Care Innovations’ ‘record growth in 2015’; replaces CEO; GE departs partnership

March 3, 2016 | by

[grow_thumb image=”https://telecareaware.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/gimlet-eye.jpg” thumb_width=”150″ /]Care Innovations‘ recent (undated) press release (discovered as a LinkedIn update), if read without a Gimlet Eye, could be read as another one of those ‘good news’ releases that build company awareness and get it picked up on websites such as TTA. Certainly there’s a nice spin of positive news for remote monitoring technologies, particularly more complex ones in vital signs monitoring and broadening out their applicability. (More on those below.) But the observant eye will pick out a couple of ‘aha!’ moments at this company that got slipped in, but not slipped by, the Eye.

The first is that GE has departed the building. Always the junior partner except for the very beginning in 2009, GE apparently exited sometime after December based on the last press release with Intel-GE identification issued 1 Dec 2015. The boilerplate company description is no longer ‘Intel-GE Care Innovations’ but now ‘Care Innovations, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Intel Corporation’. Lift your eyes to the company logo at the top left of the web page, and there it is, ‘An Intel Company’. GE is not fully cleansed, still to be found on product pages such as Health Harmony and QuietCare, as well as the copyright line at the bottom of each web page. (More work to be done)

The second is the appearance of CI’s new CEO, Randy Swanson, in the executive quote and on the ‘team’ website page. His bio notes that he’s a 17-year Intel finance/business development veteran, at one point with responsibilities in the Digital Health Group. Tea leaf readers might well surmise that Intel will now emphasize profitability at CI after the major repositioning and partner expansion during the 2.5 years of Sean Slovenski’s tenure (a non-Intel’er departed in January to Healthways, TTA 13 Jan).

The release also has a few more interesting moments. (more…)

VerbalCare debuts a new symbol-driven app for patient health communication

January 24, 2016 | by
[grow_thumb image=”https://telecareaware.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/verbalcare.png” thumb_width=”200″ /]Many patients in both home and hospital/post-acute settings have difficulty communicating their needs for a variety of reasons: post-stroke, cognitive impairment, facial surgery, aphasia, age (very young, very old) and of course there are language and cultural obstacles. VerbalCare‘s relaunched patient and caregiver apps may find a way around it. The patient clicks on icons in the VerbalCare Patient tablet app, which if touched in succession can form a sentence, then sends the message either to family members or the care team via the paired Messenger app for smartphone or tablet. The app can also send custom texts, phrases, or reuse a favorite selection; it will record patient appointments with patient consent. It has been tested over the past four years at Massachusetts General and Franciscan Hospital for Children. The Boston-based early stage company was acquired in August 2015 by an area durable medical equipment company company, Medical Specialties Distributors (MSD) and operates as a subsidiary (Mobihealthnews). The current pricing is for the VerbalCare Patient app $9.99 per patient per month, BYOD, but founder/CEO Nick Dougherty expects that healthcare organizations will pick this up. MedCityNews  What would be interesting is if a telehealth company licenses this for integration, in part or wholly, with its remote patient monitoring–Ed. Donna

Ten years on from the WSD: is the future brighter for telehealth? Can wind farms help?

January 4, 2016 | by

As Prof Mike Short pointed out recently, 2016 is the tenth anniversary of the start of the Whole System Demonstrator (WSD) programme that in retrospect, because of poor trial design, probably slowed the uptake of digital health in the UK more than any other single action. It seems appropriate therefore to look at how telehealth* has fared over that period, and perhaps even more importantly, is poised for the next ten years.

The mistakes of the WSD are well documented (eg here, here & here) – suffice it to say that it proved beyond all reasonable doubt, at least to this editor, that unlike medicine-based interventions, which seem less sensitive to their care pathway, digital health delivers most of its benefit through enabling a different, patient-centred care delivery, so every digital health intervention needs to be evaluated holistically, and in its own care pathway. Sadly over the ten years, much of the academic work looking at the benefits of telehealth has continued to evaluate the technology in the time-honoured way that medicines have been evaluated, with predictably largely equivocal results.

Those of us who have delivered telehealth projects though have a sense of disconnect as, time and again, a focused implementation – not a pilot – in which the staff delivering the service understand that it will be a permanent change for which they need radically to change the way they deliver care, yields huge returns on investments through savings typically in the 50-90% region. (more…)

Breaking news confirmed: Bosch exiting healthcare and telehealth in US–UPDATED

June 19, 2015 | by

Breaking News–UPDATED with Bosch response

Bosch has confirmed they are closing their telehealth business in the US. Please see their statement at the end of this article.

A home care industry newsletter, along with our own reliable industry sources, have confirmed the recent industry discussion that Bosch Healthcare, since January a solely US operation, is winding down its business without a definite turnover to a buyer. This Editor, in calling various departments in their Palo Alto, California offices for confirmation on Thursday, was (when she reached a human being) forwarded to HR where she could leave only voice mail. An email to marketing also received no response. All sources indicate that staff layoffs took place last Monday.

Editor’s Note: Bosch’s official press response follows this article. We have also made certain corrections to this article (see in red).

  1. The Home Care Technology Report, published by industry consultant Tim Rowan, on Wednesday posted two articles stating that Bosch laid off nearly all of its staff on Monday (15 June) save for customer service and some key operating areas. His information indicated that Health Buddy sales–new and existing orders–have been terminated. This includes orders placed through its McKesson partnership. Non-VA service will be terminated in 60 to 90 days.
  2. Home Care Technology also reported that Bosch’s business with the Veterans Health Administration (VA) will be maintained through April 2016, which is near to the contract end in May, but no new units will be delivered. The original contract was with Health Buddy hub developer Health Hero Network, sold to Bosch in 2008. With the later acquisition of ViTel Net, Bosch developed into one of the two leading VA Home Telehealth remote monitoring hub suppliers–the other being Cardiocom. VA Home Telehealth is the largest telehealth program in the US with over 156,000 patients (Federal Year 2014) (Ed. Note: VA has a third authorized and active VA supplier, Viterion).

As Mr Rowan did, this Editor will speculate on the reasons why there is this reported exit without a sale or spinoff, despite the substantial VA and other healthcare placements of Health Buddy. Our take is somewhat different than his: (more…)

ATA trend #2: is this the ‘second generation’ of remote patient monitoring?

May 8, 2015 | by

Guest columnist Dr Vikrum (Sunny) Malhotra attended ATA 2015 last week. This is the second of three articles on his observations on trends and companies to watch.

During the course of the ATA conference, I was inundated with the concept of “dumb” data whereby biosensors track patient clinical data and will alarm to clinical staff if outside designated parameters. However, the call center filter between the patient’s data and physician is often a primary cause of increased unnecessary admissions. The Sentrian Remote Patient Intelligence Platform (Sentrian RPI) received recognition for its advancement in utilization of sensors, enabling healthcare providers to utilize this “dumb” data and make it “smart”. For clinicians like myself, this was a new way of looking at an age old problem: “How do we safely and comprehensively support physician decision making at a standard high enough to detect pathologies earlier and more accurately?”

Sentrian has used machine learning to support the work of a dedicated clinical team by monitoring patient data 24/7 to detect subtle signs that warn a family member or care provider of future problems through biometric patterns of thousands of patients, comparing their medical histories, vitals and health information. This novel approach to remote monitoring won Sentrian the ATA President’s Innovation Award. (more…)

ATA trend #1: Is a sustainable RPM infrastructure fact or fiction?

May 8, 2015 | by

Guest columnist Dr Vikrum (Sunny) Malhotra attended ATA 2015 last week. This is the first of three articles on his observations on trends and companies to watch.

The advancement of remote patient monitoring is a visible trend from the American Telemedicine Association’s 2015 meeting, with care moving from the doctor’s office and being shifted to the patient’s home. A more diverse range of data is being collected for patients to facilitate more informed decision making at the patient visit and after the patient is away from the practice. As information is being collected and monitored on a more comprehensive basis, we have seen creative modalities to view a broad array of data points that would typically have been collected in a doctor’s office with the hopes of early diagnosis and preventive care, versus reactive care.

Patient autonomy has now come to the forefront and network infrastructure is being built to support that shift. Wearables, implantables and home based lab/ urine diagnostic kits are becoming smaller, cheaper, less invasive, wireless and cloud-based so that patients can be monitored without interfering in day to day living. (more…)

Simplifying engagement in diabetes management

September 11, 2014 | by
[grow_thumb image=”https://telecareaware.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Livongo.jpg” thumb_width=”180″ /]Launched at TechCrunch’s Disrupt SF 2014 was a new wireless glucometer, Livongo Health’s InTouch. A M2M palm-sized cellular glucometer, it transmits not only conventional blood glucose readings from test strips, but also activity information (steps) and how you’re feeling. The user also sets it up for who looks at the data and what they see. Data goes to what they term a ‘smart cloud’ (a/k/a data platform) which reviews it based on clinical rules and accumulated personal health history. It is also backed by a virtual care team of certified diabetes educators. Founder Glen Tullman, who was quoted extensively in our well-read Patients should be less engaged, not more, has an FDA clearance in hand, (more…)

Bayer AG enters the healthcare accelerator game (DE)

September 9, 2014 | by

Bayer HealthCare AG’s Grants4Apps program announced its support of five startups that, in their words, will support improved outcomes or pharmaceutical processes. Unlike companies like GE or Pfizer, Bayer is outright granting a substantial amount of cash to each–€ 50,000–and offering space plus 3 1/2 months of mentoring in their Berlin HQ in return for the usual small equity stake. Of 70 applications, five were granted to European companies which will have their Demo Day on 1 December:

  • Cortrium:  their C3 device is a state-of-the-art wearable tech sensor for clinical-quality hospital wireless monitoring of health data including electrocardiogram (ECG), body surface temperature, respiratory rate, and body posture/physical activity. Blood oxygen and blood pressure to come in 2015. (Denmark, spun off from Nokia R&D)
  • PharmAssistant: self-management tool for chronic disease patients, consisting of a smart pill container and a remote cloud-based monitoring service (Portugal) (more…)

Welsh Government to develop new eHealth and Care Strategy

April 28, 2014 | by

The Government of Wales has announced that it is to develop a new eHealth and care strategy in [grow_thumb image=”https://telecareaware.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Welsh-Goverment.jpg” thumb_width=”150″ /]conjunction with health boards, NHS trusts and local authorities in Wales. The strategy will focus on using technology such as video conferencing, remote monitoring and better use of health records.

In a written statement issued last week while the Welsh Assembly is on its break, the minister for health and social services states that consultation will take place with health and social care professionals and users and the strategy will be in place by the end of the year.

“This will help us achieve our aim of ensuring there are more services, care and support available for patients in their homes or in their local communities” says the statement from Mark Drakeford.

“Technology has a key role to play. This could include the use of video conferencing to allow patients and health professionals to talk to each other; to aid diagnosis and decision making and remote monitoring for people with particular health conditions. Technology can also help improve access to services by bringing them closer to people’s homes, for example by providing mobile services in rural areas.

“With an increasing ageing population it is essential we enable people to live independently for as long as possible. Without this, the health and well-being of individuals will be adversely affected.

“We will expect our information to be accessible to professionals where and when it is needed whether in health or in social care. We already have the Individual Health Record, with appropriate security and governance in place. Any potential wider access to people’s data would only be with their consent.”

The full statement is available on the Welsh Government website here.

LeadingAge/CAST telehealth comparison tools; Independa whitepaper (US)

March 17, 2014 | by

A release from telehealth/TV + internet-based remote care services developer Independa drew this Editor’s attention to several useful new tools from non-profit aging services provider/supplier association LeadingAge‘s Center for Aging Services Technologies (CAST). If you are outside the US, the technologies may not apply, but it’s a useful model for comparing and evaluating telehealth technology and services in long-term care:

  1. The Telehealth and Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) Selection Tool helps the user identify needs and provides choices of available products and the functionalities they offer.
  2. “Telehealth and Remote Patient Monitoring for Long-Term and Post-Acute Care” is a whitepaper which explains their methodology and defining telehealth and remote patient monitoring (RPM) technologies, uses and benefits.
  3. The Telehealth and RPM Selection Matrix has an extensive comparison of technologies with features detailed by business line (e.g. acute care), system type, embodiment (type of unit), program development and support, hardware and software (front-end and ancillary).

Independa in their release (PDF) highlights their inclusion in the CAST tools. The Independa TV with embedded remote care services, developed in partnership with LG, was also reviewed in a recent whitepaper written by aging services researcher Laurie Orlov, focusing on its potential utilization in post-acute care transitions to the home and skilled nursing.

Telehealth Soapbox: Medical device tax finally under fire; implications many (US)

September 26, 2013 | by
[grow_thumb image=”https://telecareaware.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/gizmodo-the-top-10-rube-goldberg-machines-featured-on-film-rube-goldberg.jpg” thumb_width=”180″ /]A key part of the Rube Goldberg (or Heath Robinson)-esque funding of the Accountable Care Act (ACA, a/k/a Obamacare) is a punitive medical device tax of 2.3 percent levied on gross sales (not profits) of hip, knee, cardiac implants, many dental materials, diagnostics such as scanners, radiotherapy machines, catheters and more. Since it went into effect on 1 January, it has raised $1 billion according to the Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance, the Advanced Medical Technology Association and the Medical Device Manufacturers Association in July–for a program that does not start till 2014. According to The Hill, senior Senators Orrin Hatch, Barrasso and Hoeven are pushing for a repeal amendment to be attached to the stopgap spending bill. The reasons why the tax deserves to be tossed out on its ear are: (more…)

55% of ACOs trying on RPM for size: study. But what’s behind the good news? (US)

July 12, 2013 | by

According to a new ($2,495) study by market intel firm Spyglass Consulting Group, 55 percent of the US Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) included in their survey are deploying or evaluating RPM–remote patient monitoring–as an ‘early symptom management tool’. iHealthBeat’s summary here is excellent (as usual) and contains links to articles in FierceHealthIT and HealthcareITNews. Certainly we should raise at least one cheer, because the RPM is further qualified as ‘telehealth/telemedicine’.

But is ‘RPM adoption poised for robust growth’ as the Spyglass release claims? Not exactly.

Behind the cheerful release lead, the study actually flags three Big Negative Issues for telehealth providers that undercut the good vibes. These are largely quoted directly from the release:

  • 71 percent of organizations are concerned about integrating RPM with existing clinical care processes including EMRs
  • 58 percent are concerned that RPM doesn’t provide adequate support for clinical analytics and decision support tools–both key parts of the ‘evidence-based medicine’ that is the heart of any ACO.
  • More than 50 percent questioned the clinical effectiveness of RPM technology and their ability to generate a positive return on investment (ROI).

Ouch. Sounds like a shin-banging course of hurdles on the Robust Growth Track to this Editor.

Moreover, is this study qualitative masquerading as quantitative? It’s a Nicholas Brothers-worthy tapdance. How many hospitals and health systems are actually using RPM in this study? The findings are derived from over 100 interviews of individuals working in organizations ranging from health systems to payers. Does this represent 25, 50, 100 ACOs? Undisclosed. Is this a representative number? Unknown. A subsidiary point is not all the ACOs are actually ACOs: some are in progress (a long and winding road). How many?

But for directional purposes, it points to two conjoined things: a willingness (desperation?) to try RPM despite significant and underlying skepticism. The problems that can hold telehealth back from genuine acceptance, real helping of patients and real profitability are still plain to see. Your Editor’s bottle of Pol Roger remains on ice, unfortunately. 

Related: Perhaps determining ROI is not that far off. A web-based analytic tool has been developed by Partners HealthCare’s Center for Connected Health and the Center for Technology and Aging (CTA) in collaboration with the California HealthCare Foundation (publisher of iHealthBeat). The ROI Tool will be used for heart disease, and was originally developed for an IVR-based program to support COPD patients. HealthcareITNews

European remote patient monitoring to $800 million by 2018

April 23, 2013 | by

Frost & Sullivan’s latest report on the European market posits remote patient monitoring (RPM)–including telemedicine (virtual consults and patient visits), telecare and telehealth–as achieving $616.4 million in 2012 and rising to $831 million by 2018 as European countries economize in healthcare delivery. It’s worthwhile noting that F&S has developed multiple studies in their Connected Health Growth Partnership Service program for Europe, APAC and the Americas. F&S release, HealthTechZone article.

‘To Read’ lists for the holiday weekend

March 28, 2013 | by

With both Easter and Passover coinciding, your Editor’s final post for the week will be a compilation of lists which are poking up like crocuses this week. A happy holiday to our readers!

  • 10 High-Tech Gadgets to Help Grandma and Grandpa.  Andrew Carle (Director, Program in Assisted Living and Senior Housing, George Mason University) and his updated ‘nana tech’ list: GrandCare Systems, VTech, GreatCall featured. Ignore the condescending Forbes headline.
  • Five New Technologies from What’s Next Summit 2013. Laurie Orlov in Age In Place Tech looks at new entrants in the senior tech area such as CareMerge, CareSquared (virtual visits and information exchange between residents in communities and family) and SingFit (music).
  • 6 Companies Cashing in on Obamacare. Like most CNN Money headlines, it’s a writer’s stretch as none of them are cashing in quite yet–most are just past startup or early-stage and are still finding their hospital readmission, insurer, physician, individual insured and health exchange markets: GoHealth, Health Recovery Solutions, Eligible, QuantiaMD, Connecture and hCentive. Since costs will be going up on average 32 percent by 2017 for insurers in the individual market, according to the Society of Actuaries–only 6 percent today but expected to balloon as smaller companies abandon ever-costlier group plans–there is a huge future market in wringing out costs.
  • Which Emerging Markets Are Best Bets for Health Care Returns? If you had $1,000 to invest, what countries would be best? The answers will surprise you! From last month’s 2013 Wharton Health Care Conference.
  • Four Robots That Are Learning To Serve You. Your Friday Robot Fix courtesy of National Public Radio: FURo robot tour guide, Bestic eating assistant, EPFL’s amphibious ‘salamander’, mobility devices for smartphones including Botiful, Romo and SmartBot. For more on robots, quick search TTA.
  • Five Fallacies of Remote Patient Monitoring. Another list from David Lee Scher, MD which will disabuse many of their preconceptions.
  • Five mobile health projects on Indiegogo. For health tech eyeing crowdfunding, here’s a list from Mobihealthnews surveying Indiegogo, which permits but does not specialize in healthcare, unlike MedStartr and Health Tech Hatch, the latter buzzing in The Hive at TEDMED 2013 16-19 April. It also illustrates the drawbacks–for the hits such as Amiigo’s app/bracelet/shoe clip fitness system, there are others that do not make goal.
  • NEW 29 March  16 Billionaires Investing in mHealth Continues to Grow. David Doherty’s mHealth Insight roundup which includes the new $97 million fund started by two founders of RIM/BlackBerry, Mike Lazaridis and Doug Fregin; unfortunately no phone numbers or emails!