Across industries, the Internet of Things (IoT) is changing how directors, facility managers, and technology decision-makers operate, manage resources, and track customer outcomes. Healthcare IoT refers to how interconnected devices can transform the efficiency of healthcare facilities, monitor patient outcomes, and unlock other benefits.
Successful implementation of healthcare IoT requires a coordinated strategy that includes a partnership with an experienced IoT provider. This article outlines the essential considerations that directors and managers must make to deploy healthcare IoT at scale across multiple facilities.
Planning for Multi-Facility IoT Deployment
As healthcare IoT expands, its role in healthcare facilities has transformed from single-task pilot projects to multi-network deployments. These new device networks manage patient data, operational KPIs, industry analytics, leadership decisions, and more, depending on the business’s individual device needs.
For hospitals and medical groups in need of cross-facility management, these four preparatory steps can help ensure that IoT solutions can be effectively deployed:
- Infrastructure Assessment: The current infrastructure should be assessed to determine its connectivity and power resources. These will support the new IoT device endpoints. Features to look for include the network’s capacity, server availability, bandwidth, and communication standards.
- Standardization Requirements: Data standards should be consistent across facilities, including data formats and security practices. Healthcare IoT deployment often involves standardizing operating systems to get every location on the same page.
- Resource Planning: Resource allocation should be provisioned for the new IoT devices, especially since healthcare clinics often require complete device uptime. Software licenses, cloud infrastructure, and cybersecurity protocols should be considered.
- Compliance Considerations: Healthcare IoT must remain compliant with the relevant security rules. Risk assessments should be conducted before IoT is deployed at scale.
Building a Unified Healthcare IoT Architecture
Healthcare organizations that deploy IoT solutions at scale need to evaluate their specific use cases and plan for common deployment challenges. These organizations, especially those with multiple facilities, should consider these factors when buying and setting up healthcare IoT devices:
- Network Design: IoT-friendly networks prioritize high device density, secure data segmentation, and low latency for optimal performance.
- Device Management Systems: Centralized device management is essential for monitoring patient health, updating systems, and conducting other automated tasks such as onboarding, troubleshooting, and policy enforcement.
- Data Integration Points: Modern healthcare IoT data is stored using device-generated systems and facility management platforms, unified by a central dashboard.
- Security Framework: Strong security frameworks include the latest advances in secure VPNs, tunnels, and identity-based access controls.
Managing Cross-Facility Data Flow
As patient and performance data flows between locations, it must be collected by a centralized system. This information must be secured to maximize visibility for authorized users and minimize the risk of data leaks within and between facilities. Safe data flow management begins with three core processes:
Data Collection Standards to minimize unnecessary data collection to reduce exposure- Centralized Monitoring to help identify and respond to threats in real time
- Analytics Integration, which combines IoT data with AI-driven analytics to predict maintenance needs and spot performance trends
Ensuring HIPAA Compliance at Scale
Managing data flow between facilities is complex. In addition to potential reputational risks, practices face complex HIPAA compliance rules when managing multiple systems. Addressing the challenges of HIPAA compliance warrants a strategic approach that includes:
- Privacy Protection Measures, including data minimization techniques that make sure personal health information is handled safely and only by authorized viewers
- Security Protocols, which include industry-standard healthcare encryption, multi-factor authentication systems, and role-based access controls
- Audit Procedures, which must include data access monitoring, including user and device behavior, to detect and respond to potential anomalies
Modern network security protocols protect businesses as well as patients. They prioritize network security standards while helping businesses deploy new device workflows at scale.
Implementation and Training Strategies
Even sophisticated, well-planned systems can face implementation challenges. Proper device training is essential to mitigating these risks as much as possible. Practices can consider these strategies to get started:
- Phased Rollout Planning: This allows practices to reduce implementation risks by refining deployment methods and uncovering issues before deploying healthcare IoT in multiple facilities.
- Staff Training Programs: Clinical and technical staff need to be trained on IoT device usage, security protocols, and other systems. Long-term success with healthcare IoT requires user adoption, not just business adoption.
- Support Systems: Support systems include the support teams, both internal and external, that help users solve technical issues and answer deployment questions. Tiered support models can help internal IT teams while also addressing issues with central IT operations.
Improve Your Healthcare IoT Network
With the right strategic planning, healthcare IoT devices can be deployed at scale between multiple facilities. This deployment drives digital transformation in today’s healthcare practices, allowing directors, managers, and technology leaders to bring real-time patient monitoring, asset tracking, environmental controls, and more to their organizations.
The success of these devices relies on a strong collaboration between the healthcare practice and its healthcare IoT device providers. At Allpoint Wireless, our team helps practices invest in scalable architecture and standardized security practices to maximize productivity while keeping data transfers safe and compliant.
Contact our team today to learn how healthcare IoT investments can deliver lasting value across an entire organization, even when it must manage multiple facilities at once.