Leveraging IoT solutions for enhanced health information exchange

Abstract

In a bid to promote the well-being of all ages, the United Nations set a goal for eliminating preventable deaths of children below 5 years. Regular growth and health monitoring provide early warning signs for timely interventions. However, in marginalized areas, this remains a challenge due to few medical centers, low citizen income, and poor infrastructure. One way of addressing this is through Health Information Exchange (HIE) and remote infant postnatal care. Recent innovations in telehealth have revolutionized the way HIE takes place, however, some healthcare aspects call for specialized technology that is not covered by existing solutions. At present, many developing countries use Community Health Workers who visit infant homes, conduct check-ups, and give immunization vaccines. However, the large distances and populations involved limit the number of visits to those requiring vaccines only and confine monitoring to parameters measured by portable equipment only. Further, the process involves manual devices and processes, making it prone to errors and delays in interventions. The best practice would be the automation of the monitoring process and real-time data transmission.This study adopted a Design Science Research approach, with a prototype developed and tested in a simulated environment; to investigate how the Internet of Things (IoT) Technology can enhance HIE. Observations of measurements taken by the IoT and analytics server formed the primary quantitative data collection methods. The early results presented show that the prototype generates growth charts and health alerts useful for clinical research and resource planning. The solution showed acceptable accuracy levels, enforced user privacy, and efficiently utilized network resources. The system can import and export data in CVS or JSON formats, enabling it to interoperate with popular health Information systems such as DHIS2. In this way, the findings dissolve boundaries that previously challenged communication in healthcare for marginalized communities.