Edge computing delivers healthcare beyond the clinic

Healthcare is no longer contained within the walls of a medical centre, community clinic or doctor’s office. As a result of shifts in the industry, many in-person encounters between a clinician and a patient can now be virtual, remote and digitally enabled.

This new environment needs new solutions – solutions that bring clinicians and patients closer together to improve patient experience and quality of care.

Considered solutions based on real-world experience

As elements of patient care move away from an in-person clinical setting, healthcare providers are using technology to bridge physical distances in order to meet patients where they are.

Thoughtfully designed digital communications technologies enable virtual consultations and engaging therapy sessions. There’s also a cost-efficient and convenient range of devices for monitoring vital signs and chronic conditions remotely.

But if there’s one thing I’ve learned in my experience as a nurse, it’s that healthcare technology creates more problems than it solves when it’s retrofitted to a clinical problem.

The only way to truly transform the industry with technology is by applying a user-centric perspective to solution design.

Clinicians know what clinicians need. By understanding their frustrations in the real world, workflows and systems can be created that enable a more collaborative, personalised and accessible connected healthcare system.

Real-time access when every second counts

Nothing resonates more with a healthcare professional than being able to spend more time with patients to provide better care.

In the healthcare industry, seconds matter. So, when professionals talk about needing things in “real time”, they mean it. Healthcare providers need immediate, secure access to patient data from electronic health records, images, sensors and other medical devices, wherever they are.

Real-time, contextual analysis of health and diagnostic data from multiple systems and devices improves the quality and speed of care. Remote access to medical specialists who can diagnose and treat patients in critical situations, such as a stroke, also relies on secure, real-time connectivity to ensure the best outcomes for the patient.

For all its advantages, cloud computing alone doesn’t support these use cases. But edge computing can – and this is where we’re seeing incredible possibilities for innovation in healthcare.

Edge computing creates new possibilities in healthcare

Edge computing brings the applications used for diagnosis, treatment, patient management and so on closer to the devices, sensors and other equipment that generate the data these applications need. The edge is where the data is stored and processed, and edge computing brings that data processing closer to the data source.

The key benefit of edge computing over cloud computing is the ability to capture, process and analyse data more securely and without the latency.

If we think of it simplistically in healthcare terms, cloud computing is like having a nurse on call down the corridor. They can still help you, but you have to first notify them that you need assistance, wait for them to get to you, then explain what you need. Edge is like having the nurse right there with you, ready to respond as soon as an intervention is required, and equipped with all the information to do so appropriately.

Private 5G and IoT offer additional advantages

Private 5G networks, the Internet of Things (IoT) and edge computing can connect us to real-time data that delivers meaningful insights to improve quality of care.

In addition to the many advantages edge computing offers are the benefits of private 5G networks, which offer ultra low latency and ultrahigh bandwidth for real-time data processing. Bundled with innovative IoT use cases, you have a powerful package for the healthcare industry.

When combined effectively, edge computing, private 5G and IoT deliver the speed, security and quality data throughput required for intelligent, real-time decision-making and automation. Add to that a different way of thinking about technology in healthcare by focusing first on the people who use it, and there is enormous potential to advance every aspect of the industry and create better experiences and healthcare for all.

Heather Hudnall
Director, Connected Industry Consulting, Healthcare at NTT