15 December 2021

Lake Kariba Inns, Zambia

IoT has already begin to transform healthcare – and is set to unlock a flood of innovations and new modes of service delivery. It’s safe to say that remote wireless connectivity, typically via cellular mobile, will be integral - indispensable, even - to healthcare of the future. While numerous applications have already emerged, many others are taking shape – with far more yet to be conceived. 

While the application ecosystem is evolving rapidly, wireless connectivity is taken as a given. However, different applications may have different demands. Cellular connectivity offers many advantages that enables it to meet this diversity of use cases. Not only is it widely available – with near ubiquitous coverage in many countries, it is also globally interoperable.

Thus, any device equipped with the right credentials – in the form of a SIM profile – can connect to any available cellular network, although the choice may be contingent upon agreements in place with the core provider.

In addition, it is generally cost effective, allowing data transfer for economic and affordable rates (in contrast to satellite connectivity, for example).
Moreover, cellular connectivity can be delivered via different carrier media. In the GSM family of cellular networks, these are known as RATs – Radio Access Technology.
As a result, most GSM-capable devices can connect to 2G, 3G and 4G networks, often with specialised variants such as LTE-M also being options. With 5G spreading rapidly, many of these will also be also upgrade to this latest generation of technology, in due time.

Since these networks are available in almost every country, this makes GSM cellular connectivity, enabled by SIMs, the clear choice for any current and future healthcareapplication when compared to other wireless technologies.

So, given this ubiquity and other advantages, what are the key current and emerging use cases that can be enabled by cellular mobile connectivity?
Read on as we explore selected use cases and case studies for IoT in healthcare applications.

Remote Care

UNLOCKING E-HEALTH FOR ALL

This is the poster child for IoT-enabled healthcare, but is no less important for all that. While the pandemic has accelerated the adoption of video for consultations, the huge potential of remote medicine has yet to be fully realised. That’s because, in remote areas and in developing economies, there may not be infrastructure to deliver connectivity taken for granted elsewhere.

In this context, cellular coverage will be critical for enabling wireless connectivity. Moreover, practices and clinics can benefit from SIM-enabled routers to serve multiple practitioners, avoiding the necessity of equipping more with costly smartphones. Similarly, community terminals can be used to support people in remote locations, also via SIM access. Cellular IoT is the key pillar supporting the spread and adoption of such vital services.

Emergency and blue-light services

DEVICES AND COWS TO ENHANCE DIAGNOSTICS AND REPORTING

Not only do first responders use a growing array of devices that require data connectivity for the transmission and reception of key medical information, but also emergency vehicles are set to become self-contained networks. Cells on Wheels, or COWs, are likely to be key to the effective delivery of emergency healthcare in the field. Such COWs will use cells to connect to the macro network, while allowing devices to connect locally. Ambulances will transport their own cells, for connectivity to macro networks.

While that sounds futuristic, we can also consider the growing diversity of devices that can be used for diagnosis and reporting in the field – many of which will need wireless connectivity, whether to a captive mobile cell or to one on the macro network directly. Vehicles will be equipped with digital devices that will need connectivity to transfer data. IoT SIMs are key to this.

Medical logistics and supply chains

PROTECTING FRAGILE AND ESSENTIAL GOODS

Tracking supplies and equipment through the supply chain is important across many sectors. But if a shipment of bananas decays through delays or problems with storage while in transit, the only cost is money. If, on the other hand, a consignment of vaccines is rendered ineffective because of a failure to maintain them at the right temperature, lives are at stake.

So, the remote monitoring of medical supplies during transit and once they reach their destinations is of critical importance. We need to know their condition, location, status and more to ensure effective outcomes in the supply chain. Cellular SIMs are integral to this, because they can connect to wireless networks in more than 200 countries – offering the global reach required for the successful delivery of healthcare programmes and to support these vital supply chains with continuous monitoring.

Patient monitoring

PATIENT PROTECTION AND PROACTIVE CARE

There is huge pressure to reduce the time patients spend in hospital and to move care out into the community. Spells in hospital cost money, while outpatients can continue to enjoy the benefits of living in their own homes. So, devices that can capture diagnostic data from patients – and, crucially, send that data wirelessly to monitoring systems – are becoming increasingly important.

IOT CONNECTIVITY FOR AGRICULTURE

In this context, the use of cellular wireless affords many advantages, particularly as embedded SIM technology takes off.
eSIM eliminates the need to insert a physical SIM card, or to change when moving provider, so it’s ideal for use in sealed or protected devices.
We can expect this sector to soar in the coming years, driven by both public and private healthcare providers – and not in both developed and emerging economies alike. For device manufacturers, cellular connectivity from a single provider guarantees the widest level of coverage and connectivity options.

Data collection

DISEASE TRACKING AND MANAGEMENT

As recent history has shown, tracking the progress and course of a disease – novel or otherwise – is essential for designing a strategy to stem its flow. This requires a clear understanding of infection levels, rates of change and the collection of other data points. This needs to be undertaken as widely as possible – often, health agencies and NGOs need to go deep into the field. This may take them into remote places – beyond the reach of infrastructure, but often within range of cellular connections.

Remote or otherwise, the efficient collection of data – and distribution of test results – is rendered much more efficient by the use of wireless cellular connectivity, via embedded capabilities or via specialised routers, and IoT SIMs. Mobile is key to helping governments, agencies and NGOs work to track diseases and stop them spreading.

Disaster relief

TEMPORARY CONNECTIVITY IN ANY LOCATION

When disaster strikes, ensuring the health of the affected population is paramount. As such events often lead to severe displacement, efforts may need to be focused on specific locations, albeit for a limited period. In these cases, a private cellular network may need to be constructed, to deliver the capacity to support a wide range of devices, communication needs and data services.

A private cellular network can be delivered quickly and maintained for the duration of the recovery programme. It has the advantage that it can be controlled by local agencies, so that services can be offered to both practitioners as well as the affected civilians, ensuring connectivity is prioritised for the appropriate devices and applications.

Battling COVID-19 and the spread of infectious diseases in Zambia

COVID-19 has wrought havoc in many countries. But, it’s just one challenge confronting many in Africa – and adds to a growing mix of highly infectious and damaging diseases. For example, Zambia has had to wage much longer battles against other and more lethal infectious diseases such as HIV, dengue fever, diarrhoea, hepatitis A, malaria, rabies, schistosomiasis (a disease carried by freshwater snails), and typhoid. The potential of IoT connectivity to help combat the spread of such diseases and for enabling remote healthcare has long been recognised.
Accordingly, the Zambian Ministry of Health’s e-Health Strategy 2017-21 included telemedicine in its strategic priorities. As a result, one of Telecom26’s long-term customers in Africa, SystemOne, has rolled out TB, HIV, Ebola - and now COVID-19 - testing programmes across Zambia
Key to the success of SystemOne’s testing programme is reliable connectivity; speed of diagnosis and treatment is often the difference between life and death. The traditional route is to buy local SIMs to provide device connectivity. Unfortunately, this limits users to one MNO - and adds juggling multiple SIMs across devices to find the strongest local network to a long list of headaches, especially in country border areas.
Telecom26’s IoT global SIM cards were developed with the specific goal of improving connectivity in remote areas where coverage can be patchy. Our IoT SIM cards enable devices to automatically access and switch between multiple networks both in-country and across borders thus removing the need to worry about the coverage of a single MNO, or the existence of roaming alliances. Multiple-IMSI profiles are pre-loaded on every SIM allowing for simple remote reconfiguration if the primary network has poor or no service.

SystemOne is currently replacing the SIM cards of one of Zambia’s MNOs with Telecom26’s multi-IMSI global SIM cards. This provides a single solution that can connect to any operator’s network in the country – enabling more efficient delivery of testing programmes, without the need to swap SIMs repeatedly, bringing the vital work to more and more of the population. The SIMs give SystemOne greater control and more coverage options.

• Flexible connectivity, across Zambia and any other country in which test programmes are launched
• Seamless coverage across 1100 cellular networks from over 620 mobile operators in more than 220 countries - and ability to customize connectivity according to the budgets
• Full control and management of eSIMs through a customised service portal
• eSIM options for future integration
• Remote diagnostics, intelligent access and asset management
• HIPAA / GDPR compliant
The integration of Telecom26’s SIMs, backed by our global network and advanced mobile core, provide flexible solutions for the entire healthcare sector.

Telecom26

SUPPORTING HEALTHCARE DELIVERY, ANYWHERE AND EVERYWHERE

Cellular IoT connectivity, based on the GSM family of RATs is essential for supporting the growth of a wide range of healthcare applications and services. It enables medical programmes to be brought into the most remote locations, supporting communities globally. Telecom26 provides solutions to support any IoT healthcare application, from basic SIMs with global coverage, eSIMs for integration with specialised devices, routers to provide local and macro connectivity, all the way to complete private cellular networks that can be assembled quickly, and which can meet the needs of all stakeholders.
Our solutions are used around the world to support a wide range of healthcare delivery programmes – with our ability to connect to any network playing a key role in reducing costs, increasing flexibility and delivering the coverage needed.