The AllAfrica website picks up on a PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) India report report launched at the annual Mobile World Conference in Barcelona, 25-28 February. It highlights the life-saving potential of SMS services (such as the Bangladeshi Aponjon service) but also points out that so far take up has been slow in Africa. Africa: Mhealth ‘Could Save a Million African Lives By 2017’
mHealth technology used to help expectant and new mothers in Bangladesh
“The mhealth program is being run through the Aponjon (dear one) initiative run by the Bangladesh government. It sends weekly text messages to expectant mothers, providing them with advice and reminders that they might find highly useful. Each text comes with a fee of $0.03 (Tk 2). For individuals who cannot read, recorded voicemail messages are used, instead.” Over 24,000 pregnant women have already subscribed for the service since the launch of the program in December 2012. Mhealth technology used to help mothers in Bangladesh QRCodePress item.
NI Telemonitoring Service celebrated by Minister Poots (UK)
Press release. An object lesson in how to avoid all those long and winding road issues about the fiasco of its commissioning, its cost and speed of delivery.
Future’s digital for healthcare, says tech tycoon (UK)
Peter Wilkinson, the self-effacing tech entrepreneur who launched, built and sold technology businesses including Planet Online, Freeserve and Sports Internet has given an inteview to his local newspaper, the Yorkshire Post, about his belief in the digital nature of future healthcare provision. He is an investor in telehealth company inHealthcare. Future’s digital for healthcare, says tech tycoon. The InTechnology company’s profile of Peter Wilkinson.
Two more useful – Simple Telehealth – items for GPs (UK)
Nearly a month ago we posted links to GP Online two articles written by Professor Ruth Chambers for UK GPs about practical ways to use the NHS Simple Telehealth system–aka Florence or Flo. They covered hypertension and inhaler use. Now we discover two further articles, oddly, on a different part of the site. They follow the same useful pattern as the earlier ones. They are:
- Adopting remote monitoring via telehealth in your CCG’s practices – part 3: smoking cessation
- Adopting remote monitoring via telehealth in your CCG’s practices – part 4: weight loss
How telehealth can fail to manage chronic diseases
For a US nurse’s view of telehealth (remote monitoring), see a blog by Kavita Radhakrishnan, RN, PhD. Start with this article, which is positive in tone: Can Telehealth Improve Chronic Disease Outcomes in the Community? but make sure to follow up with this item which swings the other way: Unintended Consequences: How Telehealth Can Fail to Manage Chronic Diseases.
EU ahead of US on telehealth
US law firm Epstein Becker Green analyses two key differences between the US and EU regulations affecting telehealth. First they identify the ability of health workers to treat their patients even when the patient moves to another EU state. Second is about getting health insurance companies to cover costs when health services are received abroad – it seems that insurance companies are required to do so under an EU directive whereas in the US cover is mostly state based: E.U. Way Ahead of the Game on Telehealth. Heads-up thanks to TANN England editor Chrys Meewella.
BT gets Cornwall telecare/telehealth service as part of service outsource package (UK)
The on-off-on saga of BT’s attempt to become the major supplier [latest posts] of services including telecare and telehealth for Cornwall has finally been confirmed. The deal will involve the transfer of 303 full time equivalent staff with the majority of staff expected to transfer in July. BT to be awarded Strategic Partnership contract (Insider Media).
Trafford Council pledges free telecare trial for over 80s (UK)
After checking the date on this item (not 2007 or 1st April) I can post it with congratulations to Trafford Council and its partners AgeUK, Trafford Housing Trust and LMCP Carelink. Trafford Council pledges free Telecare trial for over 80s. Messenger Newspapers.
Continua Connects in Abu Dhabi
12-13 May, Abu Dhabi, UAE
The Continua Health Alliance has launched ‘Continua Connects’ technology showcase and networking events that “bring together major purchasers with developers and integrators of Continua compliant devices, systems and services.” The aim is to promote and support global adoption of Continua’s interoperable Design Guidelines and to “gain exposure for Continua-ready personal health technologies developed by member companies”. Continua Connects events are open to member and non-member companies. The first of these events will be happening in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Med-e-Tel 2013 conference program updates (Lux)
Med-e-Tel 2013 is next week (10-12 April) and here is some update information in case you are still making up your mind whether to attend or not: Med-e-Tel 2013 conference program updates.
NHS needs better vision of digital patients
This item picks up on some of the issues raised by the recent NHS Innovations Expo. To quote one participant “innovations like telehealth can and will come for British NHS users — but only if the emphasis shifts from a focus on long-term care to incorporating it in the day to day running of hospitals, clinics and other patient contact points”. NHS needs better vision of digital patients Information Week UK
Whisper of the heart
Two app-related items spotted by TANN Ireland editor Toni Bunting. Connect the dots with the first to this TTA item and the second has potentially huge implications for understanding heart disease:
- Smartphone apps sense users’ emotions and quantify wellbeing (Springwise.com)
- A Million Smartphones Will Drive Biggest Heart Health Study in History (SingularityHub.com)
Related item on TANN Ireland: Gamifying meditative breathing with the Zen biosensor.
ATA 2013
4 – 8 May 2013, Austin, Texas
For 18 years, the American Telemedicine Association’s (ATA) Annual International Meeting and Trade Show has been a major forum for healthcare professionals and entrepreneurs in the telemedicine, telehealth and mHealth fields. ATA 2013 will be its largest ever meeting. The world-class, peer reviewed program includes 500 educational sessions and posters, highlighting the latest innovations, applications and delivery models in telemedicine. The 2013 exhibit hall hosts nearly 300 vendors and, with over 6000 projected attendees, there’s no better place to meet and network. More details and registration.
ATTENTION UK readers: Are you attending ATA 2013? At least one UK TTA reader is and he’s wondering if you would like to meet up in Texas. Email editor Steve if you are and I’ll put you in touch.
Tunstall, world leader in telehealthcare, starts to evangelize the USA
We are interested to note that Tunstall is starting to claim the term ‘telehealthcare’ in the USA just as we notice it starting to downplay its use in its recent UK marketing materials in favour of ‘telecare and telehealth’. (In the UK the term ‘telehealthcare’ gained ground in general usage in some parts of the country after Tunstall started to use it and, as no other major suppliers used it, they succeeded in owning it in the way that a team which has the ball in its possession ‘owns’ the ball.)
How do we know that Tunstall is about to do its telehealthcare thing in the US? Read this press release: Telehealthcare Leaders Forum Welcomes Assoc. Chief Medical Officer at Northwestern Memorial to Speak About Healthcare Innovation. American and Canadian readers will be highly amused to learn that “The Telehealthcare Leaders Forum is North America’s only educational and professional event dedicated to stimulating innovation and leadership in the emerging era of technology and healthcare delivery.”
Ill health prediction from Facebook interests?
Joseph Kvedar, Director, Center for Connected Health, Partners HealthCare poses a ‘big data’ question on his cHealth (connected health) blog: Is Facebook a Predictor of Your Health? Well, per se it’s not, of course, but the interesting speculation is on how far collectors of data relating to our online behaviour and offline shopping habits might soon be able to start identifying our likelihood of developing particular health conditions. If you think it is far-fetched, find the link in the comments to the Forbes item spotted by David Doherty ‘How Target Figured Out A Teen Girl Was Pregnant Before Her Father Did’.
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