Distressed family seeks answers as to why their mother was given a panic alarm system, apparently inappropriately. Website.
Consider in the light of the Verify & Locate story above.
The US-based Guardian Alert 911 takes the panic alarm principle and cuts out the call centre, connecting owners directly to the emergency services. Taking this approach there’s an immediate saving for users as there are no monthly fees.
View this 7 minute Guardian Alert 911 video on the company’s website.
LogicMark homepage.
US WiFiMed Holdings Company, Inc. whose holdings are providers of ‘physician workflow solutions’ has announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding to purchase UK-based Integrated Telecare Ltd (iTelecare). The acquisition is expected to be completed by the end of the year, with iTelecare becoming the fourth wholly owned subsidiary of WiFiMed Holdings. Press release for more detail.
Tim Craig, for iTelecare, told Telecare Aware “This is a good development that will lead to many improvements for our customers and their telecare users. It demonstrates an understanding of the great potential of broadband-based systems and the extra value of working with iTelecare.” iTelecare home page.
Dr Ted Eytan comments on four articles he has been reading on home health (remote patient) monitoring. His breath-of-fresh-air conclusions are cautiously positive. Now Reading: A Few Peer-Reviewed Articles About Patient Willingness to Self-Monitor.
Many press releases in this field are self-aggrandising and/or bland beyond bearing, but the following two hit an all time low of incompetence verging on farce.
The first, by diabetes-monitoring company XTend has the subheading ‘Company Begins Telemedicine Program With U.K. University’. The body of the press release, which is just an Xtended advertisement, completely omits to refer to the university, let alone name it!
The second, by Vocollect Healthcare Systems, attributes the following to its President, James Quasey:
“Facilities in long-term care will benefit from the partnership between our two organizations by having the ability to customize the best solution to support facility-wide, resident-centered services at the point-of-care. For TeleHealth Services, the strategic relationship empowers the company to productively evolve according to the changing needs of its customer base, which is a perfect complement to its customer service-based mission.”
As I’m much to charitable to believe that Mr Quasey really talks like that, I assume it was a quote written by a copy writer with a reverse-plain-English button on his or her word processor, and that someone else approved it.
Article and associated video (TV news item) showing the WebVNU Remote Nurse [annoying pre-video advert alert] in action as deployed by the VNA Care Network in Massachusetts.
Further nudging telecare into public awareness in the US, American Medical Alert Corp (AMAC) has announced the launch of a new Walgreens Ready Response television campaign “aimed to support the growing acceptance of remote monitoring technologies amongst family caregivers and seniors alike.” The television campaign features a new tagline: “Endorsed by Grandchildren Everywhere.” The first round of television spots focuses on “shifting the traditional product category messaging from one of people in distress to showcasing the special bond between grandparents and grandchildren along with how the system reflects seniors’ independent spirit.” The campaign is to be tested on national cable as well as in key spot broadcast markets to coincide with Walgreens chain-wide store signage distribution.
[I don’t see where the ‘medical alert’ branding comes in - it looks like a plain old panic button alarm to me.]
Read the whole press release here.
Walgreens Ready Response website.
Alcatel-Lucent is searching for a US service provider partner to help deliver a new telehealth application it developed with Canadian carrier SaskTel. The service, known as LifeStat remote monitoring and health management, allows patients with chronic health conditions to transmit their own health information to a network-based analysis tool to help them and their doctors monitor and control their condition. Read full item in TelephonyOnline.
Alcatel-Lucent website. LifeStat website.
Southeastern Regional Medical Center (SRMC) has received a $159,873 grant from The Duke Endowment to implement a telehealth patient monitoring and communication system. Short news item from the Feyetteville Observer.
US Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) announced the House and Senate’s successful override of President Bush’s veto of H.R. 6331 the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (reported in Telecare Aware 25 June). The Act is intended to improve patients’ access to quality, affordable health care and encourages the introduction of e-prescribing and telehealth services. Senator’s press release.
The system, called Health Guide, integrates vital sign collection, patient reminders, multimedia educational content and feedback and communications tools such as video conferencing and e-mail. It can connect to specific models of wired and wireless medical devices, including blood pressure monitors, glucose meters, pulse oximeters, peak flow meters and weight scales. It also stores and displays the collected information on a touch screen and sends it to a secure host server, where healthcare professionals can review the information.
Intel expects the Health Guide to be available from healthcare providers in the United States and the United Kingdom later this year or early next. Press release from Reuters.
Darrin Umbarger’s new wheelchair has what he calls the Wow Factor. Not telecare, but a great little independence-related story. East Oregonian story.
NuPhysicia has incorporated ATI’s CareTone Ultra digital stethoscope into the B3Zero Telemedicine Suitcase System. CareTone Ultra, one of ATI’s patented CareTone Telephonic Stethoscopes, transfers high-quality, real-time auscultation sounds from the hearts, lungs and abdomens of remote patients. Press release.
The three products are: a wireless automatic blood pressure monitor; wireless precision scale, and a wireless activity monitor, as part of its Lifesource range. Press release.
Recora now offers gold plated steel contacts, as well as the standard stainless steel. The gold acts as a shield against corrosion, increasing the life of the sensor. The sensors also have adjustable sensitivity. Press release.
