Distributed Healthcare and Medicine: Technological Feasibility and Future Scope for Redirecting the Current Centralized Model to Benefit Remote Areas

Abstract

Distributed healthcare and medicine has been studied to aim for preventive healthcare and early disease discovery, rather than current system of medical treatment after serious symptoms: Small scale and flexible distributed systems with minimal investment, rather than current large and rigid centralized structure. This is described as the redirection. The study has expanded scope of our paper at PICMET 2016 on active health improvement through sensor networks to medical field. It has been demonstrated that this redirection can be realized by flexible distributed systems on Internet of Things (IoT) sensor networks. In this paper, as first step, vision for such systems has been clarified and technological feasibility has been assessed. The conceptual system has been designed by integrating currently available technologies under principle of self-responsibility, which allows system construction with minimal investment and low-cost management. The IoT sensor networks allow for response at stage of pre-symptoms or developed symptoms and lead to an effective response with much lower cost, compared with traditional central hospital based rigid systems. The distributed system would greatly benefit remote areas of advanced countries as well as developmental countries. The unique point of study is new business creation by activated residents; to enhance positive economic cycles in addition to reducing healthcare and medical cost. A social experiment has been planned for a remote village in west of Tokyo prefecture to be proposed to local government and residents. The experiment would offer evidence of advantages of distributed systems under principle of self-responsibility. The next step is to implement system in region and accumulate knowledge to deploy system to wider areas.