Digitising Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

1 October 2019 Integrated Solutions, Infrastructure

Digitisation has introduced massive changes to every industry and country. And the consumer is the key that unlocks success as individuals become more informed and increase their power by having more choice. Companies have had to refine their offerings and make their engagements and products more relevant and personal, to capture and hold market share with these informed customers at their base. This has, in turn, made the business data-hungry, driven by the need to reap the digital data harvest in search of insights that allow for them to make relevant improvements to their products, services, and engagements. Yet, the healthcare industry, as much in need of the data and insights-driven by digitisation as any other industry, requires a different approach. It remains behind, for a very good reason.


Phathizwe Malinga.

“Healthcare was one of the first industries to be targeted by digitisation,” says Phathizwe Malinga, managing director, SqwidNet. “However, it has been slow in its growth and adoption of the digital journey due to the fact that it is a delicate ecosystem that involves one very important element – life. It fundamentally affects lives which means that adoption and implementation have to be slow, steady, and precise.”

The healthcare market must be digitised at a much lower rate than other sectors and the technology needs to have a broader reach. Consider Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs – at the bottom, there are the physiological imperatives, then safety, then love, and so the list goes on and up the pyramid. When it comes to the connected nature of technology and things, the use of the Internet of Things (IoT), the same construct can be applied.

“At the bottom of the pyramid, there are the things we can connect for the individual’s needs such as wearables and devices that are out of the hospital,” says Malinga. “The next would be arriving at the hospital where the patient would need a patient ID band for identification and security, then there’s the monitoring equipment that sends specific alerts or that can track patients in the building. Some can be customised to provide highly targeted patient care such as a fall alert on a patient who had a hip replacement. Finally, at the top of the hierarchy, where acuity needs are highest, are the theatre, ICU and high-care.”

The life support machines need all the technology that’s capable today to provide, not just absolute care, but actionable insight in highly sensitive situations. “Top of the pyramid” IoT implementations generate sensitive data that combines various patient metrics in a way that allows intensivists to intervene early, even proactively. These technologies exist, the potential to digitalise every part of the hierarchy exists, but it isn’t comprehensively in use.

“There are variables affecting adoption in the healthcare industry,” says Malinga. “The cost of digitising assets is one, the other is the battery life of assets that aren’t powered – these are two of the most common problems for most healthcare assets as they add complexity and cost. Slowly, we are seeing the cost of IoT coming down as it becomes increasingly commercially available and this, at least, is resulting in more adoption and more innovation in healthcare.

At SqwidNet, we operate a low-power network that has allowed us to drop the cost of IoT by 10 times the original cost, increasing battery life from days to years. This allows for richer digitalisation integration within the healthcare sector without the heavy burden on the bottom line.”

In South Africa, this adoption in healthcare is slow, but it is starting to change, brought on by successes in other industries. IoT presents significant benefits to long-term cost profiles, patient care, outcomes, and treatment protocols. Already, IoT has been a driving force in overcoming some of the biggest challenges South Africa has faced over the past few years – Day Zero in Cape Town and In-transit security – and it has the ability to do the same with patient care.

“There’s been an increased uptake of smart water meters that detect and alert consumers about water over-usage and possible leaks, in real-time,” concludes Malinga. “There has also been a rise in the use of stolen vehicle recovery solutions and home alarms that use IoT to provide real-time alerts and monitoring. For us, this indicates that the next shift will be into the healthcare industry where the burden of disease must be resolved to ensure equality and care for all.”

The SqwidNet network now covers over 90% of South Africa’s population, which means that any Sigfox Ready device, whether in the hospital or out in the field, can be heard when it speaks. The network also has over 90% coverage on all roads and highways – both urban and rural – which allows for real-time tracking of ambulances and personnel when they’re in the field. With this in-depth reach, healthcare services can be accessed, monitored, managed and controlled from any location, bringing high-quality healthcare to the entire population, not just those in the city.




Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page



Further reading:

Human-centric control rooms
Iritron Integrated Solutions Surveillance Residential Estate (Industry)
Iritron and Oculus show that when it comes to control rooms, people, not just technology, are at the centre of the most significant performance differentiators today, not just how efficiently the technology works.

Read more...
Software security is a team sport
Information Security Infrastructure
Building and maintaining secure software is not a one-team effort; it requires the collective strength and collaboration of security, engineering, and operations teams.

Read more...
Cape Town estates gain access to advanced security technology at Securex
Securex South Africa News & Events Integrated Solutions
For the first time, estate and complex security decision-makers in the Western Cape will have direct access to the breadth of solutions and expertise these shows are synonymous with.

Read more...
Smarter security for safer estate living
neaMetrics Suprema Integrated Solutions Surveillance Access Control & Identity Management Residential Estate (Industry)
The expansion of residential estates has led to many communities being constructed with security as an afterthought. Unfortunately, fencing, cameras, and a guard at the gate only create a false sense of safety, which vanishes after the first incident.

Read more...
Making drone security more accessible
Editor's Choice Integrated Solutions Residential Estate (Industry) AI & Data Analytics IoT & Automation
Michael Lever discusses advances in drone technology, focusing on cost reductions and the implementation of automated services, including beyond line of sight capabilities, for residential estates with SMART Security Solutions.

Read more...
View from the trenches
Technews Publishing SMART Security Solutions Editor's Choice Integrated Solutions Security Services & Risk Management Residential Estate (Industry)
There are many great options available to estates for effectively managing their security and operations, but those in the trenches are often limited by body corporate/HOA budget restrictions and misunderstandings.

Read more...
SMART Estate Security Conference KZN 2025
Arteco Global Africa OneSpace Technologies SMART Security Solutions Technews Publishing Editor's Choice Integrated Solutions Security Services & Risk Management Residential Estate (Industry)
May 2025 saw the SMART Security Solutions team heading off to Durban for our annual Estate Security Conference, once again hosted at the Mount Edgecombe Country Club.

Read more...
Community-centric security architecture
Regal Security Distributors SA Integrated Solutions Residential Estate (Industry)
Securing any large area, whether it is a commercial park or a residential estate, is as much about protecting and monitoring the internal environment as it is about protecting the perimeter.

Read more...
Identity, Security & Access Alliance focuses on intelligence and integration
SMART Security Solutions Ideco Biometrics BoomGate Systems Bosch Building Technologies Technews Publishing Integrated Solutions Surveillance Access Control & Identity Management
The Identity, Security & Access Alliance (ISAA) hosted several launch events in Johannesburg in August, showcasing the participating companies’ technical solutions with a primary focus on the solutions made possible by integrating high-quality systems to deliver comprehensive solutions.

Read more...
Make BIG and COMPLEX small and manageable
neaMetrics Suprema AI & Data Analytics Surveillance Integrated Solutions
Traditional CCTV and access systems often operate separately, creating gaps in visibility and efficiency. TRASSIR and Suprema have partnered to develop an integrated platform that improves security, operations, and situational awareness.

Read more...










While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.




© Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd. | All Rights Reserved.