There are doctors that know when their patients’ hearts are racing,
or when their blood pressure is rising, even if they are sitting at home.
Does that freak you out a little?
Yeah, us too.
But for high risk patients,
patient home monitoring devices
can be life saving.
For providers, these devices help to identify problems early,
cut costs and eliminate inefficiencies in our health care system. Unbeknownst to many of us, these home monitoring devices are actually a key focus of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). And the big data that arises from these internet connected devices are valuable for our health care systems. They also offer huge financial potential for those that manufacture these home monitoring devices and have the wherewithal to store the big data they yield.
As reported in this MedCityNews article:
Already, mobile apps, scales, and activity trackers that beam data they collect to the cloud are helping some doctors and hospitals keep tabs on their patients and inform treatments. Insurance and electronic medical records companies are investing in and partnering with tech outfits like RedBrick Health and Audax Health, which encourage consumers to use activity and health tracking tools and upload the data to their platforms.
Startups across the country are creating gadgets such as pill boxes that can monitor whether patients are taking their meds and under-the-mattress sensors that measure heart rate, breathing and movement. Microsoft HealthVault — Microsoft’s web-based electronic health records platform — lets doctors access data from fitness trackers like Fitbit or Nike+ Fuel Band and glucose and heart monitors that patients have uploaded themselves. It’s an attempt to create a one-stop shop for health information.
[M]any consumer-grade apps and gadgets aren’t approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the agency that regulates medical devices. In addition, some doctors and other patient advocates are concerned that internet-based systems aren’t secure and that patient privacy might be breached, intentionally or not. But there are signs that resistance to patient-generated data systems is eroding as the healthcare system shifts to focusing on outcomes, and institutions look to web-based solutions to expand their reach and save money.
How do you feel about the big data being gathered by patient home monitoring devices?
What would make you consider using such devices?
Please share in the comments section below, or on our facebook page.
However, if you have a medical issue that may require
such a device, and you need assistance with health insurance
coverage, please complete the confidential form below
and one of our experts will be in touch with you right away.
