By Roberto Lucarelli, MSP Solution Architect Southern Europe at Cradlepoint
When we talk about new technologies in the healthcare field it is not simply a question of being at the cutting edge, but rather of understanding how technology can contribute to improving care for people and promoting access to quality care for a greater number of patients.
The latest 5G technologies, integrated with the growing presence of IoT devices and proper network architecture, represent the ideal combination for innovation in the healthcare sector. With faster speeds and a growing number of connected devices, healthcare providers will be able to improve, and some are already doing so, both the quality and access to care.
In Italy, one of the objectives of the PNRR is the digitalisation of healthcare, taking advantage of new technologies to improve the services offered, such as telemedicine and emergency services.
Many healthcare professionals are aware of the potential of 5G applied to specific healthcare use cases. In 2019, surgeons in China performed the first 5G-enabled remote surgery, at a distance of almost 50 kilometers. To the Mobile World Congress del 2019Dr. Antonio de Lacy provided Remote Support to a team of surgeons and anesthetists carrying out an operation at the Hospital Clínic in Barcelona. The surgeon who directed the operation indicated on his tablet where to make the incision, as well as providing other indications, such as the precise point at which to operate, all on moving images obtained through a laparoscopic camera. At the same time, the surgical team displayed the operation on a screen near the operating table.
According to recent Education, the global 5G technology market could reach $128 billion by 2026. These projections could indicate an expansion of 5G technology into previously unreached areas. For the healthcare sector this could prove fundamental, because it will allow operations similar to those performed at the Mobile World Congress and will allow highly specialized surgeons to reach areas that previously would not have had access to quality care.
But what makes 5G, compared to Wi-Fi or LTE, so suitable for improving the quality and reach of care?
5G offers low-latency connection and higher bandwidth, which are essential for applications that enable and enable remote healthcare. Interruptions in communications during an operation can lead to complications for the patient, reduce the quality of care and, in the worst case, put their lives at risk, which is why 5G technology can play a fundamental role.
5G enables IoT services in Healthcare
The speed and low latency offered by 5G are also crucial for the growing use of IoT devices in the healthcare sector. Second the latest datathe healthcare IoT market is expected to grow from $127 billion in 2023 to $289 billion by 2030. This means that the number of healthcare workers, facilities and patients who depend on IoT devices will only increase and will have need networks capable of supporting them.
Connected medical devices, such as heart rate monitors, pulse oximeters, and glucose monitors, allow healthcare providers to monitor data to assess a patient’s condition and quickly define the next steps in care. Wearable devices, which track movement and pain during teleassistance therapy, will also play an increasingly important role with the expansion of the healthcare IoT market. Other IoT applications may include, for example, automatic temperature control and the ability to track visitors to a healthcare facility. All this helps staff save time on manual checks, helping to prevent errors due to overwork for processes that can be automated.
When a 5G network is used, interruptions in communication between patient devices and doctors in charge of evaluating the patient’s condition will be minimal. This is crucial for patients who have difficulty getting around or visiting the doctor regularly. With 5G support, they could still receive high-quality remote care and a patient experience that meets their limited mobility requirements.
5G to ensure vehicle communications for emergency medical services
Images provided by Cradlepoint
5G is not only fundamental in “fixed” hospital locations and for patients cared for at home, but also plays a crucial role in the field of mobility and transport, on vehicles for emergency medical services involved in critical situations. These vehicles not only transport patients to hospital, but also have to communicate, in highly critical conditions, with healthcare organizations.
A concrete example is the creation of a dedicated 5G Network Slice, which allows paramedics to communicate without interruptions and safely with healthcare personnel until the patient reaches the emergency room. This communication can include video calls to discuss the patient’s condition, real-time transfer of data from in-vehicle diagnostic technology, and even remote procedures with the emergency physician leading the intervention remotely.
The potential of 5G within healthcare facilities
5G, in addition to enabling telemedicine services or remote assistance to patients on medical vehicles in emergency situations, will improve internal connectivity within healthcare facilities by offering the possibility of using private cellular networks. With the ever-increasing dependence on IoT devices, numerous situations are emerging in which healthcare institutions will need maximum control over their internal networks.
Let’s try to imagine ourselves inside a healthcare facility and we immediately notice the presence of Wi-Fi radio access points scattered along the corridors. With the increase in IoT devices, the demand for bandwidth on the LAN network inevitably grows. However, Wi-Fi has limitations in contexts where numerous devices compete for available bandwidth.
Wi-Fi, based on the use of radio frequencies to send signals between access points, represents a “best effort” connection. However, if Wi-Fi is available, users compete for priority, with no guarantee of data transmission speed or quality. For example, if a user attempts to transmit x-ray images over a Wi-Fi connection, the traffic generated may hinder the ability of other users to complete their tasks, causing operational problems. It should also be noted that Wi-Fi is susceptible to interference, making the connection even less reliable when adding additional access points to support additional IoT devices.
In addition to its inherently more unstable nature, Wi-Fi usually relies on a simple username and password combination for security. Limited security measures, often associated with Wi-Fi, can lead to dangerous breaches. For this reason, healthcare facilities often need a solution represented by a private cellular network. The latter is a healthcare facility-owned network that combines the control and fixed costs of Wi-Fi with the flexibility, security and benefits of a 5G cellular network.
On a private 5G network, healthcare providers and hospitals can benefit from a dedicated, secure network with low latency and high bandwidth. This is crucial for several reasons: First, organizations can have more control over which data is prioritized and transported over a low-latency network. For example, a hospital could opt for real-time image transfer to make rapid diagnoses and initiate patient treatment promptly. Furthermore, healthcare organizations could more easily guarantee the confidentiality of patient data, as required by EU and Italian regulations regulating their processing, by taking advantage of the security measures integrated by the cellular network. For example, to access the private 5G network, devices must be equipped with the correct physical SIM or an eSIM. This reduces the risk of traditional, credential-based attacks. Finally, thanks to network slicing, SD-WAN can ensure data compliance if it needs to transit over a public 5G network, offering uniform orchestration of internal and external communications to healthcare facilities.
Improve the quality of healthcare
The introduction of 5G technology will make the healthcare system more efficient, reducing the distances between doctors and patients, as well as the congestion of services, and will also allow the use of IoT devices and private networks to further increase. This will help reduce the daily burden on healthcare workers, while improving the quality of patient care.