Surprisingly in the tech-addicted (and young-skewing, based on subject matter) Gigaom is this short piece on how health tech companies are missing the boat by targeting the young, healthy fitness addict or plain addicted-to-the-data Quantified Self (QS) market, rather than those over 50 and their families. ‘Simple’ and unobtrusive are the keywords, especially for what the late and much missed MetLife Mature Market Institute termed the ‘old-old’–those over 80. Mentioned are home activity monitoring systems such as Lively, BeClose and GrandCare Systems supplanting the PERS pendant (Lifeline) and the additional alert capabilities offered by GreatCall/Jitterbug. (This Editor will also mention a new telecare system entering the European and Americas markets, Essence Care@Home, which premiered at Mobile World Congress 2014. More on this in the next few days.) What’s notable about the article is the emphasis on the market size (via expert Laurie Orlov): $2 billion now, ten times that in 2020. What’s incomplete about the article is no ‘look-ahead’ to how devices like smartwatches (and watch-like forms such as AFrame), sensor-based wearables which connect to smartphones–and sensor-equipped smartphones, tablets and even Glass-type devices with simple apps which can help with self-or group-monitoring, prompts for those with cognitive difficulties, and more. Worldwide, we are also running out of carers [TTA 24 April]. Who will crack the code on tech for seniors?
Happtique certifies 19 health apps
Happtique, which started in 2011 as a health app certifier and curator, then ‘pivoted’ to what they term a “virtual marketplace and distribution platform” (?) after a major management change this spring, has mystifyingly announced the ‘Inaugural Class of 2013’ of 19 certified health apps. These presumably passed certification guidelines finalized in September 2012. But the bare list of apps and links leads this Editor to more questions. Is this meant for the clinical market as part of their mRx program? Consumer market? And how will they find out? While the apps range from the obscure (Amazing Abs) to the expected (MyNetDiary’s Diabetes Tracker) to the well-known from major names (GreatCall’s UrgentCare, which counts as two on the list), it’s hard not to feel a certain sense of underwhelm at this news: 19 out of nearly 30,000 counted by iMedical Apps [TTA 23 July] and even against the 200 listed in MyHealthApps [TTA 26 Nov]. MedCityNews’ light and oddly edited article only adds to the mystery. And Mobihealthnews reveals that the 10 companies listed paid for certification of their apps, which is not surprising, but if more than a nominal amount (application fee) very well takes away from the impression of objective certification.
Ed. Note: Over the past three days this Editor has contacted Happtique to confirm the application fee and to generally comment on the program. As of this writing (Thursday 8:30pm NY time), no reply has been received. However, a FierceMobileHealthcare interview with then-CEO Ben Chodor gave a range of $2500-3000 to certify an app for two years, with a 30 day turnaround time.
Doro 2.0 smartphone QSs with Withings (EU)
[grow_thumb image=”https://telecareaware.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Doro-Liberto-810.jpg” thumb_width=”100″ /]Doro’s unveiling of their second smartphone, the Doro Liberto 810, along with its ‘privileged access’ to two Withings devices–the Smart Body Analyzer (weight, body fat, heart rate) and Pulse Smart Activity Tracker–continues their moves into older adult-appealing mobile telecare/telehealth offerings, as tracked by founding Editor Steve since at least 2009. Doro’s assertive move into Quantified Selfing as part of what they call ‘the world’s most liberating smartphone’, is more fully featured and was predicted by David Doherty earlier this year [TTA 25 Feb]. It is also not Doro’s first big alliance; late last year, Bosch Healthcare announced that Doro would be the mobile platform for telecare offerings in Germany and Sweden [TTA 16 Nov 2012]. Both the release and Mobihealthnews indicate that this offering will roll out to select European markets initially, but the latter states that a similar offering will debut in the US by early 2014. (For US readers, Doro is equivalent to GreatCall’s Jitterbug line) According to Mobile, the Liberto will be available in the UK in October.
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