Wearables Permeate the Healthcare Sector, Further Stress Network Bandwidth

wearables stress network bandwidth in healthcare

When the bring-your-own-device trend first emerged, hospitals and other healthcare groups were some of the last to adopt the mobility strategy. It wasn’t that the use of smartphones and tablets didn’t offer myriad benefits, there were just some considerations that had to made first.

The same is true for wearable devices, although this time it seems that the healthcare sector may be leading the pack. When on-body hardware components first appeared in the marketplace, they were largely aimed at the health-conscious user, making their use in healthcare institutions only natural. However, as with any new technology, there are a few bumps along the road that need to be smoothed out to ensure success.

How are healthcare organizations using wearables?
When it comes to wearable devices, the first image to jump to mind is the super-fit individual, leveraging their smartwatch or other hardware to monitor their heart rate and other fitness information. While this is still a primary use, wearables have found their place in hospitals, doctors offices and other locations as well.

Vala Afshar, Extreme Networks’ chief marketing officer and Huffington Post contributor, noted that wearable devices have “started to revolutionize healthcare by assisting doctors in the operating room and providing real time access to electronic health records.” In fact, these on-body endpoints are making great strides in bolstering the abilities of healthcare workers in ways many never thought possible.

Now, instead of shuffling through paper files or taking a moment to search on their tablets, doctors can instead use the voice command features on their Google Glass or other wearables to access important health information at a moment’s notice. This means their eyes, hands and attention remain focused on patient examination as they connect with the data that can make a difference.

Google Glass has even been used in surgery rooms, noted ZDNet contributor Rajiv Rao. Recently, one Royal London Hospital surgeon wore the device during the removal of cancerous tissue on a patient, live-streaming the entire process. As a result, 13,000 students got to see the surgery through the eyes of the surgeon.

Added stress on network bandwidth
There’s no doubt that wearable technology has a bright future in the healthcare industry. However, similar to what took place with the emergence of BYOD programs, healthcare institutions’ network bandwidth is feeling the impact of these added mobile endpoints.

“That means more content creation, consuming and sharing on the go. It means more desire to do more things that will require persistent connectivity, i.e., being connected all the time in real time,” wrote technology and communications industry expert Neville Hobson. “And it will require a great deal of bandwidth…especially when it comes to using wearable technologies like Google Glass.”

In order to ensure the proper support of all mobile devices – including wearables – healthcare administrators must gauge their current broadband use and increase network bandwidth if there are not enough resources. The use of mobile technologies will only rise in the coming years, and having adequate network bandwidth is essential to their success in the healthcare space.