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The roll out of 5G services starting from the major cities in the country recently will benefit each of the key participants in the healthcare value chain, from the healthcare providers to the patients and the medical devices industry, said Pavan Choudary, chairman & director general, Medical Technology Association of India (MTaI).
The Association is ready to support governments in developing policies in the context of the introduction of new technologies to the MedTech sector, he added.
Elaborating on the significance of 5G in the industry, he told Pharmabiz that the major benefits anticipated include reliable connections for critical healthcare services with the very low end-to-end latency and ultra-reliable communications proving essential to the provision of instant communication regarding patients’ conditions – through HD images and access to medical records – and provide accurate feeling and tactile interaction in the case of remote surgical procedures.
5G will facilitate precision medicine, online consultations and applications to monitor health and administer medication remotely to better manage chronic ailments. The capabilities of 5G create new access pathways for doctors and healthcare workers, including a renewed focus on better technology usage and delivering the full potential of 5G.
However, challenges such as data privacy, prevention of cyber-attacks and breaches, and adaptation time by the Indian healthcare system must be addressed in the future, he said.
“MTaI can support governments in developing policies by keeping them abreast of new technologies introduced in the MedTech sector. MTaI can also assist governments in disseminating best practices in the sector that are followed globally,” said Choudary.
5G technology is long awaited because it has the potential to overcome several key challenges confronting the healthcare industry. It has the potential to help businesses leverage the full potential of predictive analysis, internet of things, artificial intelligence, machine learning, virtual reality and other software-driven technologies and accelerate growth.
It will enable emerging promising technologies to unleash their full potential through the speed and low latency being offered by 5G. It can help businesses maximise their potential in terms of infrastructure, logistics and manufacturing.
Post pandemic, healthcare businesses and governments around the world have strived to modernise their facilities and construct new infrastructure. The unprecedented increase in demand due to the pandemic has created a need for improved connectivity to build new healthcare facilities and maintain existing ones, which can be developed with the help of a 5G network.
With the increasing e-commerce penetration, all the logistics checkpoints from the first mile pick up to last mile delivery to reverse pick-ups need to be tracked and analyzed. Application of 5G Technology for businesses like in logistics are unparalleled & imperative.
In manufacturing, 5G Technology can play a vital role in enhancing the concentration and performance of automation technologies such as robot and self-driven vehicles in the manufacturing plant, he added.
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