1,493 research outputs found

    How 5G wireless (and concomitant technologies) will revolutionize healthcare?

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    The need to have equitable access to quality healthcare is enshrined in the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which defines the developmental agenda of the UN for the next 15 years. In particular, the third SDG focuses on the need to “ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages”. In this paper, we build the case that 5G wireless technology, along with concomitant emerging technologies (such as IoT, big data, artificial intelligence and machine learning), will transform global healthcare systems in the near future. Our optimism around 5G-enabled healthcare stems from a confluence of significant technical pushes that are already at play: apart from the availability of high-throughput low-latency wireless connectivity, other significant factors include the democratization of computing through cloud computing; the democratization of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cognitive computing (e.g., IBM Watson); and the commoditization of data through crowdsourcing and digital exhaust. These technologies together can finally crack a dysfunctional healthcare system that has largely been impervious to technological innovations. We highlight the persistent deficiencies of the current healthcare system and then demonstrate how the 5G-enabled healthcare revolution can fix these deficiencies. We also highlight open technical research challenges, and potential pitfalls, that may hinder the development of such a 5G-enabled health revolution

    Information technology for active ageing: A review of theory and practice

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    Active Ageing aims to foster a physically, mentally and socially active lifestyle as a person ages. It is a complex, multi-faceted problem that involves a variety of different actors, such as policy makers, doctors, care givers, family members, friends and, of course, older adults. This review aims to understand the role of a new actor, which increasingly plays the role of enabler and facilitator, i.e., that of the technology provider. The review specifically focuses on Information Technology (IT), with a particular emphasis on software applications, and on how IT can prevent decline, compensate for lost capabilities, aid care, and enhance existing capabilities. The analysis confirms the crucial role of IT in Active Ageing, shows that Active Ageing requires a multidisciplinary approach, and identifies the need for better integration of hardware, software, the environment and the involved actors

    Survey on virtual coaching for older adults

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    Virtual coaching has emerged as a promising solution to extend independent living for older adults. A virtual coach system is an always-attentive personalized system that continuously monitors user's activity and surroundings and delivers interventions - that is, intentional messages - in the appropriate moment. This article presents a survey of different approaches in virtual coaching for older adults, from the less technically supported tools to the latest developments and future avenues for research. It focuses on the technical aspects, especially on software architectures, user interaction and coaching personalization. Nevertheless, some aspects from the fields of personality/social psychology are also presented in the context of coaching strategies. Coaching is considered holistically, including matters such as physical and cognitive training, nutrition, social interaction and mood.The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 769830

    Delivering elder-care environments utilizing TV-channel based mechanisms

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    In this paper, we present a smart environment for elderly. What makes the development of such system challenging is that the concept of smartness for elderly brings to the extreme the idea of invisibility of the technology. In our experience, elders are well-disposed to new technologies, provided that those will not require significant changes - namely, they are invisible - to their habits. Starting from this consideration, 200 caregivers responses were collected by questionnaire, so as to better understand elders' needs and habits. A system was subsequently developed allowing elders to access a number of "modern web services" as standard TV channels: at channel 43 there is the health status, at channel 45 the photos of the family, at 46 the agenda of the week, just to mention few of the available services. The content of such services is automatically generated by the smart devices in the environment and is managed by the caregivers (e.g., family members) by simple web apps. Fourteen families were asked to install the system in their house. The results of these experiments confirm that the proposed system is considered effective and user-friendly by elders

    The safe administration of medication within the electromagnetic scenarios of the Internet of Things (IoT): looking towards the future

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    This paper has focused on analyzing the impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to prevent or reduce errors during therapeutic drug administration. The methodology used has included scientific literature and marketed appliances reviews and laboratory tests on radiant devices. The role of the patient has been analyzed, both in terms of compliance with the prescribed treatments and user of technical solutions designed for administering medication. In addition, it has taken into account, how a future characterized by multiple technologies designed to support our daily routines, including health care, might affect the current model of relationship between health professionals and patients. Particular attention has been given to safety risks of ICTs in environments characterized by concurrent electromagnetic emissions operating at different frequencies. Implications and new scenarios from Internet of Things or IoT, have been considered, in light of the approach taken jointly by the European Commission and the European Technology Platform on Intelligent Systems Integration – EPoSS, in their 2008 report Internet of Things in 2020: a roadmap for the future, and how the concept has evolved since then.Chapter 1. Adverse drug events. Chapter 2. ICTs in everyday life and healthcare. Chapter 3. the challenge of electromagnetic safety. Chapter 4. ICTs in health care and in the prevention of medication errors: IoT. Chapter 5. A more effective and safer alternative approach. Chapter 6. Technological proposal 7. Conclusions.N

    Mobile Health Technologies

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    Mobile Health Technologies, also known as mHealth technologies, have emerged, amongst healthcare providers, as the ultimate Technologies-of-Choice for the 21st century in delivering not only transformative change in healthcare delivery, but also critical health information to different communities of practice in integrated healthcare information systems. mHealth technologies nurture seamless platforms and pragmatic tools for managing pertinent health information across the continuum of different healthcare providers. mHealth technologies commonly utilize mobile medical devices, monitoring and wireless devices, and/or telemedicine in healthcare delivery and health research. Today, mHealth technologies provide opportunities to record and monitor conditions of patients with chronic diseases such as asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD) and diabetes mellitus. The intent of this book is to enlighten readers about the theories and applications of mHealth technologies in the healthcare domain

    Technical and Behavioral Interventions for Medication Adherence through Mobile Health

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    In this research, we present a novel intervention, Carrot and Stick, to improve the outcome of one of the self-management tasks, medication adherence (MA), among patients with chronic disease(s). Our design incorporates the growing importance of mobile health (m-health) in Health Information Technology (HIT) with the users’ dependency on mobile phones to facilitate valuable behavioral changes. Drawing on Social Cognitive Theory, Social Exchange Theory, Goal-setting Theory, and people’s dependence on smartphones, we develop the functionalities in our intervention, including positive and negative reinforcement, goal-setting, and social connections. The iterative process of our development follows the Design Science Approach. In the evaluation and validation of our intervention, we not only examine the intervention’s impacts on patients through analytical models and simulation but also demonstrate the possible active support of the intervention from healthcare providers based on the current pay-for-performance (P4P) scheme. Our results suggest that (1) with the help of electronic medication container, appropriate reminder design can reduce the patients’ chances of forgetting doses, overdosing, and intaking doses at the wrong time, (2) positive reinforcement can help increase the probability of the patient achieving expected MA, while negative reinforcement has a further impact that is added to the increment, (3) our intervention can assist the patient in saving more than $600 per year, and (4) under the current P4P scheme, physicians with the exceptional performance or with bad performance are likely to invest in the intervention to change their patients’ behaviors, while physicians with good performance are less likely to participate. Our research is the first to utilize negative reinforcement in intervention design to enhance MA; it is also the first to provide corresponding interventional solutions that are customized according to elements derived from theories. Besides, the focus and understanding of healthcare providers’ involvement in the incentive program can facilitate the adoption, prescription, and implementation of the proposed intervention

    Implementation of the IoT-Based Technology on Patient Medication Adherence: A Comprehensive Bibliometric and Systematic Review

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    The dynamic field of the Internet of Things (IoT) is constantly increasing, providing a plethora of potential integration across various sectors, most notably healthcare. The IoT represents a significant technological leap in healthcare management systems, coinciding with the rising preference for personalized, proactive, cost-effective treatment techniques. This review aimed to thoroughly assess the existing literature through a systematic review and bibliometric analysis, identifying untapped research routes and possible domains for further exploration. The overarching goal was to provide healthcare professionals with significant insights into the impact of IoT technology on Patient Medication Adherence (PMA) and related outcomes. An extensive review of 314 scientific articles on the deployment of IoT within pharmaceutical care services revealed a rising trend in publication volume, with a significant increase in recent years. Pertinently, from the 33 publications finally selected, substantial data support the potential of the IoT to improve PMA, particularly among senior patients with chronic conditions. This paper also comments on various regularly implemented IoT-based systems, noting their unique benefits and limitations. In conclusion, the critical relevance of PMA is highlighted, arguing for its emphasis in future discussions. Furthermore, the need for additional research endeavors is proposed to face and overcome existing constraints and establish the long-term effectiveness of IoT technologies in maximizing patient outcomes
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