Physicians' attitudes toward the use of IoT medical devices as part of their practice

Abstract

The increasing number of patients using medical devices that are based on Internet of Things (IoT) technology presents physicians with a variety of challenges. The purpose of this exploratory research is to provide first insights into the way physicians perceive FDA approved IoT medical devices (IoT-MDs). A questionnaire was developed and improved after a pilot survey with the participation of 23 physicians. Data was collected from 126 physicians in 2014 and from another 50 in 2015, who answered the questionnaire, as well as from four physicians, who were interviewed. The combined results were analyzed, and a comparison between the two surveys was made. Results show that there is still not enough awareness and readiness for the use of IoT-MDs, and that there was no significant change in physicians' attitudes in 2015 compared to 2014. However, results show some differences between physicians who had previously been exposed to IoT technology and those who had not. The authors believe that IoTMDs generate data that is too raw for practical use, thereby limiting potential effectiveness. Applications that extract and highlight measured irregularities and that provide high-level, integrated information will increase physicians' openness to IoT-MDs, and will enable medical practice to be more efficient.