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the impact of technology on digital home health |
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Tracking Industry Developments Parks Associates is keeping you up-to-date on the latest new headlines for the following industries:
For questions, contact us today! Webcast: Home Health
Monitoring: Where Is the Next Growth Pathway? Wireless Technology Sees Expanded Use in the Health Care Industry The Economist reported on April 27, 2007 that as costs decrease and the technology improves, using wireless technology in health care has become more feasible. The article mentioned several companies with devices that can be ingested, implanted or attached to the body. Those novel devices include Israel-based Given Imaging’s swallowable camera for gastro-intestinal endoscopy test, Medtronic’s implantable defibrillator, and Sensors for Medicine and Science’s subcutaneously implantable glucose sensors. The Economist cited lack of proven business model as a barrier to the adoption of these new technologies and devices. (Source: http://www.economist.com) Philips and National Association for Home Care Fund a National Study on the Future of Technology and Telehealth in Home Care Philips and National Association for Home Care announced on April 25, 2007 their sponsorship of an industry survey on the state of technology and telehealth in the home care market. The survey will be conducted using a representative sample approach with more than four hundred home care leaders in the country. The results will be analyzed and presented at the National Association of Home Care’s National Meeting in October 2007 and disseminated to agencies throughout the country via state and national association networks. Fazzi Associates will administer the research and report findings. (Source: http://www.fazzi.com) BeWell Mobile Received Funding from Qualcomm BeWell Mobile announced on April 25, 2007 that Qualcomm awarded the company a $100,000 grant as part of the technology giant’s Wireless Reach BREW Application Funding Program. The program, part of Qualcomm’s Wireless Reach initiative, challenges companies to create the most innovative BREW public service application in one of five areas including healthcare, and has a total of $1 million in fund. BeWell, a San Francisco start-up, offers two applications: Asthma Assistant and Diabetes Assistant. According to Dr. Peter Boland, BeWell’s director of corporate development, “the two applications can be adapted to a broad range of uses in health and wellness, medical research, preventive care and chronic disease management.” (Source: http://www.bewellmobile.com) Health Buddy TV Debuts in Europe Health Hero Network, a U.S. -based manufacturer of remote health monitoring technology, unveiled a product that will allow patients manage their illness by communicating with their healthcare providers via an interactive television interface. Health Buddy TV will allow people with chronic diseases to access Health Hero's Health Buddy care management system through a set-top box and a broadband cable television connection. Health Hero is launching the product in the Netherlands through its international partner Sananet B.V., a healthcare IT company based in Heerlen, Netherlands. The Dutch homecare organization Meavita is the first healthcare provider to use Health Buddy TV. Meavita intends to employ the technology to monitor diabetes patients across the Netherlands. (Source: http://healthcareitnews.eu) Mobile Phones to Help Patients Monitor Health Researchers at Leeds University in England are developing a mobile phone that can check patients' vital signs and glucose and blood oxygen levels. The device then transmits the patient information to a remote computer so physicians or nurses can analyze the data and inform the patient if there are any problems, BBC News reported on April 18, 2007. The phone could help patients with chronic health conditions reduce the number of visits to their physicians, according to the university. A prototype of the phone will be tested in May on research volunteers to determine if any improvements are necessary before conducting a larger trial in 2008. (Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk) Draeger Medical’s TeleSmart ECG and SpO2 Monitor Gets FDA Clearance Draeger Medical won FDA 510k clearance for its new Infinity TeleSmart system featuring a compact device capable of monitoring ECG and SpO2, the company announced on April 4, 2007. TeleSmart provides the performance of a full-size patient monitor, packaged in a compact patient-worn telemetry device for adult and pediatric patients. Built-in ACE (Arrhythmia Classification Expert) and pacer detection algorithms enhance ECG processing and reduce false alarms. (Source: http://www.draeger.com) CardioMems Successfully Implants Wireless Blood Pressure Sensor in Trial CardioMems announced on March 29 that its wireless hypertension sensor was successfully trialed in a study in which patients received implant just below the surface of the skin above their radial artery using a minimally invasive procedure. The sensor is designed to allow for a precise and accurate measurement of systemic blood pressure using the CardioMems proprietary electronics module. Following the procedure, the sensor and electronics are designed to allow for additional blood pressure measurements to be taken by the patients at home and to transmit the data wirelessly to a secure database where it will become available for review on CardioMems' patient management website. The wireless hypertension sensor and the related electronics are being evaluated as part of a clinical trial and are not approved for marketing. (Source: http://www.cardiomems.com) SHL Telemedicine Introduces New Portable ECG transmitter SHL Telemedicine on March 29, 2007 announced market availability of its CardioSen’C personal cellular-digital 12 lead ECG transmitter for the purpose of remote real time diagnosis of arrhythmia, ischemia, and myocardial infarction. The ECG is then analysed by the medical professionals at SHL’s medical call centre and together with a clinical description given by the patient provide the medical professionals with the data needed to diagnose the situation and provide medical assistance, if necessary. This telemedicine service can help to drastically reduce morbidity and mortality rates following an acute myocardial infarction or other severe cardiac incidents. (Source: http://www.shl-telemedicine.com) Movea Develops Wireless Motion Detection Application for the Healthcare Industry France-based CEA-Leti spin-off Movea unveiled on March 29 a technology that can measure the joint extension of a patient (goniometry). The technology can be embedded in a wristwatch form factor, hence providing the therapist with an objective gesture assessment of the patient. The company intends to commercialize the technology to support health care professionals for at-home rehabilitation of a patient, early detection of abnormal behavior, sleep analysis and many other services that can assess health status of a person in his/her daily activities. (Source: http://www.movea-tech.com) RTX Healthcare Debuts new RTX3370 Telehealth Monitor at Med-e-Tel RTX Healthcare launched the new RTX3370 Telehealth Monitor in late March at the Med-e-Tel conference. The RTX3370 engages the patients through personalized daily interactions and questionnaires while collecting vital signs. The vital signs, such as weight, blood pressure and blood glucose information, are transmitted seamlessly via Bluetooth, InfraRed or RS232 from industry standard wired or wireless peripheral biomedical devices to the RTX3370. Other unique features of the RTX3370 Telehealth Monitor include a large easy to read color display, simple bottoms and speaker for vocalization of the patient dialogue. Swiss Centre for Telemedicine Medgate, a provider of disease management and telehealth services, is among the first customers to integrate the RTX3370 into their portfolio of telehealth offerings. (Source: http://www.rtx.dk) Intuit and CIGNA HealthCare Partner to Offer Online Health Tool San Jose Business Journal reported on April 25 that Intuit and CIGNA HealthCare announced a partnership to offer an online health tool to the insurance company's more than nine million members to manage and direct their medical expenses, payments and service histories. The tool, called Quicken Health, will also enable them to download and organize their personal health data in a similar way like Intuit’s popular financial software does with financial data. The tool will become available in 2008 at no cost to CIGNA's members and is expected to increase member satisfaction. (Source: http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose) Humana Launches SmartResults, Offers Guarantees In a bold move, Humana announced a new program on April 19, 2007 that promises to help self-insured employers curb medical spending and help employees get healthier. Called SmartResults, the program adopts a unique integrated approach with a convergence of product, clinical programs, financial analysis and forecasting, and consumer education to achieve the desired results. To convince potential clients, Humana even guarantees results, or they will get a refund, up to 40% of the administration fees Humana receives. The program will be initially offered to self-funded U.S. employers with 300 or more employees. Humana revealed a study showing that from 2002 through 2006, customers enrolled in Humana’s program experienced average annualized claims trends of 4.2 percent increase versus national average of 11 percent. SmartSuite members also exceeded prevailing prescription drug compliance rates for effective management of chronic illnesses and access preventive health care services on a par with national utilization standards. (Source: http://home.businesswire.com) Royal Philips Electronics to Acquire Health Watch Royal Philips Electronics and Health Watch Holdings, Inc. announced on April 10, 2007 that Philips would acquire Health Watch, a US-based, privately-held provider of personal emergency response services, for approximately $130 million in cash. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2007. After the acquisition, the Health Watch will add over 100,000 US-customers to Philips Lifeline’s existing base of more than a half a million subscribers in North America. (Source: http://www.newscenter.philips.com) Regulatory Environment and Policy Trends Chronic Conditions to Cause Greatest Health Care Costs Increases HealthPartners Research Foundation released results of a new study in the April issue of Disease Management Journal, which projects that chronic conditions will account for the greatest per capita cost increases over the next several decades as a result of the aging U.S. population. Specifically, the study estimated that per capital cost of treating congestive heart failure will increase 75 percent from 2000 to 2050. 48 percent increase is expected for coronary artery disease and 24% for diabetes (Source: http://www.healthpartners.com) “Healthier US Starts Here” Initiative Unveiled by HHS, CMS Officials The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on April 20, 2007 launched "A Healthier US Starts Here," an initiative focused on motivating seniors and others with Medicare to make the most of Medicare's preventive services. The initiative will include the Medicare Prevention tour bus that will visit 48 states to promote awareness of preventive care among seniors. Many disease prevention advocates, employers, and civic and state leaders have joined the efforts to promote disease prevention and wellness. (Source: http://www.hhs.gov) Thirty Percent of Employers Offer Wellness Programs Willis of Tennessee Inc., a Knoxville-based employee benefits brokerage and consulting company, released a survey result on April 20, 2007 showing that 30 percent of U.S. employers now offer a wellness-related program and another 30 percent plan to offer one in the future, according to Knoxville News. However, survey respondents cited financial considerations as the main barrier to offering wellness and disease-management programs. Lack of data supporting such programs is one of the problems in convincing management. Only 23 percent of survey respondents with wellness programs are actually measuring the return on investment (Source: http://www.knoxnews.com) Half of All British Adults Will Suffer High Blood Pressure by 2025 A stern warning from the London School of Economics said in a report that 22 million Britons will be affected by high blood pressure, which doubles the risk of dying of a heart attack or stroke. One of the report's authors, Dr Panos Kanavos, warned that if the condition went unnoticed, a significant proportion of adults will be transformed from workers who benefit the economy into "long-term recipients of social benefits with increased healthcare needs". (Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk) Federal Advisory Group to Recommend Rewarding Physicians for EHR Use The American Health Information Community on April 25, 2007 accepted in principle a pay-for-performance recommendation from its Electronic Health Records Workgroup that called for federal contracts with health plans and insurers to include provisions to reward physicians for quality performance, including the use of certified electronic health records, according to Government Health IT. AHIC rejected another recommendation from the work group to urge Medicare to increase payments to physicians who use EHRs. The work group will revise the recommendation and could resubmit it after determining whether CMS can set up a differential reimbursement scheme and how "using EHRs" should be defined. (Source: http://www.govhealthit.com) USDA Steps Up Rural Telemedicine Funding Healthcare IT News reported on April 6 that USDA announced that in 2007 it will provide $128 million in loans and grants for telemedicine and distance learning. The federal agency since 2002 has invested more than $166 million in telemedicine and distance learning programs, and about 2,226 health care facilities have used the programs to adopt or develop telemedicine applications. (Source: http://www.healthcareitnews.com) California Legislature Amends Telemedicine Bill The bill AB 329 originally introduced in the California legislature in February was amended in the Assembly on March 29, 2007. The proposed legislation would enable the Medical Board of California to regulate the practice of telemedicine, authorize the Board to establish a pilot program to expand telemedicine, and create a working group to find ways to best deliver healthcare to individuals with chronic diseases using health IT. The bill would require the board to make recommendations to the legislature on or before January 1, 2009, and include ways to improve healthcare services. (Source: http://info.sen.ca.gov) CMS Releases Details on Pay-for-Performance Bonuses CMS has released 74 performance quality measures that will determine 2007 bonuses for physicians who treat Medicare patients, according to Government Health IT’s article on April 5, 2007. The quality measures are part of CMS' voluntary Physician Quality Reporting Initiative, which provides an additional payment of up to 1.5% to physicians who report quality data. The first period of the reporting initiative is from July 1 through Dec. 31. Participating providers report on measures relevant to their patient care by submitting the quality-data codes associated with the Medicare claims forms. CMS noted that the 2007 quality data will not be publicly reported. (Source: http://govhealthit.com) Hospital Errors Continues to Drift Higher HealthGrades, an online health quality rating and benchmarking company, released a study on April 2 showing that patient safety incidents in U.S. hospitals increased by 3% from 2003 to 2005, but top-performing hospitals had a 40% lower rate of medical errors compared with the worst performing hospitals. For the study, researchers examined the records of Medicare beneficiaries treated at nearly 5,000 hospitals between 2003 and 2005. About 1.16 million preventable patient safety incidents occurred in 40.6 million hospitalizations of Medicare beneficiaries from 2003 through 2005. However, the report found that between 2003 and 2005 patient safety problems worsened by 2.03 incidents per 1,000 hospitalizations. According to the report, 247,662 deaths could have been prevented during those years if hospitals had made fewer medical mistakes. (Source: http://www.healthgrades.com) Consumer and E-Health Initiatives Tennessee Uses Hospital Price Web Site To Push Transparency The Tennessean reported on April 23 that the Tennessee Hospital Association has begun posting on a new Web site the prices for common procedures at most of the state's 136 acute care hospitals. The site, called Tennessee Hospitals Inform, lists the average prices for most common procedures using hospitals' annual reports to the state from October 2003 through September 2004. (Source: http://tennessean.com) Revolution Health Consumer Web Site Set To Launch New York Times reported on April 16 that Revolution Health Group has launched its consumer Web site that features information on 1,500 medical conditions that can be sorted by illness or treatment, as well as a directory of physicians that will include short reviews written by patients. The site also will include information from the Cleveland Clinic, Harvard Medical School and Mayo Clinic. Users will be able to create their own pages to store personal information and can share it with others if they choose to and maintain electronic health records on the Web site, according to Steve Case, the former America Online CEO and now Revolution Health’s Chairman. The company eventually will sell services such as helping patients resolve disputes with health insurers. (Source: http://www.nytimes.com)
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Categories Regulatory Environment and Policy Trends Consumer and E-Health Initiatives Headlines Archive
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