IoT Is Transforming the Life Science Industry

The way life science companies interact with physicians is changing continuously. Driven by technological advances and new policies, digital transformation initiatives are taking this industry by a storm. This article by Anupam Nandwana, CEO and Founder of P360, explores how IoT is leading the way. 

The concept of internet of things (IoTOpens a new window ) is believed to have originated in the early 1980s when students at Carnegie Melon University connected a Coca Cola machine to the Internet, so they could be informed when drinks were available and cold before making a trip to the machine. Beyond that, IoT remained a novelty until around the year 2000, and by 2013 it seemed everything was being IoT enabled. It wasn’t until recently though, that IoT has become more mainstream for life sciences companies, lab settings and healthcare facilities.

Security concerns, a lack of standardized protocols and functionality were the primary barriers for early IoT adoption in the life sciences and overall healthcare fields. But thanks to recent innovations, IoT is gaining traction. This is because IoT-powered smart devices are now able to function as technology platforms, utilizing and integrating with multiple technologies at once. In addition, advances in cloud computing and other technologies have made IoT deployments easy and scalable.

The traditional fields of automation (including the automation of machines and buildings), wireless sensor networks, GPS, control systems and software solutions like Microsoft Azure are all compatible with IoT powered smart devices. As such, there seems to be no limit to what IoT can help organizations achieve.  Whether it’s research and development digitalization or enhancement of the patient experience, below are three areas where IoT is experiencing tremendous growth within the life sciences industry.

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Remote Physician Engagement

One of the major outcomes of the recent pandemic is that remote healthcare is now becoming more commonplace. As a result, the need for remote communication at all levels of the healthcare ecosystem is growing at an incredible pace. This is especially true for companies selling products and services to physicians and other healthcare workers.

For example, over the last year, there has been a sharp decline in the number of healthcare practitioners permitted to meet in-person with pharmaceutical reps. 54% of physicians in a recent pollOpens a new window  said they have met in person with Pharma reps. In 2018, 67% reported such visits – resulting in a 13% year-over-year decrease. 

In offices where in-person meetings are still taking place, physicians favor brief meetings. 85% of physicians said that ideal interactions should last five minutes or less. This isn’t much time to build a meaningful relationship, but it is enough time to leave a custom branded IoT powered device – which the physician can utilize for future interactions at a time that is more convenient.

These types of IoT powered devices, which could be configured for any organization in the life sciences domain, can help reps in the following ways:

• Enable communication with physicians and other stakeholders that were once hard to reach, because of remoteness or other barriers.
• Increase brand awareness, thanks to customized device skins and functionality. 
• Strengthen reach of sales teams, especially for those that have faced downsize during COVID-19.
• Help physicians by automating certain interactions, such as sample orders and medical science liaison (MSL) visits.

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Implementation of Lab of the Future (LoTF)

There are some interesting changes taking place in the areas of research and development for life science companies. Driven by digital transformation and the advent of precision medicines, modernization initiatives are going to propel life sciences labs into the future. The very concept of what the lab is will be completely reimagined, and IoT is a key part of the evolution. 

This new concept is known as Lab of the Future (LoTF). IoT powered smart devices align with these initiatives by automating various laboratory workflows between people and existing digital lab equipment, systems and solutions. Platforms with a flexible user interface that integrate with other systems and devices will win the race. The reason being, flexibility gives labs the ability to configure workflows in a way that works best for their specific use case. 

This means IoT devices will need to be uniquely programmed, even within an individual laboratory and down to a specific piece of equipment, so end users aren’t forced into workflows that don’t fit their job function. In addition, the devices will need to take up very little desk space, so they can be conveniently available and work seamlessly within individual work styles. Devices will also need to be compatible with existing systems, and integrate with other lab support platforms and services.

In pharmaceutical lab settings, IoT fills the gap between the scientist and the lab by automating functions such as triggering equipment maintenance, notifying of temperature control deviation, restocking of disposable supplies, alerting in an emergency and much more.

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Patient Care

IoT isn’t just good for pharmaceutical commercial organizations, it can also help care providers remotely monitor the wellness of patients, by providing real-time feedback. This daily, patient-initiated data can reduce the administrative burden for both patient and care provider, and can reduce patient visits and travel time. Real-time reporting also provides consistent post-discharge feedback to help avoid readmissions while lowering staff-based outreach calls and messaging to check in with the patient.

Remote monitoring is especially important for those working in the area of specialized therapeutics. Roughly 125,000 unnecessary deaths occur each year in the United States because patients don’t follow their treatment protocols. In addition, medication nonadherence costs the US healthcare systemOpens a new window $300 billion annually. All of these negatives can be greatly diminished if those responsible for adherence leveraged the right connected devices.

When care providers are able to monitor patients in real-time, they can better manage patient compliance and adherence. This will positively reflect on patient engagement, because they will be getting more personalized service as a result.

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What Will the Future Look Like?

In future, data-driven smart devices will be commonplace at both clinical and treatment levels. Care provider systems will be interconnected with patient devices, and they will work together with life sciences platforms in the development of tailor-made therapeutics. The sharing of real-time health data will fast forward the life sciences industry by decades. 

Take for example, a device that is able to monitor a patient and transmit data instantly, without the patient having to go to an office or push any buttons. Something like this could aid in the rapid development of therapeutics, because data would be completely streamlined – going from the patient to the physician, and then to the pharmaceutical company without bottlenecks. 

Patient devices will also streamline therapeutic supply chains by signaling alerts to care providers when therapeutic supply levels are low. Care provider systems that are connected with pharma will then report aggregate usage, which will enable an instantaneous supply chain. 

These IoT enabled systems will create a new, symbiotic world of efficiencies and cost savings not attainable solely via traditional technology-based means. It’s definitely a new industrial revolutionOpens a new window , one where better relationships between clinical development, physicians, and patients exist.

As we look towards the future for IoT, the evolution of underlying technology, communication networks, protocols, accessibility, automation, and connectivity will help take this important technology to the next level. Narrow Band IoT (NBIoT) is one development that has the potential to be a game changer. As more data is collected, AI models will provide rich insights in helping businesses and individuals.

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