Reducing Healthcare Costs with Wireless Technology

Abstract

By the innovative application of body worn Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) patients could avoid or reduce hospital stays while still being in constant contact with their healthcare providers. However, while wireless technology is far advanced it has yet to be accepted by the medical sector, primarily through concerns of cost, reliability and interoperability. Bluetooth low energy meets all of these requirements and has the added advantage that it will be able to communicate with the Bluetooth chips likely to be fitted to the next generation of mobile phones. That means patient data could be transmitted to a medical facility via the cellular network eliminating the need to build expensive specialised communication links. But while Bluetooth low energy specification promises much, there are some technical challenges – such as protection of privacy - to overcome.