The primary objective of this chapter is to explore Healthcare 4.0 and rural health issues and challenges. In the last few years, many scholars and researchers worldwide have been interested in Healthcare 4.0, the fourth revolution in healthcare. The traditional approach to healthcare is primarily based on delivering medical services through a system of hospitals and private clinics. Several factors, including the qualifications of healthcare practitioners, medical clinics, and the availability of the latest technology, determine healthcare quality. Healthcare digitization can improve the quality and adaptability of public systems. Open data on health, treatment, complications, and recent scientific advances are available. Diagnostic service providers are more relaxed and available, especially in low-income countries. However, many difficulties surrounding digital health technologies, such as reliability, security, testing, and ethical considerations, still need to be solved. Diagnosis, consultation, and treatment of patients can benefit from digital platforms. However, the lack of official laws and advice makes it difficult for stakeholders, businesses, and public organizations to validate and approve emerging digital health solutions. Blockchains and the Internet of Things (IoT) are enabling technologies that provide better data integrity assurances and enhanced patient health monitoring for contemporary healthcare applications. However, connectivity dependability might be a problem in rural areas, which limits the amount of real-time data that can be used. Additionally, IoT sensors may be unable to directly participate in blockchain transactions due to their limited computational and communication capabilities, lowering confidence. Individuals in rural locations have distinct healthcare demands compared to those in urban regions, and rural communities frequently lack access to healthcare. Our study provides recommendations and solutions for related academics and healthcare.
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Several novel and inventive uses have been made possible by Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Industrial organizations of all sizes are using IoT to enhance production process monitoring, promptly address process deviations, and offer improved customer service. Many academics, researchers, and business executives are interested in the application of IoT in the healthcare industry. Medical IoT devices collect and process patient health data, such as blood pressure, oxygen saturation, body temperature, electrocardiogram (ECG), and other parameters, before transmitting it over the internet to a cloud storage system that is situated somewhere in the world (Sun, Z., 2022, Hathaliya, J.J., 2020). These devices are equipped with radio communications, sensors, and computing power. Like Industry 4.0, “Healthcare 4.0” has become a buzzword for the development of intelligent, networked healthcare systems that provide a chance to replace traditional patient care with tech-based solutions that allow for remote monitoring and medication delivery. The idea of speeding up medical innovation while enhancing patient care efficiency is realised in Healthcare 4.0, the fourth revolution in healthcare. The term “Healthcare 4.0” describes the latest developments in the medical field brought about by information processing, automation, and management technologies. Figure 1 Overview Healthcare 4.0.
Healthcare 4.0 refers to the improved integration of digital and physical elements and the interconnection solutions offered by cutting-edge information and communication technologies, including cloud computing, big data, and the Internet of Things (IoT) (Chenthara, S.,2019, Pennino, D, 2022, Wang, Y., 2019). Combining these technologies creates the treatment 4.0 systems, which offer patients, doctors, and carers individualised therapy in real-time Van Dorn, A. Engineering methods to provide healthcare services globally have gained popularity in the wake of significant advancements in clinical research, medical device technology, and data analytics. In addition to creating a great deal of opportunity for innovation, these technological advancements have raised serious issues with healthcare delivery. In particular, adopting Healthcare 4.0 facilitates the shift from a hospital-centric system to a patient-centric organization, where many departments, roles, and duties are combined to deliver the best possible patient care. The capabilities of the conventional medical system are improved by Healthcare 4.0, which aids in planning assistance for providing high-quality care remotely. Medical treatment in rural regions is creating increasing problems for healthcare systems worldwide, particularly in smaller, heavily populated countries. Many nations throughout the globe are facing increasing difficulties in sustaining suitable universal healthcare coverage. Even if a country has many physicians available (Farooq, M.S., 2022, Marbouh, D.,2022, Semwal, N.2019). A slew of policies are in place to address the rural practitioner shortage. It includes anything from modifications in outpatient, such as shifts in the roles and responsibilities of other healthcare professionals. Enhancing patient experience, health promotion, cost control, and clinician satisfaction are the aims of Healthcare 4.0. It provides the ability to access information from any location and includes deploying processing capabilities for data management. Such dramatic alterations might significantly impact our society, which has begun to adopt these technological advancements.