Electronic devices allowing seniors to stay at home longer

The New York Times recently looked at two digital devices that can allow seniors to stay in their homes longer rather than go to retirement homes. The digital monitoring devices are allowing sensors to be placed around seniors home so family members who live farther away can know that they are eating, taking their medications and leaving the house. The article also discusses a digital pill box, which will notify seniors when it is time to take their medications. As the article points out, some seniors may see this as precautions that go overboard for their health and conflict with their privacy, but others see it as a way to aid their safety in their own home.

Autom: Your Personal Trainer

Autom, a new interactive robot, could become your next personal trainer. The Wall Street Journal recently spoke with Co-founder and chief executive of Intuitive Automata Inc., Cory Kidd. He saw an opportunity to develop a robot that could help keep track of exercise and diet, while also giving instant feedback and reminders of goals to all users. The interactive element was also key in the creation of this "Personal Trainer," as she can also blink her eyes and turn her head.

Watch the video feature about Autom here:

Social networking impacting workouts

In a recent article at CNet, Caroline McCarthy looks at how social networking is impacting workouts. Users tweet locations via Four Square all the time, so how can this relate to exercising? Data tracking via mobile apps are now feeding into social media communities that aid individuals in their goal to keep in shape. When users post their weight loss goals, they're more likely to stay focused on their goals.

What are some of the tools and social networks Caroline has used to keep track of her fitness? Garmin ForeRunner 110 GPS, heart rate monitor, and a Fitbit. Many of these feed into social networks to keep track of the users progress.

Read the full article here.

Save the date: Vital - The Consumer Digital Health Event

October 6, 2010, JW Marriott Union Square, San Francisco, CA

Healthcare is at the crossroads of a consumer revolution. As the patient moves to the center of healthcare delivery, innovative personal health technologies empower the consumer with a wealth of data and information. This new consumer is responding by changing their behaviors and taking ownership over their own health outcomes. VITAL brings together all the key stakeholders shaping this revolution to evaluate consumer preferences, and the impact consumer health technologies have on health outcomes and today’s empowered consumer.

In just one day, address your key issues and challenges with competing in this evolving new industry. From barriers to consumer adoption, to incentives for reimbursement to data integration and measuring clinical outcomes, we have assembled the leaders in this space to answer your most pressing questions…

Engage in group discussions and learn from real world examples from Best Buy, Meridian Health, Pfizer, The Center for Technology & Aging, BCBS FL, and more. To see the complete speaker line-up and exciting new agenda, visit our webpage.

Plus, hear how consumers are taking control of their health with a keynote presentation from Thomas Goetz, Executive Editor, WIRED Magazine and Author of “The Decision Tree: Taking Control of Your Health in the New Era of Personalized Medicine”

Join us October 6 for a unique event experience that will position your company for success in this exciting new market place!

We hope to see you in San Francisco!

To continue the conversation, be sure to join our Consumer Health Technologies LinkedIn Group.

IBM Focuses on Digital Health

This week, IBM announced it will invest $100 million to increase its presence in IT driven healthcare. Its goals are to improve the success of medical diagnostics and streamlining medical treatments. On this three year plan, they will spend the money by hiring doctors and medical experts to enhance and create these medial technologies. Click here to read the full article.

Cooling devices help summer work outs

The Wall Street Journal recently looked at the dynamics of personal cooling devices available to the public. The goal is to bring body temperatures lower during workouts which may be affected by the high heat of the summer. Cooling devices usually contain ice packs, but it's important to not the size and the temperature of the cooling device. The size of a device makes a difference in its ability to cool, and if a cooling device is too cold, it can actually have the reverse effect of cooling. Read the full article here.

Can mobile health lead to Medicaid savings?

Heath Care at MSNBC recently looked at the work Dr. Richard Katz is doing in Washington, DC, to work with inner city individuals to monitor their diabetes daily. By using cell phones as medical devices, they are hoping to take daily readings of blood sugar and send reports back to the doctors. Then, if numbers are incorrect, the doctors can communicate with the patients as to what they need to do to get their blood sugar back to normal. Then upon normal doctors visits, all of the information is recorded at NoMoreClipboard.com. Thus, encouraging individuals to consistently monitor their health on a daily basis before conditions worsen. Read the full article here. As this experiment is focused in inner-city Washington, DC, the daily healthcare will contribute to Medicare saving.

What do you think of this? Could you see this kind of care spread to other populations in similar situations? Could using apps with patient population encourage our society to wellness?

This blog is co-posted with the ePharma Summit Blog.

Market for handheld healthcare devices is growing

The market for hand held healthcare devices could reach $8.8 billion by the end of 2010 according to Mobi Health News. Much of this is credited to the healthcare stimulus package, but also the $5.3 billion that was spent on healthcare that was spent on healthcare monitoring tools.

According to a report recently issued by Kalorama:

Patient monitoring devices account for the largest share of sales in the handheld market, largely due to the range of products available, the number of conditions requiring monitoring, and increasing demand for essential monitoring products in portable sizes, such as ultrasound and ECG. Administrative devices have exploded over the last five years with the growing use of PDAs, smartphones, and tablet PCs taking hold in the healthcare industry.

Read the full article here.