Patient Monitoring System Based on Internet of Things: A Review and Related Challenges With Open Research Issues

The unexpectedly high number of deaths caused by inadequate medical care is, to date, considered as a serious problem. Moreover, the ratio of elderly people who require continuous care is rising. Therefore, a patient monitoring system (PMS) also known as remote patient monitoring (RPM) using the latest Internet of Things (IoT) technology becomes a viable solution that can provide efficient healthcare from a remote distance. PMS monitors timely physiological signals of a patient’s health and can reduce the healthcare costs of treatment significantly. In PMS, different health and vital signs issues such as body temperature, heart rate, sleep monitoring, fall detection, and blood pressure can be checked effectively in real-time. To this end, this paper provides a clear vision of electronic healthcare assistance based on PMS and explores the applications of IoT that allow efficient medical services in healthcare systems. In particular, the objective of this paper is to provide a review of PMS, current research, and the challenges associated with this area. Besides, the essential services that can be offered by PMS for monitoring human activities are also discussed. Furthermore, the communication networks and protocols that are required to endure efficient healthcare systems are explained. Finally, this paper discusses several research challenges and open issues that can be investigated for further work. Overall, this paper offers valuable insights for both industry professionals and academic researchers, exploring potential avenues for new research directions.