Alanazi Abdullah
Department of Health Informatics, College of Public Health and Health Informatics, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, SAU.
Health Informatics, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, SAU.
Cureus. 2025 Jun 12;17(6):e85847. doi: 10.7759/cureus.85847. eCollection 2025 Jun.
Introduction The introduction of the Internet of Things (IoT) in our lives ranges from simple tracking to smart homes. While the healthcare sector is still lagging, this study aims to explore the feasibility and challenges of incorporating IoT into the healthcare industry. Method This study employed a qualitative approach to gather clinicians' opinions from various healthcare professions. Data were collected, and consensus was reached through three rounds of discussions. Results Twenty-four participants were involved in this study, out of whom 45% were physicians. The participants agreed on the potential benefits of IoT, which include improved quality, accessibility, and efficiency of healthcare. They identified several potential applications of IoT, including patient monitoring, hospital and medication management, tracking devices, and telemedicine. However, some challenges related to regulations, infrastructure, the need for reforms in reimbursement, and concerns over patient privacy and data confidentiality were also noted. Conclusion Collaborative efforts should be initiated to enhance the adoption of IoT in healthcare. These efforts should not be limited to regulatory, legal, and technical aspects. Additionally, there should be a shift in perspective that extends healthcare services beyond the confines of healthcare organizations.
引言 物联网（IoT）在我们生活中的应用范围从简单的追踪到智能家居。尽管医疗保健领域仍滞后，但本研究旨在探讨将物联网纳入医疗行业的可行性和挑战。
方法 本研究采用定性方法收集来自不同医疗专业的临床医生的意见。收集数据，并通过三轮讨论达成共识。
结果 24名参与者参与了本研究，其中45%为医生。参与者认同物联网的潜在益处，包括提高医疗质量、可及性和效率。他们确定了物联网的几个潜在应用，包括患者监测、医院和药物管理、追踪设备及远程医疗。然而，也指出了一些与法规、基础设施、报销改革需求以及对患者隐私和数据保密性的担忧相关的挑战。
结论 应开展协作努力以加强物联网在医疗保健中的应用。这些努力不应局限于监管、法律和技术方面。此外，应转变观念，将医疗服务扩展到医疗保健组织的范围之外。
