The Influence of Demographic Factors and the Internet of Things on the Quality of Patient Care in a Tertiary Hospital in Thailand

Abstract

This study explores the impact of Internet of Things (IoT) technology on enhancing the quality of patient care in hospital settings. Utilizing a mixed-method approach, the research involved qualitative analysis through staff interviews and quantitative evaluation using performance metrics before and after the implementation of an IoT-based system. The system included Real-Time Location Tracking, Smart Queue Management, and a Device Utilization Tracker. Results from a two-month pilot phase in both outpatient (OPD) and inpatient (IPD) departments showed a 41% reduction in average patient wait times, a rise in medical equipment utilization from 56% to 82%, and a 67% decrease in patient misdirection incidents. Paired t-tests revealed statistically significant improvements (p < 0.01), and correlation analysis (r = 0.79) confirmed a strong relationship between IoT adoption and operational efficiency. Qualitative findings highlighted reduced staff stress, improved workflow coordination, and enhanced communication. The study validated the main hypothesis and all sub-hypotheses, confirming that IoT positively affects medical error reduction, resource management, monitoring accuracy, patient satisfaction, and emergency responsiveness. These findings are consistent with prior research and demonstrate the effectiveness of IoT in improving healthcare service delivery.