How Can IoT Improve the Life-quality of Diabetes Patients?

Abstract

The Internet of things (IoT) is revolutionizing several industries with unprecedented possibilities and opportunities. One of the industries that has a critical direct impact on humans, is the healthcare industry. While IoT technologies can be seen in medical supply chains within the healthcare sector, however, IoT technologies are still not widely adopted in other areas and services within the healthcare sector. The number of patients living with diabetes has increased drastically over the past four decades and is expected to increase even more over the next ones. The disease currently has no cure, and if the patients are not monitored and get the right treatment at the right time, it might end a patient’s life. The IoT is said to be a game-changer for the healthcare industry and the aim of this paper is to review and investigate how IoT technologies and solutions can improve the quality of life and aid the people living with the chronic disease. Our findings suggest that IoT can aid in patient monitoring, including the continuous glucose monitoring, and also can assist in providing a healthier lifestyle for patients through activity and diet tracking. In addition, we have identified key challenges for IoT adoptions and implementations in healthcare within the scope of this research.