedented ability to monitor patients, manage disease and potentially deliver early diagnosis. The clinical benefit of this is clear but additional patient benefit and value will be gained from being able to provide expert care at home or close to home.