Rehab providers must leverage IoT to improve the quad aim of care

Healthcare worldwide is at a critical junction, with emerging technologies poised to address complex healthcare challenges through digital innovation. Various emerging/newer technologies are stepping in to solve big problems, such as AI for diagnostics, robotic process automation for workflow optimization, and the Internet of Things (IoT) for remote monitoring. These advancements are influencing the quadruple aim of care, which focuses on improving health outcomes, reducing costs, enhancing patient experience, and promoting health equity (see Exhibit 1).

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), rehabilitation is a critical yet often overlooked component of healthcare. It is one of the most resource-constrained care areas, with increasing demand driven by aging populations, chronic conditions, and the need for post-acute recovery. The traditional, in-person delivery model relies on frequent clinic visits and one-on-one sessions, which is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain. However, the IoT is transforming rehabilitation by extending care beyond hospital walls and providing patients with personalized, data-driven support wherever they are.

IoT offers a scalable alternative that empowers clinicians to monitor, guide, and adjust therapy remotely. This approach helps to close access gaps, reduce burdens on overstretched staff, and maintain continuity of care. This shift has tangible benefits: improved patient outcomes, reduced costs, enhanced experiences, and decreased healthcare disparities. This represents an emerging monitoring trend for healthcare enterprises and a valuable opportunity for proactive engagement. Embracing IoT could provide a competitive advantage in the market.

Exhibit 1: IoT in rehab can impact the quadruple aim of care

Source: HFS Research, 2025

Demand for rehab is skyrocketing, but the workforce can’t keep up

The demand for rehabilitation is soaring, primarily due to the aging population and the growing burden of chronic diseases. The influx of patients needing post-stroke recovery, orthopedic rehab, or chronic condition management is flooding the system. Workforce shortages are already hitting hard. Clinics are struggling to schedule patients, resulting in long wait times and rushed therapy sessions.

These workforce shortages are driven by retirement trends, limited educational capacity in Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs, and high attrition rates stemming from burnout. There is a critical shortage of qualified rehabilitation professionals, including physical therapists (PTs), physical therapy assistants (PTAs), occupational therapists (OTs), occupational therapy assistants (OTAs), and speech-language pathologists (SLPs).

A US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report states that physical therapist employment is predicted to grow by 14% between 2023 and 2033—much faster than the average growth rate for all occupations. Although this growth is notable, it still falls short of meeting the rising demand, particularly as aging demographics and chronic conditions increase the need for intensive, long-duration rehab services.

For healthcare enterprises, this imbalance is a red flag. Without intervention, the gap will widen, putting patient outcomes and financial performance at risk. This is where IoT offers a scalable solution, empowering clinicians to extend their reach and deliver high-quality rehab without being physically present for every session.

IoT enables at-home therapy without sacrificing quality

IoT applications are particularly beneficial for rehabilitation as they enable real-time remote patient monitoring to improve the quality of their lives. Unlike the traditional system, which depends on frequent in-clinic visits, IoT-powered rehab brings professional supervision into the patient’s home.

Wearables, smart implants, and rehabilitation robots collect real-time data such as range of motion, exercise compliance, or vital signs. They transmit this information to clinicians, enabling tailored interventions without constant clinic visits. This approach ensures that therapy remains supervised, personalized, and effective, even outside traditional settings. The examples in Exhibit 2 prove that IoT can replicate and sometimes exceed the value of conventional rehabilitation while making it more scalable and patient centered.

Exhibit 2: With changing times, IoT is extending rehab beyond the clinical setup

Source: HFS Research, 2025

IoT in rehabilitation is bright but requires overcoming key challenges

The future of IoT in rehabilitation is promising and has the potential to become a standard of care. However, several hurdles must be addressed to unlock this potential. Some challenges include ensuring cybersecurity, building data interoperability, gaining payer reimbursement support, and training clinicians on digital workflows. Mitigating these issues needs to be achieved through multi-stakeholder alignments, such as payers’ participation, providers, regulators, and technology vendors. Enterprises that take a proactive approach to integrate the fragmented pieces will be better positioned to scale IoT-enabled rehab effectively (see Exhibit 3).

Exhibit 3: Scaling IoT rehab demands fixing security, data, and payer gaps

Source: HFS Research, 2025

The Bottom Line: IoT can make rehab smarter, cheaper, and more accessible.

Healthcare organizations and digital health startups that invest in IoT-enabled rehab today will have a competitive edge tomorrow, delivering lower cost, higher quality, and more scalable rehabilitation services.

IoT-based rehabilitation reduces administrative burdens for healthcare organizations by automating data collection and documentation, enhancing data-driven decision-making. Additionally, it allows for scaling rehabilitation programs without increasing the burden on clinicians.

An IoT-based rehab offers personalized, interactive, and convenient therapy for patients. It helps reduce travel, improves compliance, and accelerates recovery. Additionally, it enhances engagement through gamification, real-time feedback, and tele-coaching.

Through the effective use of IoT, providers can simultaneously accomplish all four objectives of the Quadruple Aim of care:  providing improved outcomes, decreased costs, enhanced experience, and addressing societal disparity.