The Future of Healthcare Technology—Faster Access and Better Information Through 5G Business
We've got some great deals going on right now exclusively for our online customers... chat now to hear more! Author: Megan Williams,5G and edge computing are helping to bring new healthcare technologies to hospitals and to the people who need it most. Edge computing architecture moves computing closer to where data is generated and consumed by edge devices—a device category populated by many familiar Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) players, such as sensor-based patient-monitoring tools, doctors' notebooks, nurses' smartphones and other healthcare technology. offers several benefits—including the fueling of multi-cloud computing strategies and the ability to reduce latency in data processing without sacrificing quality. Healthcare trends supported by AI and edge computing,Healthcare is a high-stakes industry—it is quite often literally life-or-death—and it has been a fertile ground for many technological advances, such as real-time computing, the IoMT, robotics and advanced analytics. Edge computing can accelerate their growth and expand their applications in patient safety, chronic disease management, drug supply chain safety and other areas. And because edge computing shifts a significant part of the processing load closer to the source of data, providers and IT leaders can consider even more advanced uses of the enormous amount of data generated in the industry. On the patient safety and monitoring front, cameras and sensors can help inform risk management strategies by tracking compliance with hospital sanitation policies and generating data that is easy to process and analyze. The sensors and devices that facilitate continuous patient monitoring could alert providers of clinically meaningful changes and opportunities for early interventions. Those same sensors could be used to reduce risks in the drug supply chain, alerting managers to issues such as temperature changes in vaccines during transport. Another promising frontier is where AI and edge computing intersect. shifts AI-enabled decision-making closer to where data lives, enabling devices to process data faster than centralized IoT/IoMT models can, facilitating a more automated, near real time, and secure user experience and expanding what is possible for patients and healthcare providers. With 5G, edge computing can allow for great improvement in potential accessibility for smaller, more remote healthcare facilities. The capital expenditure required to power computing in operating or exam rooms can instead be turned into an accessible decentralized service. Benefits of edge computing architecture,The healthcare industry generates a massive amount of data, but its ability to make good use of that data has long been hampered by network architectures that cannot handle it efficiently, securely or cost-effectively. Imagine, for example, the challenge of transmitting a full-body MRI scan or genomic data across the country and back for analysis. By minimizing the transmission time, edge computing can substantially reduce end-to-end latency and the challenges of limited bandwidth and data transmission speeds across long distances while also reducing threats to privacy and data security. Among the benefits this generates:,The end results should be an enhanced patient experience and superior productivity in organizations that are empowered to concentrate resources and make their healthcare IT systems more efficient. Edge computing can also deliver automated security policies to individual locations, supporting unified across multi-site organizations and simplifying and other privacy law compliance. Hurdles to the healthcare edge,Potential alone does not make edge technology a guaranteed win. Organizations looking to implement it will need to address crucial challenges. Edge computing is possible with 4G, but many of the . 4G LTE network standards already struggle with connection density in healthcare facilities, and as the number of IoMT devices increases, 5G's potential to handle as many devices will only become more valuable. A 5G network also gives smaller and more rural facilities the ability to invest in essential edge computing healthcare technology that allows them to provide a more advanced level of care that was previously prohibitively expensive to support. To access this benefit, though, hospitals and health systems will need to work with who can provide the expertise while delivering the coverage and promise of 5G. And though 5G offers some security benefits, like any new technology, it also presents . 5G networks present an increase in hardware traffic points of contact, complicating security checks and monitoring. Encryption deficiencies early in the connection process can also increase the likelihood of device-specific IoT attacks. The edge computing security opportunity,Interestingly, edge computing could make computing safer. Reducing the distance that data has to travel reduces opportunities for bad actors to intercept it, and more data on the edges of a network could result in fewer attacks on its central servers. But the challenge is to incorporate security —no minor feat considering the myriad device manufacturers and stringent security standards at play in the healthcare space. The future of edge computing,Edge computing alongside the deployment of 5G holds significant promise for the decentralization of healthcare and supporting hospitals-without-walls initiatives. Its deployment could potentially of cancer screening centers and pop-up clinics while extending increased and actionable patient monitoring technologies, such as cardiac pacemakers, defibrillators and insulin pumps, in remote areas. As healthcare technology evolves, edge computing can put the power of data exactly where it needs to be—at the point of care to inform real-time clinical decisions. Learn more about how can support the future of healthcare technology. If you'd like to receive new articles, solutions briefs, whitepapers and more—just let us know. . * Indicates a required field. We will follow up from your contact request using the information provided. Choose your country to view contact details. Manage your account or get tools and information. These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable information. These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. We use both third party and first party cookies for this purpose. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance. These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly. These cookies may be set through our site by Verizon and third parties. They are used to present Verizon advertising on third party sites that you may visit. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising from Verizon. BackClear Filters,All Consent Allowed
Learn more