A Ph.D project at the Norwegian Centre for Integrated Care and Telemedicine has resulted in an interesting self-monitoring system for diabetics.  Eirik Årsandt based it on a smartphone, a glucose monitor, a step counter and software that trends and inputs information.  The monitor and counter upload wirelessly to the smartphone, the person can enter medication and diet information and the app creates a useful diary.  Further testing will be part of an EU project called "Renewing Health" starting this month, with a group of 200 subjects.  Article (in English).

Sensor device-maker Gentag is commercializing a disposable "skin patch" that looks like an ordinary bandage.  Targeted to orthopedic surgery patients, it enables the patient to self-monitor during recovery as long as they have an RFID enabled cell phone.  The patch combines advanced MEMS sensors with Gentag’s disposable wireless sensor platform.  Gentag has already developed other disposable diagnostic patches, including devices for fever and diabetes monitoring.  Article.

Of interest, perhaps, to telehealth suppliers: a discussion-piece in Product Design and Development. Five views from people in the medical devices industry on surviving the recession. The Brainstorm: Medical Device Market.

New game: brand spotting...telehealthcare is...

• a long-established brand name of Viterion Telehealthcare, a Bayer company. Website.
• a California corporation that performs administrative and technical duties for, and in conjunction with the Physician Association. Website.
• re-branding terminology being promoted by Tunstall for the past couple of years. Website.
• a brand name for UK (newcomer?) diabetes monitoring company Axon Telehealthcare. Website.

Summing up Brian Dolan's extensive coverage for MobiHealthNews of the 3-4 February mHealth Initiative conference are his thoughts on what will be driving mHealth--providers or consumers/patients?  While there are highly 'activated patients', the least activated are least compliant with care plans, most likely to be readmitted to the hospital--and the most costly.  The low consumer adoption of personal health records (PHRs) and other evidence is suggested in Rob Havasy's (Connected Health) tweet, "When providers adopt consumers will engage"--a doctor's prescription. Other highlights of the conference:

• Is the mHealth revolution unstoppable? The technology is ready--but the participants need to change their ways (kickoff keynote)
• The FCC's digital healthcare director on mHealth driving economic growth, jobs--the connectivity situation (10% of the US still has no wireless)--and sorting it out with the FDA
• Finding the 'willpower' to integrate mHealth into a neurological practice (with Verizon Droids)--its potential for practice management and 'remote virtual nursing'
• George Washington Medical Center's (Washington, D.C) case history of an intensive mobile phone based program for Medicaid patients with diabetes, teaming up with WellDoc and Medicaid PPO clinic Chartered Health Family Clinic
• AT&T's iPhone hospital launches:  Doylestown Hospital, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center; and Mt. Sinai Medical Center (Toronto, Canada)
• mDhil, a successful health text messaging company in India, with 150,000 users in 10 months (probably highly activated)

MassGeneral Hospital for Children and the Partners Center for Connected Health (both Partners HealthCare, Boston) are testing a videoconferencing arrangement that connects six pediatric ICU physicians' homes with a portable telemedicine station positioned at the patient's bedside.  When the on-call attending physician at home is needed for a consultation, the videoconference link enables the physician to see and evaluate the patient (with special cameras and scopes if needed), talk with clinicians on-site, and make treatment decisions. Healthcare IT News.

24th February 2010, London

One-day seminar, supported by Bosch, organised by the Westminster Health Forum and featuring luminaries such as

• Margaret Parton, Chief Executive Officer, NHS Technology Adoption Centre
• Murray Bywater, Managing Director, Silicon Bridge Research
• Richard Rees-Davies, General Manager for Home Health, GE Healthcare

For your weekend viewing:
1) RTT News interviews Jonathan Linkous of the American Telemedicine Association on how technology and healthcare are converging (4 mins)
2) Larry Chu interviews Chuck Parker, Executive Director of Continua about the alliance, for HCPlive. (7 mins)
3) Tech journo Scott Mace visits the Continua Alliance booth at CES last week--the 'child's garden of wonders' we referred to. The video quality is only fair, but Mr Mace lets the demos speak for themselves. You'll also get an idea of the Digital Health part of the expo floor. This one includes IBM demonstrating the 'end-to-end' solution including A&D, Roche, Eurotech; Nonin Medical and Vignet. (7 mins)
4) Also by Scott Mace, this features Tunstall, Storento (sp?) med monitoring packaging, MedApps and a chronic disease management demo by a Continua representative that includes A&D, LNI Health Link uploading to a Google Health PNR. (10 mins)
5) A crystal clear MedApps demo using a pulse oximetry reading (the subject lived.) (1 min)

Washington, DC, February 3-4, 2010

First global conference on use of cell phones, smart phones and other wireless mobile devices in healthcare. Early booking discount ends 20 January. Programme. Sponsor a report?

For the healthcare minded, the Consumer Electronics Show (International CES), officially kicking off Thursday (7 Jan) in Las Vegas (but all over the press with Google's Nexus One, 'smartbooks'/slates etc.), has a section in the LVCC's North Hall dedicated to 'digital health'.  Unfortunately the exhibitor list in this 'tech zone' is a bit of a disappointment, with only Continua Alliance and GrandCare Systems of interest to our readers.  The neighboring Silvers Summit 'tech zone' has more of interest, with Dakim (brain fitness), Jitterbug (phones), Tabsafe (med dispensing) and Wellcore (fall detection).  But Continua seemingly has a child's garden of wonders in their booth.  They are demonstrating 'the first end-to-end connected health solution based on the Continua architecture':  Nonin Medical's wireless Bluetooth pulse oximeter sends data to a PC manager running Vignet's Connected Health Services platform (debuting at CES-release) which is then uploaded to an IBM server.  But...there's more:  A&D Medical (blood pressure and weight--see recent story on Halo partnership), Lamprey Networks, PDT, Renesas Technology, Tunstall Healthcare (Telehealth Platform--see below--and Connect) and ZyXEL are also demonstrating in the Continua booth. Continua's release and press advisory.

[Donna Cusano update 7 January] Live from CES--GrandCare Systems hosted their weekly open webinar/conference calls from the just-opened floor.

• Add to your visiting list: Carnegie-Mellon/University of Pittsburgh (Silvers Summit 'tech zone' booth #3013)--their display from their Quality of Life Tech Center is a 64 square foot room demonstrating their latest innovations, including RFID-assisted walls that change moods--color and brightness--to assist those with traumatic brain injury, plus touch screens for vital signs monitoring.  (Thank you Jeff Giuggio from C-M for the short briefing).
• Wellcore (#2909) is introducing at CES their in and out-of-home fall detector, which will be marketed through the firstStreet catalog starting in March. Beyond the usual accelerometer, it uses algorithms to track and discern type of motion, delivers voice messages from their online website and will prompt to be worn. Out-of-home, the Wellcore monitor connects via Bluetooth to a cell phone.  Releases.

Although this editor isn't there, we could have an 'inside source' for updates...we hope that what happens in Vegas, can't stay in Vegas!

[Donna Cusano update 8 January] According to this release, at today's 11am keynote Qualcomm chairman Dr. Paul Jacobs was joined by Dr. Eric Topol of the West Wireless Health Institute to highlight a selection of digital medical devices, including AirStrip OB (AirStrip Technologies), Mobile Baby (Great Connection), PiiX (Corventis) and Vscan (GE Healthcare).

San Diego, CA. February 9, 2010

Hosted by Continua Health Alliance and the Wireless-Life Sciences Association (WLSA) - "a day of insightful Mobile Health Solutions keynotes, panel discussions, product demonstrations and networking opportunities with venture capital and development organizations". Open to people who are not Continua members. Details here.