5G wireless technology has the potential to deliver enormous connection power and ultra-fast speeds that can help transform many industries. 5G will also have the ability to further improve the Healthcare Industry and drive the transformation towards the digital society and the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT). Enhanced communication systems will help introduce medical innovations using Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Remote Medical Learning, Remote Sensing, etc. These technologies can drive the digital transformation of healthcare systems and increase their response times to major public emergencies. The reliability of communication and data sharing that 5G will bring, is essential for controlling emergency situations like in the case of a widespread pandemic virus such as the Covid-19.
5G benefits for Healthcare
Healthcare services always face the challenge of scarce resources and increasing numbers of patients, especially in an emergency situation such as a pandemic. In the healthcare industry, access to real-time data and decision-making in seconds is crucial for human lives. That is why this sector will benefit enormously from 5G technology and its advanced services. Healthcare professionals will be able to share their experience with colleagues and dealing with patients without being physically present. Better communications are expected to improve the efficiency and the speed of diagnostics. Bulk transfers of images and other critical content will benefit from low-latency networks and their fast response times.
Telemedicine is an area that requires an advanced system that supports real-time, high-quality video without affecting the overall network resources. A 5G high-speed, high-availability network can assist in supporting these tasks. 5G systems will help deliver medical tips and improve access and quality of healthcare, supporting the health infrastructure to extend the organization’s reach beyond hospital facilities. For example, with 5G, a patient can interact with a doctor at the other end of the network. Remote patient monitoring will be feasible. Medication can be adjusted based on almost real-time data collection and analysis. 5G enabled IoT devices, can, therefore, help healthcare professionals to remotely monitor the patient’s medication, as well as vital organs such as the heart, liver, and lungs. This direct and immediate access to critical data will help medical staff make faster and more accurate decisions. 5G advanced mobile connectivity and increased data transfer capacity will also help deliver improved remote real-time care that will have an impact on assisted living for people with chronic illnesses, disabilities, aging, and more.
Medical staff can request expert support through a 5G consultation platform, providing access to all available resources. This will improve not only the efficiency of diagnosis and treatment, but also reduce the workload of overworked medical staff, and the risk of experts being exposed to the virus.
5G healthcare for the community
In China, where the pandemic outbreak began, telecommunications providers partnered with vendors to quickly create a dedicated 5G network for COVID-19 treatment hospitals. In collaboration with Huawei, Deloitte analyzed COVID-19 control and treatment examples, as applied in China, to determine the data requirements of the various stakeholders during emergencies. At the same time, it was investigated how the key features of 5G, such as high speeds, high connectivity, short response time, can interwork with Big Data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and the Cloud.
It was evident that one of the major challenge in a pandemic is for governments, who are responsible for crisis management, to keep track of the virus spread and provide effective medical care. Furthermore, they should also support the health system and encourage community involvement in the containment process as the virus spreads. In this challenge, data obviously plays an extremely important role and is essential for monitoring infected people and controlling the epidemic.
Based on analysis of typical applications such as 5G+ thermal imaging, 5G smart HD 4K ambulances and 5G remote medical consulting platform, the potential of 5G technology can meet the above challenges during an epidemic, and offer opportunities for new ideas and methods of treatment.
5G potential
A typical example is the operation of 5G + thermal imaging to monitor transmission. This system consists of an infrared (IR) camera, a body temperature measuring unit, and a 5G grid unit. The system accurately monitors the temperature of a moving object in real-time without contact and creates an alarm in the event of abnormal temperatures.
Through 5G networks, data collected from the terminals can be sent to central monitoring units and shared in the Cloud in real-time without delay. This allows 24-hour, daily, online temperature monitoring and display in public areas, as well as tracking travel and contact history when needed.
According to media reports, the average number of ambulance calls in Wuhan, the ground zero for coronavirus, was about 400 daily in January 2019 but rose to 600 during the epidemic with calls exceeded even 800 at the peak. 5G “smart” ambulances may carry emergency kits and diagnostic equipment, serving a unique role in the healthcare system. In addition to safely transporting patients, they provide remote treatment as well as the collection and transmission of information to hospitals to develop treatment and isolation plans. Furthermore, these smart ambulances can be equipped with 4K HD surveillance systems that can send videos and transmit medical data to real-time management centers, allowing support staff to communicate with ambulance crews. If necessary, diagnostic video-calls with emergency responders and crews are initiated, ensuring the patient’s smooth transition from the ambulance to the hospital. To achieve the above, the network must provide fast and stable data transmission that can support such high speeds in fast-moving vehicles.
5G in future Healthcare & Society
5G can provide immediate benefits to the healthcare system, the patient, and society in general. At the same time, 5G may support the future creation of innovative public emergency response platforms. Applications used in epidemiological surveillance could also lead to the development of a more effective smart city management model. 5G data transfer capability can be used in a variety of urban design management areas, including traffic planning, intelligent public security, and smart environmental protection, and to inspire municipal authorities to explore new city management models. Finally, it could encourage businesses in other areas to take advantage of the popularity of 5G and explore new technology applications.