Artificial intelligence combined with 5G will change the diagnosis and treatment model and process of the medical industry

The global COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the use of technology in healthcare. In 2021, we expect the combination of 5G and AI to improve medical outcomes by changing treatment options with smart decisions.

As many as 73% of healthcare executives said that the Internet of Things (IoT) is at the core of many protocols and will become a disruptive factor in the healthcare industry. A Deloitte report pointed out that by 2022, the market size of the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) will grow to US$158 billion.

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IoMT connected healthcare must provide the technology needed to automate, enhance and network traditional medical processes and solutions to truly change and improve the way patients are cared for. For example, solutions such as remote patient monitoring based on the Internet of Things can use sensors with embedded wireless communication capabilities (which can be achieved through cellular networks) to collect patient data and upload it to a secure and cloud-based application or platform. This allows both healthcare professionals and patients to access the data, know trends, analysis and other information, which helps ensure treatment methods, thereby improving patient medical outcomes and reducing costs overall.

Looking at it another way, by 2021 the world will start to see increased data sharing between medtech businesses, pharmaceutical companies and national health services to help generate better patient outcomes, more effective treatments and faster discovery of personalised medicines.

For connected healthcare, 5G technology can ensure real-time integration between patients' remote monitoring devices and powerful medical record data sets in the cloud. With the speed and bandwidth of 5G, medical staff can process information in real time and provide feedback to patients in real time. For example, for diabetic patients, disease management will shift from patient calculation and patient management treatment to more precise automated treatment. This is the effect brought by 5G and AI.

The industry will also see an impact on cardiac monitoring. Generally, an electrocardiogram captures information about a patient's heart and plots it into different data components. The cardiology team monitors heart function several times a week, and each transmission may be 50 to 60 KB. Added up over a month's time, there are up to 10 to 50 GB of data, which is much higher than traditional typical data. Once combined with 5G, high-bandwidth transmission can be achieved, and AI will transform data into actionable information.

That said, the combination of 5G and AI will further transform healthcare, improving the efficiency of patient care and cost models. It will also enable our healthcare system to collaborate remotely with patients, caregivers, clinicians, and facilities. In short, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the healthcare industry to accelerate the use of technology to respond to the crisis, so in 2021, these tools will play a more active role in promoting the development of medicine.