5G technology key to digital healthcare revolution

By Teh Kuan Hong

KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 (Bernama) -- The fifth generation (5G) of cellular technology is equally as important in the revolution of the national healthcare sector, as it has the potential to not only reduce segmentation of healthcare availability in the country, but also to improve delivery of service from a healthcare provider to a patient.

Consultant respiratory physician helming The Lung Centre at Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Dr Helmy Haja Mydin said that 5G is globally utilised to complement existing healthcare services, not to replace the old with the new, but to change things for the better, to be more efficient and effective in the delivery of services.

“Given that we had just gone through such a huge disruption (due to the COVID-19 pandemic), people are starting to see the disadvantage of needing to go out and physically attend to a healthcare provider, basically forcing them to travel,” he told Bernama in an exclusive interview recently.

He added, with 5G, one no longer needs to spend long hours queuing at a hospital to get something (such as medical prescriptions) the doctors already know.

In a 5G-enabled situation, Dr Helmy opined that there could be microdevices attachable to patients constantly connected to a doctor or any healthcare provider, which contain parameters people are already monitoring automatically today, such as blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen level.

“Imagine all of that data captured with proper guidance, which then can be used by a doctor remotely to change or alter patients’ medication without having to do consultations physically.

“However, this isn’t to replace a doctor-patient relationship. There are countless ways to make things more efficient. If all that one needs is a repeat prescription, why bother going out, queuing and travelling?” he said.

Dr Helmy reminded, however, that segmented healthcare is still prevalent across the nation, where a health service available at a certain place, such as Kuala Lumpur, might not be the case in other states and as such, the usage of 5G in the right way could distribute the network required for standardised healthcare availability properly, subsequently reducing inequality and easing discrepancy in the health line.

Dr Helmy also highlighted the 5G technology’s low latency and transference of large amounts of data in a near-instant space of time, to the healthcare sector’s importance.

He said time is extremely crucial in a multitude of healthcare issues, as it potentially prevents death, stemming from a heart attack, for example.

Speaking further, he said that the gold standard for a doctor is to be able to start treatment on a patient suffering from a heart attack, within 90 minutes.

“Basically, it all comes down to logistics. With 5G, data sent from the patient through electrocardiograms (ECG) by paramedics could be sent to the doctor and hospital in waiting. Time taken is minimised, increasing the doctor’s chances to save a patient’s life. The hospital can even kickstart the surgery room before the ambulance’s arrival,” he elaborated.

He added that there will be no limitations in connections and doctors could even tend to their patients in other states seamlessly, under the 5G setting.

“However, these applications are only possible upon the full availability of 5G in the country,” Dr Helmy said.

He also advised the public to be more involved and proactive in the implementation of the 5G technology to ensure that the country doesn’t lose out on economic and growth opportunities in other sectors.

Meanwhile, Public Health Medicine Specialist from International Islamic University Malaysia, Prof Dr Mohammad Farhan Rusli, when contacted recently, opined that the rollout of the 5G network should start from rural areas, since those who live in such settings are in dire need of uniform healthcare services as available in urban and developed areas.

He said this was because states which have a large percentage of rural and inland settlements, such as Sabah and Sarawak, may not have health specialists readily available, compared to the Klang Valley, as an example, where the public could just head to any health facility to get themselves checked.

“As such, it is imperative that the 5G rollout starts from rural and inland settings progressing to developed areas, to ensure that people, especially from inland settlements, do not miss out on the latest healthcare facilities available in Malaysia.

“If 5G is made readily available in rural and inland areas, doctors do not necessarily need to be physically there when tending to a patient, as health check-up results obtained by their assistants can be transmitted back in real time,” he explained.

Pro Vice Chancellor of INTI International University, Prof Dr Leong Wai Yie opined that 5G will enable healthcare providers to accumulate continuous information for evaluation and potentially allowing for customised medical services.

“Subsequently, medical care providers can work on the nature of care and patient experience, and potentially reduce medical expenses, while enabling medical suppliers to give more customised and preventive methods due consideration,” Dr Leong added.

-- BERNAMA