A few days ago I got an email alert from a company called MedApps that claims it’s unveiling the world’s first affordable and reliable mobile health monitoring system at the upcoming American Telemedicine Association conference in Las Vegas, April 26-28. And what functionality are they previewing? A system for remote upload of glucose data, of course.
I just bet, knowing how prevalent (and profitable) diabetes is, that the ATA event will be positively riddled with new mobile-phone-based applications for managing diabetes. Hopefully some of them will be useful to real PWDs in real-time now.
MedApps’ system features a small portable device that you can use to upload data from various personal health devices (glucose meters, blood pressure monitors, weight scales, etc.) It then immediately transmits your results to a managed data server and your data is posted on a portal for healthcare professionals, with lots of security so that only the right doctors see the right data, of course. The portal looks nicely designed in terms of making immediate sense of the information, setting reminders and alerts, generating reports, and all of that. But their video nearly put me to sleep. How is it possible to make a “revolutionary” wireless health app look so boring?
And of course, I’m left with the old nagging question of who will reimburse doctors for time spent on a patient data portal like this?
Still, my point is, I’m betting we’re going to be bombarded with announcements of mobile diabetes technology along these lines in the weeks and months to come. So even if you’re the early adopter type, you might want to be picky and choosy about what you try out.
And speaking of new health technologies… the X PRIZE Foundation is announcing kickoff of a $10 million Healthcare X PRIZE competition to reinvent the American healthcare system today at the World Health Care Congress in Washington DC.
The X PRIZE folks are known for similar high-profile contests in space technology, alternative vehicles, and genomics. Now they’re collaborating with WellPoint, the nation’s largest health benefits company, and The WellPoint Foundation, one of the nation’s largest corporate foundations, to call for concepts that will revolutionize the US healthcare system “in a bold, measurable, and scientific fashion.”
Today’s event will actually “invite public comment on shaping the prize to optimize individual engagement and to improve the overall health of communities.” Read the details here, or watch Newt’s explanation:
[Sure sounds like Newt would love the DiabetesMine Design Challenge, too]
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My son loves the fact that his glucose monitor beeper is broken. The first thing he would do with this MedApp device is disable the voice announcement of his reading. If you are blind it is a nice feature but I can just see my son turning pure red when that little box announces during a quite time in school.
The people/engineers that design these devices need to talk to real people that use this stuff. I think it is called market research
What I also wonder about with this ability to upload all this information so doctor’s can access it is WHY? Seriously, no doctor has ever looked at my blood sugars and then helped me figure out what to do to make them steadier. More the norm has been to be judged & blamed for consistently high morning blood sugars, which I battled with no matter what adjustments I made to my insulin and eating routines (problem solved when I finally got on the pump o- a tool I had to fight for). What actually will a doctor do with these numbers if they aren’t supported by other documentation such as what was eaten and when, exercise, stress, illness – all the variables. Blood Sugar is affected by everything, so unless we’re also giving doctor the whole picture and all the variables along with the bs numbers, how can they use the information? I know the uploaded information gives trends and that might be helpful for a new diabetic – but over the last decade I haven’t given my numbers for review because it’s pointless for anyone but me. Oh yeah, my AIC is in the low 5′s and my doctor is a TI diabetic himself so we have a very nice understanding. I think all this capturing of information and giving it to the docs is just an illusion. If you don’t have the education to respond to the here and now (something I had to learn completely on my own), you’re headed for big trouble – but hey, these companies are looking to make money anyway they can. Or maybe it’s just for the newbies (and there is a steep learning curve there), but I think we need clarity about why we’re tracking all this information before we spend doctor’s valuable time reviewing it and valuable dollars to use the technology.
I agree that there are challenges in uploading all this stuff to doctors. I would love to see something that uploads everything from anywhere to my own private data management system. Something for ME rather than the docs.
Right on Scott.
‘My wife and I are our daughter’s primary care team.” – Mark, T1 dad
Smartest thing I ever heard about T1 parenting and it was in the context of a machine that sent BG numbers to a doctor.
So all you manufacturers out there, make tools that support independence. Tying us tighter to a doctor electronically isn’t the goal. It is the opposite of the goal.
Independence is the goal.
Since Newt is involved I don’t put any credence in it. I will only follow what Obama says about Diabetes and treatment. I hope he can take over all of the treatment for diabetes and make it free for all diabetics. This is why I voted for him…I have hope for change. YES WE CAN!
What ticks me off is that all the technology already exists and yet companies want you buy a new devise to carry around. Everyone with an iPhone or comparable smartphone has all the computing power and connectivity required to properly track and manage information. However, because everything is locked in proprietary protocols, nothing will communicate with anything else.
A Bluetooth module on a glucose meter could wirelessly upload result to a phone, which in turn could store that data or upload it to a central database viewable by anyone the person chooses. All of this technology exists and is being used in other applications, but no company has stepped forward to implement a complete system, or open up their devices to allow such access.
You’re right on that last point, discus. I also got an email today about a company called Entra Health Systems, which just announced “the first FDA cleared and CE certified Bluetooth(r) blood glucose meter.”
It also interfaces with a secure data portal at http://www.myglucohealth.net . To your point, the trouble is that you have to purchase the special (proprietary) Bluetooth-enabled meter.
I can’t find any sign that the Entra Health meter is actually available for sale. Also, they make no mention of iPhone compatibility, something it would be unwise to ignore. I expect that J&J/Lifescan’s upcoming iPhone-compatible meter will grab a big part of the market from these newer companies.
There’s too many gadgets being proposed these days. I don’t know about everybody else, but I need another device and another information portal like I need another infusion set in my stomach.
I’d like one device (yep phone, bg meter or cgm, pump controller) that would summarize the data and provide recommendations. This would help those of us that want to be independent and also the med pros that have less and less time with us.
Jacey
Assuming Obama took “over all of the treatment for diabetes and make it free for all diabetics. ”
You should expect extreme rationing. Limits on test strips, both brand and quantity, limits on pumps, limits on Insulin both brand and quantity. Limits on access to specialists, delays to see those same Drs. And finally if its possible MORE taxes and more debt to pay for the lower levels of care.
Thats what socialized medicine will bring.
DB: maybe you are right…but a friend of mine works for Obama and she said that he will help cure diabetes. He knows all about diabetes and wants to cure it and I believe he was elected to do so.
I’ve been told by my doctor that he will not view my BG results uploaded from my meter because it might “violate patient confidentiality law”. I’m uploading it, I’ve given my permission to view it, what’s the prob?
Jacey, research Canada’s socialized medicine, it is horrible. People are coming to Oklahoma from Canada to recieve medical treatment because they either can not get treatment or they will die before they will get a chance to get proper treatment. This guy that came here for treatment from Canada was told in Canada he would have to take medicine and maybe in 2 1/2 years he could get surgery for his medical problem. He came here and the doctors saw that his condition was life threatening and he would not be able to survive to wait for 2 1/2 years for medical assistance. He was seen imediately here, had surgery and was out after a couple days stay in the hospital. His problem was heart related.