Zebra survey finds the Internet of Things may transform health care industry

Zebra Technologies Corp. on Monday released survey results that found 97 percent of surveyed health care organizations agree that the Internet of Things (IoT) will be the most strategic technological tool their organizations will use this decade.

The Internet of Things is the network of physical objects embedded with electronics, software, sensors and connectivity that enables the sharing of data with manufacturers, operators and other connected devices.

"The Internet of Things offers unparalleled opportunities for the healthcare industry,” Zebra's director of global health care practice Laurie Eldridge-Shanaman said. “From enabling physicians to accurately track a patient's health over time to better managing patient data across the health care continuum, IoT can advance the industry by providing visibility and process optimization to enhance the patient experience.”

The survey, conducted in October 2014 by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Zebra Technologies showed 90 percent of health care IT departments are prepared to make the necessary changes to implement IoT solutions; 52 percent of respondents have some form of IoT solution in place or are in the process of implementing an IoT solution and 30 percent have plans to do so in the next year; and more than 70 percent of respondents cited Wi-Fi as the most important technology for enabling IoT solutions.

This week, Zebra will present the findings at the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society 2015 (HIMSS 2015) conference.

“At HIMSS 2015, Zebra will demonstrate how IoT solutions, as just one part of enterprise asset intelligence, deliver vital information necessary to make better decisions at the bedside and improve outcomes," Eldridge-Shanaman said.