| | OCTOBER 20168UTLOOK Healthcare Tech Why the Internet of Things (IoT) is turning heads in the healthcare space and what companies can do to get ready.Gartner says that by 2020 there will be over 26 billion connected devices in the world. That's more than triple what experts are estimating the global population of people will be. When I first heard that statistic, I had three striking reactions. As a human being, I couldn't help but shudder a little as I recalled the science fiction movies from my childhood where nefarious machines took over the world. As a technology enthusiast, I was giddy at the thought of all of the new gadgets that will make their way onto the scene. As an information technology executive at a life sciences company, I was encouraged and energized at what this technological (and data) revolution could mean for the science of being well. Why Life Sciences Has a Healthy Appetite for IoTWith Internet of Things (IoT), the world is looking at perhaps the biggest technology-induced transformation in history--potentially bigger than the invention of the Internet itself. While this paradigm shift may bring about many novel conveniences (such as your refrigerator texting you each time you're out of milk), the reason why IoT is turning heads in the healthcare space is for its potential ability to enable us to leverage a highly distributed and personal set of devices to obtain patient-level data with incredible richness and frequency--ultimately leading to earlier detection of disease, more effective intervention and better science.While nearly every aspect of healthcare could be touched and enhanced by IoT, some of the most profound opportunities include the following: Accessorizing for Your HealthBy Phyllis Post, VP and CIO-Global Human Health IT, MerckPhyllis PostOpinionIn my
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