Suicide-alert sensor for prisons – no wearables needed!

June 1, 2014 | by

GE_prison-suicide_sensor

GE Global Research has developed a non-contact monitoring system for prisons that aims to alert staff of a suicide attempt in progress. It works by tracking inmate’s movements and vital signs – but without the need for a wearable monitoring device! To achieve this the research team modified standard radar equipment to pick up the delicate movements of the chest caused by breathing and heartbeat.

The system which is designed to be mounted inside a prison cell could be an effective way to monitor at-risk individuals, without resorting to more expensive or more intrusive surveillance solutions. The US Department of Justice funded study proved to be 86 per cent accurate at determining whether someone required assistance.

The final technical report of the three part study is available in full at the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS). GE is now exploring ways to commercialise the system in prisons and other settings. Read more: New Scientist; National Institute of Justice

Health funding cuts in Australia

May 31, 2014 | by

Health and science funding in Australia are facing huge cutbacks under the new Government [grow_thumb image=”https://telecareaware.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Australian-budget.jpg” thumb_width=”150″ /]of Prime Minister Tony Abbott leading to expectations that the existing telehealth programmes will be reduced or abandoned as a direct result. A raft of cuts include closure of health and science agencies, funding cuts to major research institutes and the introduction of co-payment for each GP visit.

The Guardian reported that a cut of $1.8 billion of planned health payments to the States will take place over the next four years and The Lancet reports that the government’s share of the health service funding will be cut by $15 billion per year by 2024. The treasurer for New South Wales has stated that NSW itself would need to find an extra $1.2 bn over the next four years. ABC reported yesterday that the South Australian Government is planning to shut hundreds of hospital beds in next month’s budget in what will be the largest cut in its history.

Where will this leave the Australian telehealth and telecare services which have been showing rapid take-up in the recent past, helped along by several far-sighted Government initiatives such as Medicare Locals and telehealth pilots? And what impact will there be on the recent One in Four Lives industry initiative?

 

Sleep monitor for telecare in epilepsy, abnormal night activity

May 22, 2014 | by
[grow_thumb image=”https://telecareaware.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/SAMI-Camera.jpg” thumb_width=”140″ /][grow_thumb image=”https://telecareaware.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/SAMI-image05-300×169.png” thumb_width=”175″ /]

A truly underserved area is monitoring children who have epileptic seizures or other conditions at night. There’s danger to the child and loss of sleep or inability to detect by the parent or guardian. Sleep/activity monitors, baby monitors and movement sensors haven’t been adequate nor accurate. The Epilepsy Foundation (EF) in the US has developed SAMi, a monitoring system consisting of an camera (left) with built-in infra-red LED illumination connecting to an iPhone, iPad or iPod app. At night or designated sleep times, it alerts only for prolonged movement typical of a seizure or other suspect night activity, activating the phone with both audio and video. The movements are also recorded and logged for date/time/duration. It is not inexpensive: the SAMi camera alone is $399 and $949 for the fully configured kit with a iPod plus Wi-Fi router. The new Indiegogo campaign is to raise $90,000 for the next gen camera and to purchase units for charitable distribution to families. Also Medgadget. (A search here on ‘epilepsy’ will confirm the lack of attention to–and the need for–epilepsy monitoring)

UK Telehealthcare MarketPlace 2014 (UK)

May 21, 2014 | by

UK Telehealthcare is again having a free-to-attend London Market Place in Kensington Town [grow_thumb image=”https://telecareaware.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/UKTHC-logo-final1.jpg” thumb_width=”150″ /]Hall, on 2nd June 2014. In case you are wondering, UK Telehealthcare is the re-branded London Telecare. The change which took place in September last year is taking the London Telecare model nationwide.

These Market Place events provide the supplier members of UK Telehealthcare the opportunity to show their telehealth and telecare products and for visitors to try them out and discuss their requirements. The Market Place is open for five hours and there is a programme of talks running in parallel. See the flyer (pdf) for other details. As the flyer says, there is no need to book but please let Doug Miles know id you are planning to attend.

A kudo for kiosks: HealthSpot Station adds $8 million funding

May 9, 2014 | by
[grow_thumb image=”https://telecareaware.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/booth-Dr.-Jenkins-with-attendant-300dpi-website.jpg” thumb_width=”150″ /] In a week of small funding announcements, HealthSpot announced an add of $8 million to its 2013 $10 million round, totaling $18.3 million of a $20 million offering (SEC filing). Investors are not disclosed. In three years, HealthSpot has raised an impressive total funding of $23 million (CrunchBase), although the company is still in pilot in a handful of locations around their Ohio HQ and reports minimal revenue. The company’s hosted, fully enclosed kiosks with both telehealth monitoring and virtual consult capabilities debuted at the end of 2012 at International CES New York. According to their website, their markets are facility waiting rooms, pharmacies, schools, military bases and prisons. Their partnerships have been notable: EHR Netsmart, telemedicine network Teladoc and a co-location arrangement with Canadian pharmacy kiosk MedAvail [TTA 23 Jan]. They are also on the board of the Alliance for Connected Care lobbying advocacy group [TTA 13 Feb], which will certainly aid their cause by plumping for increased telehealth coverage by Medicaid beyond the present 20 states and Medicare beyond rural special programs. Yes, they will be at ATA 2014, if you are attending. Mobihealthnews

They’re baaaaaack!

May 5, 2014 | by

When this editor was running the Whole System Demonstrator in LB Newham, he watched as a firm of management consultants that were assisting the DH steadily became ‘experts’ in telecare and telehealth delivery as they watched us struggling to deliver a new technology to demanding academic trial requirements. It was almost a caricature of the “lend me your watch; show me how to use it; now I’ll charge you for telling you the time” joke.

A different firm allied with the leading provider of telehealth equipment at the time to offer a kit + redesign care package that shifted many boxes (more…)

Amazon’s new wearables ‘store’ needs a location guide

April 30, 2014 | by

[grow_thumb image=”https://telecareaware.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/amazon.png” thumb_width=”150″ /]Amazon’s flashy ‘wearable technology store’ which debuted today (29 April) is touted by a company representative as “…an exciting category with rapid innovation and our customers are increasingly coming to Amazon to shop and learn about these devices.” It features all the trendiest fitness bands too: Misfit Shine, the new Jawbone Up24 sleep tracker, smartwatches, wearable cameras, healthcare devices and even an Editor’s Corner with Advice for the Wearable-Lorn. The store is well stocked for fitness/wellness devices and smartwatches, but the shelves are bare for healthcare devices: the 12 listed include sleep tracker Lark, Withings and BodyMedia along with the exceedingly pricey HeartMath and iHealth telehealth products. The unfortunate problem is for those without the direct link to find the store. A search will divert you to a list of products. It isn’t listed under Electronics, nor if you search ‘wearable technology’, not listed under Departments or the show results for category bar (both at left). It’ll be fixed, being Amazon, and it does point to the now high profile of wearables. Amazon release, Silicon Republic (which features Amazon as a tech employer) Hat tip to Contributing Editor Toni Bunting, who reminded this Editor today that none of this appears on Amazon.co.uk!

The ‘grey’ market is where it’s at for ‘quantified selfing’

April 29, 2014 | by | 1 Comment

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?

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.

Telehealth Center establishes multi-state advisory council (US)

April 27, 2014 | by

We reported way back in 2006 that the US was to set up an Office for the Advancement of Telehealth [grow_thumb image=”https://telecareaware.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/UAMS.jpg” thumb_width=”150″ /](OAT) within the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) (TTA Jan 23 2006). The same year the OAT initiated a regional Telehealth Resource Center (TRC) grant program to provide support and guidance to telehealth programs. The OAT promotes the use of telehealth technologies for health care delivery, education and health information services. The office is part of the Office of Rural Health Policy, located within the HRSA at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. HRSA’s mission is to assure quality health care for underserved, vulnerable and special needs populations.

Fast-forward 8 years to Arkansas and the South Central Telehealth Resource Center (SCTRC) which serves Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee. The SCTRC focuses on telehealth education and peer interactions online.  The SCTRC also conducts hands-on training in its training center or on-site and operates primarily out of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Last year HRSA renewed grant funding of $975k for the center for 3 years and the center has recently set up a cross-state advisory board.  Telehealth projects in these states should contact advisory board members to discuss what SCTRC can offer them. For details see the SCTRC website.

Another alliance to promote connected health

April 24, 2014 | by

The formation of the Personal Connected Health Alliance (PCHA) by the Continua Health Alliance, mHealth Summit and HIMSS solidifies what has been a close working relationship into what will “represent the consumer voice in personal connected health.” With the three organizations having worked together for some years particularly in relation to the mHealth Summit, the PCHA will now be the Summit’s formal presenter with Continua, HIMSS and the Foundation for the NIH as partners. Clint McClellan, Qualcomm’s Senior Director of Business Development and Continua’s board chair, is the acting chair and the PCHA will be located in Arlington, Virginia. According to Rich Scarfo, Vice President of the PCHA and the developer of the mHealth Summit,“The Personal Connected Health Alliance, in cooperation with the mHealth Summit and Continua, will continue driving the industry forward by generating a new knowledge base around the personal connected health space, providing a strong and united voice on policy, regulatory issues and government relations, and advancing education and awareness for the widespread adoption of personal connected health technologies.” Continua, after a few uncertain years while it shifted from a sole mission of interoperability standards and certification to combining that with advocating personal telehealth, now enjoys a membership of roughly 200 companies and has largely shed its ‘subsidiary of Intel’ reputation. The mHealth Summit has undergone its own shifts from a focus on governmental and NGO wireless health to a much wider scope (and major expansion) courtesy of HIMSS. Certainly PCHA’s activities will bear watching with this tripartite backing. Release on HIT Consultant (hat tip to publisher Fred Pennic), mHealthNews, YouTube video

One can only speculate on PCHA’s mission overlap with another DC advocacy group, the Alliance for Connected Care. The latter, a thinly veiled lobbying group [TTA 13 Feb], has been strangely quiet, with the news section of its glossy website not updated since early March. (Lobbying is best done quietly?)

ELabNYC Pitch Day

April 17, 2014 | by

10 April, Microsoft HQ, NYC

The Entrepreneurship Lab NYC (ELabNYC) presented its second annual class of companies to nearly 200 life science funders, foundations, pharmaceutical companies, healthcare organizations, universities and the occasional Editor. Of the cohort of 19 companies finishing the three-month program, 56% are now funded and 25% had first customer revenue by the end of the program. Each company pitched for five minutes on its concept, its current state of advancement (including pilots/customers), its team and a funding timeline. This Editor will concentrate on the five companies with a digital health component; she was intrigued by their diversity and focus on difficult problems of compliance and diagnosis, especially dementia and concussion. (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…)

Stick on that comfy sensor patch

April 10, 2014 | by | 3 Comments
[grow_thumb image=”https://telecareaware.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/skinpatch-1-John-Rogers.jpg” thumb_width=”150″ /] From the head researcher (John Rogers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) who brought you biodegradable implanted batteries and sensors [TTA 26 March], comes an almost tattoo-like stretchable sensor conforming to the skin which uses off-the-shelf, chip-based electronics for wireless monitoring. It is envisioned for wireless health tracking connecting to smartphones and computers, and for vital monitoring such as ECG and EEG testing, although this Editor would not use the term ‘clinical’ as Gizmodo has done (it is probably at the fairly sound level of an AliveCor.) However the article points out the advantages in long term use–adherence to skin is far more reliable, no dangling pendants or clunky bracelets, and it allows for multiple sensors to be worn comfortably. This type of patch would also be far kinder to the delicate skin of babies and the elderly. For them, it would make consistent long-term telehealth monitoring (e.g. blood pressure, ECG, O2, blood glucose) far easier over time. Perhaps the core of this is the PERS of the future with gait tracking and fall detection. Cost isn’t mentioned, but off the shelf elements undoubtedly are less expensive than custom/bespoke. Published in Science 4 April (abstract and summary; full text requires log in) Also see Editor Charles’ earlier take–maybe Mr. Rogers should speak to him!

‘Blue Blazes’ indeed: Wal-Mart’s clinic in a back room

April 7, 2014 | by
[grow_thumb image=”https://telecareaware.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/blue-blazes.jpg” thumb_width=”150″ /] The surprise here is not that Wal-Mart is teaming with Kaiser Permanente at two locations in California (Bakersfield, Palmdale) to trial a telemedicine/telehealth clinic. Nor is it that it’s confined to KP members and Wal-Mart employees–it is, after all, a pilot (albeit for two years). It’s that they’d let a photographer take a picture of the sheer crudity of the clinic setup (left, below, click to enlarge). It likely utilizes a disused storage area or back room, where the clinic, instead of soothing, clean white or blue, is institutional tan and crammed full of plug-ins–cameras, PC screens, equipment, exposed wires, plugs and outlets. Perfect for the claustrophobic! (s/o) The modish paint and signage at the entry area outside (see article photos) only serve to set up the potential user for disappointment. The question is, why didn’t they simply rent some ready-made kiosks from HealthSpot Station [TTA 29 Oct 13 + previous] or SoloHealth (already a Wal-Mart vendor)–or others? No wonder the nurse has to drag prospects off the floor. Truly a ‘What In Blue Blazes?’ moment that does not bode well for the success of this pilot–and a puzzle given the partners. Wal-Mart shoppers: The doctor will see you now (Bakersfield Californian)[grow_thumb image=”https://telecareaware.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Wal-Mart-telemedicine.jpg” thumb_width=”180″ /]

 

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…)