Wearables and Simple Telehealth – another step forward?

May 2, 2014 | by

In addition to Managing Editor Donna’s items on the opening of the Amazon Wearables Store, and the use of wearables by older ‘quantified selfers’,  Prof Mike Short has kindly drawn our attention to the most recent BBC Click programme which features wearables. Of particular interest to me was the first item on how Formula 1 technology involving measuring drivers’ heart activity is now being developed for the mass market, at rather lower cost. That will overcome a serious limitation of existing activity trackers that rely on accelerometers – for example my Jawbone UP faithfully measures every step I take whether walking or on a cross-trainer. However sessions on the rowing machine – or indeed a recent row in the London Head of the River race (for me definitely the most physically exhausting event so far this year), record no activity.

Another intriguing way of measuring heart activity is (more…)

Big data and mHealth combine to track & test ‘flu (UK event)

April 22, 2014 | by

What looks to be a really fascinating event is being held on Thursday 26th  June 2014 in The Council Room, The Institute of Materials, 1 Carlton House  Terrace, London SW1Y 5DB entitled “New Frontiers in Digital  Technologies for Influenza:  Big data and Mobile-­‐Phone  Connected Diagnostic Tests“. Entry is £70 for delegates, less for students.

This event brings together leading experts in the field of big data and mobile diagnostics to discuss the latest technologies to track and test influenza. This includes recent developments in mobile connected tests such as microfluidic chips, advanced nano materials and optics and surface-acoustic wave devices and the use of online sources (e.g. Google search engine queries, Twitter) to identify disease outbreaks much earlier than current healthcare systems.

Pandemic influenza is rated as one of the top threats to global health on the UK Government National Risk Register. Early detection and vigilant monitoring of serious flu epidemics is crucial to controlling outbreaks and supporting effective follow-up care. Researchers across the globe have turned to innovative digital technologies to address this global challenge. A successful early warning system using big data and mobile-phone connected tests could predict a pandemic even before people attend clinics or in parts of the world that lack the resources for traditional public health surveillance.

A cornucopia of appy items!

April 22, 2014 | by

Abilitynet’s top ten apps

When so many items that present themselves for publication are in one way or another pushing a commercial angle, it is so nice to be able to highlight a completely altruistic listing of apps aimed specifically at helping disabled people.

It would clearly be wrong to deprive Abilitynet’s website of the traffic, so rather than list the apps, we will merely comment that they seem very well chosen to cover as wide a range of disabilities as possible. The presence on the list of a number of widely used apps underlines the oft-made observation that if you design something with disabilities in mind, it is easier for everyone to use.

Distimo app analytics

For those wanting to explore the success of their apps and what works in terms of promotion, or who are interested in app download ranking, Distimo has a hugely impressive website, well worth exploring as everything is free.

The absence of much info on health and wellbeing apps is notable though, perhaps because (more…)

Playing games, using apps, promoting wellbeing – RSM event summary (UK)

April 22, 2014 | by

This is a brief summary of the main points made at an event on medical apps held at the Royal Society of Medicine on 10th April 2014.

First up was Prof Mike Kelly, Director of the Centre of Public Health at NICE who spoke about how apps could change behaviour. He described what he called “system 1”, the rational reflective system that he associated with Apollo, and “system” 2 the impulsive automatic system that he associated with Dionysus. System 1 is most often targeted by behaviour change, however most people find thinking hard so spend most of their time in system 2 mode, so it is  much more effective to “nudge” the automatic system 2, if you can.

Humans are relational creatures, not billiard balls, so (more…)

EU green paper on mHealth – VERY IMPORTANT

April 12, 2014 | by

This week the European Commission published its green paper on mHealth previously announced in the eHealth Action Plan 2012-2020, kicking off a broad stakeholder consultation on existing barriers and issues related to mHealth deployment and helping to identify the right way forward to unlock mHealth potential. To accompany it, a very short video by Neelie Kroes is available. An accompanying short (10 page) paper by the EC on the current legal position for people using health & wellbeing apps is also well worth a read. Finally, to complete the set, the EC has produced an mHealth infographic as well.

Responses to the Green Paper are required to the European Commission by 3rd July at the latest.

In view of the potential for mHealth to benefit everyone if correctly regulated and supported, all readers are urged to respond, either individually or collectively via an industry body (eg DHACA – see below), or both.

The document, at only 19 pages long, is hugely impressive, making an excellent case for (more…)

Looking ahead with TeleSCoPE (EU)

April 12, 2014 | by

Perhaps because we have covered the topic before, a cryptic email arrives from Malcolm Fisk, the driving force behind the development of the European Code for Telehealth Services, suggesting I consult the TeleSCoPE website and his Med-e-Tel presentation last week where “you’ll see a little announcement that indicates that things are moving forward”.

The website now includes a yellow box with the statement:

The framework for telehealth services to be assessed against the requirements of the European Code of Practice for Telehealth Services is being released on May 16th 2014. This follows collaborative work between the Telescope Partnership and DNV Healthcare. A four year cycle has been agreed that includes a Foundation Assessment followed by (mostly off-site) reviews and conformity checks. Accompanying the framework will be the new version of the Code by which the first tranche of services will become accredited.

…and the presentation includes, at the end, (more…)

“Wearing a fitness tracker…is so 2013”

April 8, 2014 | by

So begins the Phys.org article on a stick-on fitness tracker developed by engineers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Northwestern University. Certainly some impressive engineering on display.

Sadly no information is included in the article on how long the tracker stays stuck on, or minor issues like battery life or cost, so I’m not planning on giving up my Jawbone UP just yet. A most interesting development though – one feels it cannot be too long before it becomes implantable and the accelerometer doubles as a power source to top up the battery. Then it will be headline news.

More apparently will be revealed in this month’s issue of Science.

Meanwhile the Vandrico database now covers 195 wearables, a huge rise from the 118 when we first wrote about the database in mid February. Accelerometers are the most popular sensor.

Can the market cope with that level of choice…with Apple still, apparently, to come?

Medical Innovations Summit at the Royal Society of Medicine April 5 2014

April 7, 2014 | by

The RSM held another of its innovation summits last Saturday. In addition to the 13 stimulating presentations, the morning was excellently hosted by past RSM President Robin Williamson whose stand-up comedy skills are surely a close match for his well-known surgical expertise.

The first presentation, from Big White Wall, an online provider of personalised mental health services, was begun by founder Jen Hyatt. She quoted hugely impressive statistics of how 95% of users report feeling better, 80% feel able to take control of their lives and 73% share their feelings for the first time when using the wall. She described how they use a ‘social media scraper’ and algorithms to assess people’s state of mind and suggest treatment plans. Dr Simon Wilson, Clinical director, said there was good evidence that online mental health therapy is as effective as face:face.  He went on to explain in more detail how the service was provided and what steps were taken when people posted genuinely concerning material. This is a superb innovation.

This was followed by Dr Farid Khan, CEO of PharmaKure, a company that looks for  (more…)

A small compendium of potentially useful info

April 6, 2014 | by

In the process of looking for interesting items to highlight on Telehealth & Telecare Aware, occasionally we trip over info that, whilst not riveting in its own right, nevertheless may be of use to readers.  Here is a small selection of recent finds that we will add to – reader additions are most welcome too:

GP EU eHealth/telehealth penetration

The EU has recently published the results of a survey carried out last year on the penetration of eHealth & telehealth in GP surgeries across all EU countries (Croatia joined the EU during the survey) plus Iceland, Norway & Turkey. It comprises a very comprehensive executive summary, a full report, a series of individual country reports (44MB – beware) and a technical annex. Encouragingly it shows high adoption in the UK of EHRs though it’s no surprise the UK slips well down the ranks for things like telehealth adoption by GPs. (Giving extra weight to recent GPonline editorial calling for a change of culture by GPs regarding telehealth).

Reference to “N.H.S.” in the charts was (more…)

Police innovation fund – closing date 30th April 2014 (UK)

April 6, 2014 | by

Of possible interest to readers is the offer of £50m of Home Office funding for the use of innovative technology to improve policing. Interest is indicated in everything from wearables, such as body-worn cameras, to shared digital infrastructure with other services, such as health. Bids need, obviously, to involve one or more police forces and be signed off by a Police & Crime Commissioner.

Read Damian Green’s speech introducing it. Further details, including the application process, are here.

Hat tip to Prof Mike Short.

Mobile alerting trials for public emergencies (UK)

April 2, 2014 | by

This service potentially will be used in the UK (as in other countries) to alert people in a particular area via their mobiles of an emergency and may give them appropriate instructions on what to do. The service does not require the government or anyone else to know individual mobile numbers – it works on all mobile devices within an area defined by the emergency.

Three trials were run last autumn, working with three of the UK’s biggest mobile network operators to test different technical approaches for such a system. Two different approaches were tested as part of the trials:

  • cell Broadcast service (CBS): the broadcast of a text-type message to all handsets in a defined area
  • location-based SMS messaging: all numbers in a specific location receive a traditional SMS message

Of the two, (more…)

European Knowledge Tree Technology Group Conference summary (UK)

March 29, 2014 | by | 1 Comment

This conference was held in a very salubrious conference facility at the LSE on March 24th & 25th. The organiser – Maggie Ellis – delivered her customary eclectic selection of contributors: there was a very broad range, from telecare and telehealth stalwarts through to insurers specialising in the financial issues of older people, management gurus and broadcasters advising on how best to get a story on radio or TV. In short it is like no other, and so has a faithful following among a certain group of assistive technology professionals, many of whom travel from continental Europe and beyond to be there.

Almost no-one talked about proving benefits of assistive technology; the focus was on how best to deliver those benefits that no one doubted were achievable. The highlight for me was (more…)

Health Technology Forum – evening of 26th March – free to attend (UK)

March 23, 2014 | by

The next meeting of the Health Technology Forum will take place on 26th March. There no charge for attendance; Baker Botts has kindly confirmed their agreement to be long term sponsors.  This meeting will be in their premises close to Bank Tube so easily accessible.

Speakers will be:

  • Neil Daly, founder of Skin Analytics on “Our story – how we got started”
  • James Semple from Appcelerator on how to get apps to market quickly
  • Rupert Tebb from Paper on “MeHab – how we developed an alcohol reduction programme for the under 30s”
  • Neil Foster, Partner, Baker Botts on “the IPO of Cambridge Cognition, the leading British developer of computerised neuropsychological tests”

As this is our first meetup at Baker Botts, attendance by as many as possible would be greatly appreciated, to show our sponsors how much their generosity is appreciated. Your views on who you’d most like to get to speak at future events would be greatly welcome, too. The format of the evening will be as previously, with doors open at 6.30, aiming to start at 6.45 with four 15-20 minute presentations followed by questions ending in time to begin networking drinks (which will be a very high standard) at 8pm.

For security reasons only those who have indicated in advance that they will be attending will be able to attend – more details, and how to book are here.

NHS futures – more encouraging signs of change (UK)

March 23, 2014 | by | 4 Comments

Monitor has now released the output from the NHS Futures summit held on 21 November 2013, hosted by NHS England, Monitor and the NHS Trust Development Authority. The summit was designed to spark debate about how the landscape of health and care providers could evolve over the next decade to better meet the challenges outlined in the Call to Action. Over 100 senior health leaders took part including commissioners, providers (including GPs), health policy experts, and patient and charity representatives.

The summary Call to Action document makes encouraging reading for those who believe technology can help the NHS to improve patient outcomes at lower cost.  Contrary to the consultation exercise held by NHS England last August when we pointed out that remote consultation was not even mentioned, this features prominently in the Monitor summary (see especially Appendix 3, on pages 19-21), together with many other uses of technology such as smart homes, encouraging self-care, telemedicine, single patient record, interoperability, etc.

There are also some great videos – in particular (more…)