Low-Latency Digital Health Framework for Rural Areas Leveraging Fog Computing and 5G.
F1000Research · 2026-01-01 · Method & validation
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The rural locations of telemedicine and urgent care are slowed down by communication latency as a result of the poor network infrastructure and overreliance on centralized cloud computing that adds to time lag in responding. Even with the development of networking technology, reliable low-latency systems to support rural areas are yet to be developed. METHODS: The current paper suggests a Fog-5G Latency Optimization (F5GLO) application framework, which integrates 5G connectivity and fog computing to permit local data processing. To reduce the transmission delay and latency, healthcare data is stored at local fog nodes to allow predictive mobility of the fog node activation and low latency routing algorithms to utilize resources effectively and guarantee efficiency in transfer. RESULTS: The model is capable of cutting end to end latency by up to 87 percent in comparison to the conventional cloud-based models thereby enhancing critical healthcare applications such as remote patient monitoring and emergency medical services. It is also strong in various network traffic conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Fog computing plus 5G networks introduce agility to the healthcare service delivery in the remote environment where quick processing of clinical data locally and transmission can improve the reliability of the given services by transmitting information to decision makers faster. This is a realistic incremental solution to the issue of healthcare provision to the populations that are not within reach of the giant facilities.