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Leveraging LoRa in IoT Smart Healthcare

Plate type: Use Cases
Time: 2022.11.14
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The Internet of Things, as a fully integrated application of next-generation information technology, is ideally suited for the healthcare sector to facilitate novel connections between medical professionals, patients, and cutting-edge medical equipment.


Amidst the worldwide epidemic, healthcare technologies have grown in number and scope, providing significant benefits to patients, doctors, and hospitals.


LoRa, a vital piece of the Internet of Things wireless networking technology, offers vast potential in this corresponding setting. This essay will inform you about the seven most effective ways to implement LoRa Module Smart Healthcare.

 

What's IoT Smart Healthcare?

 

Connecting diverse physical objects to the internet so they can exchange data is, in essence, what the Internet of Things is all about. And the Internet of Things (IoT) smart healthcare is all about linking healthcare professionals, facilities, and equipment to the web so they may share and receive data.

Intelligent identification, tracking, placement, monitoring, and management of medical products are all goals of IoT smart healthcare. The term "Internet of Medical Things" commonly refers to the collection of interconnected electronic devices used in healthcare settings (IoMT).

The Internet of Things is the engine that drives smart healthcare. Smart healthcare IoT deployments aren't always user-pleasing. Still, they are progressively enhancing healthcare service quality and operations, optimizing the medical experience, and even diagnosing and treating acute diseases early.

Patients, doctors, medical equipment, and hospitals can benefit from the Internet of Things (IoT) shortly, and researchers are beginning to zero in on how exactly this will happen.

 

Why Should IoT Innovative Healthcare Solutions Use LoRa?

 

IoT technology has made tremendous strides in wireless communication technology like WiFi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, LoRa, etc. It is progressively being promoted and deployed in many industries thanks to the development and breakthrough communication technology.


WiFi is a viable option for Internet of Things smart healthcare, but it has drawbacks, including higher power consumption and the need for IT assistance.


Bluetooth's low power requirements are significant, but the range is only 30 metres. Currently, most medical devices do not support Zigbee mesh networking.


LoRa's low power requirements, low cost, and extensive coverage make it an ideal technology for use in the healthcare industry. LoRa uses a specialized spread spectrum technology that permits terminals with varying spreading spectrum sequences to transmit on the same frequency without interfering with one another.


LoRa networks can be set up with relatively inexpensive modules and gateways, unlike cellular networks, which need communication via base stations. Furthermore, LoRa devices are simple to combine with other systems.

 

What Are the Uses of LoRa in IoT Smart Healthcare?

 

LoRa has many current uses in the field of intelligent medicine and healthcare. With its LoRa-enabled sensors and gateways, IoT innovative healthcare systems are proving to be an effective method of monitoring patients and medical assets, providing prompt, accurate service while guaranteeing the highest standards of patient and staff health and safety. Let's look at how LoRa can be used in IoT competent healthcare's most promising areas.

 

Tracking both staff and patients

 

It can be challenging to keep track of patients, doctors, nurses, and other staff members in a busy hospital setting. Wearing a LoRaWAN contact tracker allows for constant geolocation monitoring.

In a medical emergency, the patient can press the emergency button, which will alert the staff and provide them with helpful information, such as the patient's location, which will assist them in confirming the patient's identification and providing the appropriate care.

 

Cold storage temperature monitoring

 

Practically all medications have precise temperature and humidity needs during storage. For example, vaccines should be stored at the prescribed temperature of 2°C to 8°C.

Otherwise, their efficiency will be diminished or even destroyed. In any case, the temperature and humidity of medications can be tracked in real-time with the help of the LoRa-enabled wireless cold chain management system. With LoRaWAN Temperature & Humidity Sensor, you are accessible to up-to-date ambient temperature data.

 

Medical asset monitoring

 

Transportation of PACS carts and ventilators is a common task in hospitals. Therefore, the problem of the equipment being unavailable when it is most needed frequently arises. The gadget's location and status can be determined in real-time using IoT positioning technology and a LoRaWAN GPS tracker, and the device may be located swiftly.

Tracking medical equipment is now easier, safer, and more effective with the LoRa solution compared to the conventional method of managing assets manually.

 

Tracking patient vitals

 

Physiological and pathological conditions are the primary targets of medical monitoring. It keeps constant tabs on the patient's temperature, blood pressure, insulin levels, heart rate, and other vitals. Doctors may check up on a patient at any time or location, thanks to the sensors the patient wears.

Due to the LoRa wireless connection between the sensors and the doctor's mobile terminal device, medical professionals may more quickly diagnose patients and deliver timely, symptomatic therapy.

 

Indoor and hospital navigation

 

Many visitors to the hospital are intimidated by its size and layout and, therefore, unable to locate the desired service. Many hours of their medical care are lost as they wait in lines for registration, tests, and consultations. With the help of a LoRaWAN Bluetooth gateway, Bluetooth beacons may be combined to create an accurate and efficient indoor navigation system for directing patients along their prescribed routes.


In conjunction with audio instructions and visual representations of critical areas, it can aid patients in making informed decisions about their courses and quickly arriving at their intended medical destinations.

 

Smart medical waste disposal

 

There is a need to monitor medical waste because of the unique nature of healthcare facilities and industries. The goal of medical waste tracking is to stop the illegal disposal of garbage and pollution of hospital grounds by making it clear who is responsible for what and where it is being transported from hospitals.


The movement of medical waste can be tracked by implementing a LoRaWAN-based medical waste management system. To collect data on the whereabouts of different types of medical waste, a LoRaWAN GPS tracker is set up, making it possible to conduct queries and keep tabs on how each type of waste is being handled.

 

Getting Started with MinewSemi LoRa IoT solutions

 

Providing adequate healthcare is one of the most pressing issues today. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, smart healthcare can significantly benefit from using LoRa devices and wireless radio frequency technologies.


MinewSemi is a leading IoT manufacturer globally, focusing on LoRa and LoRaWAN smart devices, and is your best partner to tailor IoT smart healthcare solutions. Our LoRa Module MS21SF1 will help you get robust and cost-effective Lora and LoRaWAN devices and actionable insights. Talk to our LoRa expert and make the most out of our Lora and LoRaWAN innovations