Sam is in the hospital recovering from surgery. On his wrist he has a high-tech remote bracelet that can monitor his blood pressure, pulse oximetry, respiration and temperature, and also send an immediate alert to his nurse if a problem arises. Suddenly, his nurse’s smartphone app beeps, warning him that Sam’s temperature has just risen to 101 degrees Fahrenheit, a sign that something might be wrong.
Meanwhile, Debra, a patient at home, receives a cell phone message telling her that it is time to breathe into her respiratory training device (spirometer). The Care Coordinator at her doctor’s office views Debra’s results dashboard and receives an alert if the result falls outside the safe range, instructing her on treatment.
And Linda, an elderly patient with mild dementia, has just woken up and her alarm device is reminding her to take her morning medicine. A sensor in her pill dispenser confirms this and the alarm says, “We will make sure your daughter knows she took her medication this morning. By the way, has she had breakfast?”
What is Intelligent Care? The emergence of cutting-edge patient-centric technologies and the innovative integration of those technologies are at the center of smart care. “For me, smart care means going beyond simple rules-based solutions (such as cross-checking for allergies or alerting patients when they should take their medications), to actively integrate traditionally disconnected data sources to care for a patient. “. says Naresh Ramarajan, MD, founder and chief medical officer of Navya, an organization that helps patients make cancer treatment decisions through a step-by-step smart care system.
For example, smart decision systems should be able to take into account a patient’s preferences for a therapy with fewer side effects, as well as the best results and potential costs. They should be able to integrate the best results from clinical trials and the most current international guidelines. “A smart care system could even search a database to find similar patients for whom treatments have been successful.” Ramarajan says. “Then I would synthesize all of these elements to get an ordered list of options with the reasons behind each option.”
That information can help patients make smart and informed decisions. “As mobile app developers, we often get more requests from doctors and hospitals that include the need to find ways to make patient care smarter and more innovative.” says Dulio Denis, manager of mobile programs at Blue Label Labs, an industry leader in the design of applications for mobile devices, tablets, watches and TV.
Application developers work with healthcare clients who recognize that the alignment of consumer technology on mobile phones and the advancement of new applications in what a hospital can do with cloud computing has reached a crossroads, where providers can be more patient-centered. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we get to a place where healthcare runs as smoothly as the communication systems on social media.” Denis says.
The Internet of medical things?
Just as the Internet of Things now combines technology with life (turns on the thermostat and alerts you when your milk runs out), the Internet of Medical Things can do the same for healthcare. After all, women have been diagnosing their own pregnancies for three decades, so patients using our latest technology should certainly be able to clear their throats and submit the sample for a strep test without having to visit the doctor’s office. , which saves both the patient and the doctor’s time and money. Smart care can also provide safer and more efficient patient care by streamlining procedures that produce smarter evidence-based guidelines and provide better safety, education, and service.
Roy Smythe, MD, cancer surgeon and founder of Valence Health, a company that empowers healthcare providers with complete turnkey solutions for value-based care, says that “The devices that we are going to put on our bodies in the future will be much more sophisticated and will give us information that we never thought we would get.”
According to Orbita, a leader in innovative cloud-based technology for connected home healthcare, the smart healthcare industry will soon have ubiquitous wireless connectivity. The widespread use of smartphones and a growing variety of connected devices with sensors that measure and track personal wellness data, test results, and health care reminders now allow for health scenarios that we never dreamed possible a few years ago.
Intelli-health optimizes both social computing and data analysis, as well as content and experience management, improving outcomes for patients around the world.
Technologies include:
• Remote wristbands in the hospital that monitor vital signs and alert staff to changes immediately
• Interactive systems that respond to inpatient requests more quickly using smartphones and apps instead of the old-fashioned “call button.”
• Smartbeds that can monitor position and comfort and alert staff to problems. Hand hygiene systems that can improve infection control practices and alert physicians to disinfect before entering each room.
• Digital delivery of personalized information for patient education
• Apps that allow patients to fill prescriptions from their hospital bed before discharge
• Portable ultrasound devices that allow patients to scan their own bodies and send the results to a radiologist.
• Self-assessments for medical conditions such as strep throat, sexually transmitted diseases, and high cholesterol.