Remote monitoring of patient health is one of the most effective ways to identify and deal with conditions before they turn into expensive and potentially life-threatening situations. One important key is to make systems easy to use and unobtrusive, so that patients will continue to take advantage of them.
MobileHealth is a company that has an established reputation in the personal emergency response system (PERS) market. At CES 2017, the company introduced its new MobileVitals tablet base station system. It is designed to connect to Bluetooth enabled “self-test medical devices” such as blood pressure devices and smart weight scales, recording the data and making the results available to family members and healthcare workers. The system also includes activity tracking through MobileHelp’s Fall Button PERS device, and also includes a Help button on the tablet display. The device can deliver medication reminders, and can even support email and video chat with family members and healthcare professionals. Users can also access educational information and games designed to promote good physical and cognitive health.
The system does not require WiFi or Internet service in the home. Instead, it relies on 4G LTE cell phone data signals, so no wiring is required aside from power. The system will be available by the end of 2017. The advent of compact and easy-to-operate systems will help seniors living independently and those with chronic conditions monitor their own health and share that information with others.
