Eric Wicklund
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is wading into the complex world of mobile medical applications.The FDA has released a 30-page draft guidance designed to outline how mobile medical apps should be regulated as medical devices, targeting an issue that has long plagued physicians looking to adopt apps and vendors wondering how far they can go without incurring the regulations.
The American Telemedicine Association is unhappy with the government's efforts - or lack thereof - to bring telehealth to rural America.
A physician in the middle of an examination comes across a question he or she can't answer. Thanks to Sermo, that answer may now be as close as the smartphone.The Cambridge, Mass.-based online physician network has launched Sermo Mobile, an application designed to give its members immediate access to the Sermo network, a so-called "virtual water cooler" that connects more than 120,000 physicians in 68 specialties in all 50 states.
Time spent in front of a computer is time spent away from a patient. And in a small physician practice, that time is pretty valuable.
SOUTHINGTON, CT - The hours-long wait in the emergency department is the standard of almost any hospital horror story - for the hospital as well as the patient. It's frustrating for the patient who wants to be treated, and for the hospital administrator who wants to provide quality care and ensure a good rapport with the community.
Alan Dabbiere, co-founder and chairman of AirWatch, an Atlanta-based provider of smartphone and mobile device management solutions, is looking for one successful mobile health program to help change the course of healthcare.He thinks a $100,000 donation to Virginia's Inova Health System may move that effort along."We want to see one real successful home run right here," said Dabbiere. "Once the healthcare industry understands the value of the smartphone, all of a sudden the value proposition changes dramatically."
The University of Utah is spearheading a pilot project designed to connect remote and underserved residents dealing with chronic conditions to needed healthcare services and providers through telemedicine.
Seniors struggling to deal with healthcare concerns while living independently will soon have a new friend to call upon - Angela."Angela" is an interactive telecare platform launched by Independa, a San Diego-based provider of telehealth solutions for home care-based settings and caregivers. Described as "the next Wii or iPad for the golden generation," it's designed to not only provide entertainment and a communications platform for seniors living independently, but also to maintain a vital link to caregivers.
Medco Health Solutions is teaming up with Verizon to help patients access their prescription drug history from any location and identify alternatives to costly prescription drugs.The Medco Pharmacy mobile app, available on Verizon Wireless Android handsets and Blackberry devices, gives patients the opportunity to review their medication history and drug plan at any time - including the doctor's office. With real-time access to that data, a patient can discuss with his or her doctor any drug safety or coverage issues as well as cost-saving opportunities.
Cars are already being programmed to parallel park, sense slippery road conditions and alert drivers to impending collisions. Soon they'll be helping diabetics monitor their blood glucose levels, detect unhealthy air conditions and offer wellness advice.That's the plan from the Ford Motor Company, which is working with healthcare companies WellDoc, Medtronic and SDI Health to include health and wellness in-car connectivity solutions on the Ford SYNC platform. The platform makes use of AppLink to allow drivers to access smartphone apps by voice control.