There’s connected health tech in the air at CES 2016, Jan 6-9, 2916 in Las Vegas this year. From the emergence of the quantified self to the Internet of Things (IoT), with a predicted 30 billion objects to be connected by 2020 according to McKinsey, it’s safe to say there’s a shift taking place when it comes to our relationships with ourselves, our doctors and clinics and hospitals.

Liat Ben-Zur, Senior Vice-President, Digital Technology Leader, Philips says that IoT and data are breaking down the technology barriers between personal devices, hospitals and the home – enabling care to be more personalized and empowering people to take greater control of their own health, wellbeing and lifestyle.

“However, with this greater access to data and technology, and greater insight and control over personal health, comes added pressure on clinicians who are already overloaded with data,” said Ben-Zur.

 

“This consumerization of health and the explosion of data are compelling the healthcare industry to innovate and embrace new thinking and approaches that provide better, more affordable care.”

 

IoT simply connects consumer and clinical devices in the cloud to provide a more complete picture of an individual’s overall health. By connecting solutions from the hospital to the home – consumers can take greater control of their healthcare and clinicians get access to relevant information and data they can put to good use.

“In the future, we envision a world where patients and caregivers stay connected to each other, and clinicians will be able to work together more effectively to customize treatment plans for an individual’s specific needs,” said Ben-Zur.

“For example, you might find common devices like smart watches providing your doctors accurate vital information that are linked to your complete medical history, helping them better understand when they should be checking in on you to ensure that you are not having an acute episode.”

 

“As patients, we will feel part of a more connected healthcare world, in which our experience is no longer fragmented and reliant on face-to-face care,” adds Ben-Zur. “We can feel reassured to know that diagnoses can be made much faster and more accurately. The result will be an unprecedented depth of understanding of the patients, both as individuals and as part of a healthy society.”

This article by Jennifer Hicks was originally published on Forbes.com . To read the full content, please click here

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