News; Tele-tech and mobile revolutionising global healthcare

[Anonymous]

Tele-tech and mobile revolutionising global healthcare.

"A key to more sustainable healthcare is encouraging people to take more control of their own health through the use of mobile and telehealth technologies, many experts and technology companies believe."

"The popularity of smartphones, wearable gadgets and apps that can measure and record exercise levels, heart rate and calories burned, proves that many people are prepared to pay for technology that may benefit their health, says Steven Dodsworth, chief executive of digital healthcare consultancy D Health."



My thoughts ;

We've all seen or know people who have tried self diagnosing. Are these 'gadgets' a way forward or not ?

Heart rate monitors on mobile phones and wearable devices connected to health.

Calling on your expertise @Cleoriff may I ask what do you think ?


Source : BBC NEWS
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-27590542

[Cleoriff]

Hi @Anonymous 

If this tech was purely for self diagnosis, I would be very worried indeed!

For example.... anyone of us can read that our heart rate is 50bpm  or 130bpm. However would we be able to interpret what those pulse rates COULD mean...if indeed they meant anything 'sinister'.

However the more you read, it seems a lot of this medical tech data is sent to the Cloud and interpreted by experts and diagnosis is made that way.

Anything that expedites a diagnosis that could be a killer, is a winner in my opinion

Apologies for no link about this but I have just watched a fascinating article on BBC Click about a device that costs $400 (Developed in Tel Aviv) and can diagnose cervical cancer.

This cancer is the single highest cause of death in low income countries. Early diagnosis is key. The Mobile OCT device (Optical Coherence Tomography) is powered by a smartphone on a handle with a magnifying glass attached. It takes pictures and sends the data to the Cloud for interpretation by cancer experts.

This device, in my humble opinion, will save lives.. as early diagnosis of this type of cancer is easily treatable

If anyone can find the link, please feel free to add it, with my thanks

[Anonymous]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006m9ry

[Cleoriff]

Thats the one. Thanks BoB

[Anonymous]

A vides link ref the device http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-27628029

[Cleoriff]

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@Anonymous wrote:
A vides link ref the device http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-27628029

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That's the one. ...thanks @Anonymous I think when you watch the video and see exactly what this Mobile OCT is all about, and how simple it is.......you really appreciate how far we have come.

Smartphone technology, linked to medical innovation. $400 for this little life saver. Brilliant

[Anonymous]

Why do they need to include a smartphone with this OCT machine? I don't get it. Why not have it all built into one device which is still mobile but connects via Wifi so it can send images securely?

Including the smartphone in the device introduces a whole new level of information security concerns. 

To go back to the original article, Telehealth is something that most NHS organisations are taking seriously as they realise its the way forward. I know my local NHS organisation is in the process of introducing numerous Telehealth related projects but most if not all are using dedicated devices which have been designed for the purpose. 

[Cleoriff]

@Anonymous  when I watched the Click programme yesterday morning, the presenter emphasised  that

 the Israeli inventors of this Mobile OCT device wanted something that was inexpensive but totally effective.

They used smartphone technology I believe.

It was primarily developed to reduce the rate of cervical cancer in under privileged countries  as a handheld device that can be used by anyone with appropriate training

Once the data is collected it can be transferred from any small part of the world to the experts in high tech labs for interpretation and diagnosis.

[Anonymous]

My local NHS organisation has just released a statement to say that as a result of a home monitoring pilot project, patients with chronic long-term conditions experienced a 70 per cent reduction in GP and hospital appointments. I think this was targetted at COPD sufferers.

I know there is also a national project, United 4Health which involves patients who have been admitted to hospital with an exacerbation of COPD being discharged with a small touch screen device, called a pod, that they use to monitor their condition at home. With this programme, clinicians will have the ability to video-link to the pod.

Its all fancy stuff and looks like its helping to dramatically cut down the number of admissions just within this one pilot.