A report by British organisation Ofcom called Tomorrow’s wireless world, envisages the benefits to the healthcare sector from the use of wireless sensors in the future.

A sensor is a device that responds to physical stimuli and transmits signals, in this case, signals from the body using wireless devices to portable monitors. According to Ofcom website: www.ofcom.org.uk, such sensors could be implanted in the body to monitor chronic conditions, such as heart conditions, asthma or diabetes, assess fitness levels or even monitor movement. These technologies may come into use as early as the next decade.

The sensors could monitor vital signs, which will be continuously analysed. This shifts healthcare from hospitals to homes and would benefit patients requiring home assistance and nursing home care as it ensures real-time, remote monitoring. However, would these sensors transmit sensitive or intimate details beyond the control of the patient?

Patients may be sensitive and may seek protection from sensitive information being captured. Would the patients be able to block unwanted transmission of information? Would these sensors transmit sensitive location information? These are various problemsthat may crop up with the use of remote wireless sensors. Other problems are relevant to access to patient data. Different levels of permissions should be allowed to access and store patient data and access should be tracked to prevent abuse. Any captured data should not be shared without patient consent.

Ideally, privacy control needs to be defined by the patients. The choice of benefitting from the technology while being able to protect their privacy should rest with the patient. X