Trend Alert: How Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) changes Healthcare in PH

As highlighted by the sudden, unexpected pandemic, the country’s healthcare sector has shifted to a more technology-reliant approach to address the current health crisis.

According to Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions, the application of the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) in the health sector is changing the way healthcare providers deliver services to their patients.

IoMT refers to the combination of medical devices and applications that can connect to healthcare information technology (IT) systems using networking technologies. These digital tools enable setups, such as telemedicine, for instance, as they allow the transfer of medical data over a secure network.

The Rise of Telemedicine
In the Philippines, the health sector has seen telemedicine, or the use of telecommunications technologies for different aspects of healthcare, as an integral part of medical practice, particularly amid quarantine guidelines and other safety protocols that limit face-to-face consultations.

Over the past year, the country’s Department of Health (DOH) has engaged with over 100,000 stakeholders and patients a month in the last three months alone, says a report from a teleconferencing company. DOH also logged 17,400 sessions or about 2.3 million minutes of virtual meetings and consultations the previous year.

Changing the dynamics using ‘Smart’ Tech
Meanwhile, the deployment of ‘smart’ technologies for health management also changes the dynamics in hospitals and clinics. Since the start of the pandemic, some healthcare institutions have also been deploying IoMT and other technologies that improve hospital design and sanitation, such as employing devices that emit germ-killing UV light, thermal scanners, and even apps for contact tracing.

“By using these new technologies, capturing medical data is now made easier. It also benefits the patients, healthcare providers, and even the entire healthcare systems as it makes for accurate and contactless diagnosis, and, of course, improved efficiency, security, and regulatory compliances,” said Pamela Albar, Head of Channels at Vertiv Philippines.

The ‘Always On’ Era
However, as these innovations become vital components in the sector’s operations and COVID-19 response, IT managers also face new challenges. Among the biggest problems is ensuring that these digital tools are always on to maintain a healthcare ecosystem that encompasses the data center and all medical equipment.

“IT managers in the healthcare sector must ensure a reliable power supply. For healthcare facilities, quality power for all the components of the entire healthcare ecosystem is their first line of defense against disruptions in critical healthcare operations, may it be COVID-19-related or not. After all, their labs, diagnostic equipment, and even their computer rooms and data centers need quality uninterrupted power to run smoothly and efficiently,” added Albar.

To help the country’s health sector, which remains at the front line amid the pandemic, Vertiv has innovated a range of uninterruptible power supply (UPS) suitable to the specific needs of today’s hospitals, clinics, diagnostic centers, and testing facilities.

For instance, Vertiv’s online double-conversion UPS offerings can help protect hospitals against the full range of power disturbances. They can also support mission-critical applications, particularly in implementing power system redundancy to reduce single points of failure, enable future growth and increase operating flexibility.

Vertiv’s Liebert EXM2 mid-sized UPS can provide all these benefits as it offers maximum efficiency with up to 98.8% rating in dynamic online mode and 97% in double conversion mode. It is also compatible with lithium-ion battery configurations and adapts to two-wire DC bus connection settings. The Liebert EXM2 can be deployed in an in-row room or against the wall configuration, saving space in the facility.

Vertiv also has other full-featured and cost-effective power solutions that can support healthcare facilities in ensuring reliable power supply to improve all their systems’ reliability and efficiency, sustaining critical services for patients and healthcare workers. The company also brings together cutting-edge solutions to ensure uninterrupted operations and optimal performance and the scalability of data centers, communication networks, and other critical IT facilities.