The future of human and animal digital health platforms

Abstract

Electronic Health (eHealth) has emerged as a pivotal driver of change in modern healthcare, reshaping the way medical information is collected, processed, and utilized. e-health includes digital solutions aimed at improving healthcare delivery, management, and accessibility. The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) is specifically focused on establishing connections between medical devices and sensors to gather and transmit health-related data. Its primary objective is to enhance healthcare by facilitating real-time monitoring, employing data analytics, and integrating intelligent medical devices. The IoMT and, more broadly, eHealth are yielding positive outcomes, prompting their expanding application into the animal domain. Recent technological advancements facilitate the integration of health platforms, fostering a connection between human and animal health for improved well-being. This article introduces a conceptual framework that synthesizes the main activities in the medial data acquisition-processing pipeline. The framework has been derived from an analysis of the state of the art in the field of the IoMT in human healthcare. Furthermore, the article explores the application of eHealth concepts in the animal domain. Addressing both human and animal health, the paper summarizes the outstanding issues that need to be addressed for the full integration of these technologies into daily life.