Future wearable medical devices into medical practice reality

Recently, medicaleconomics website published an article "The wearable future comes to medical practices" (wearable medical practice into the future reality), the future of wearable devices ubiquitous applications in the medical practice were discussed and analyzed the resulting impact. The article on the domestic healthcare industry have a greater inspiration. The following is the content of the article compilation:

       In the medical examination room, the glasses and other wearable technology products will become as ubiquitous as the stethoscope and sphygmomanometer for medical health practitioners not only provide a new tool for high-quality health care services, but also help them to enhance personal contact with patients.

Future wearable medical devices into medical practice reality

       Union health systems (Partners HealthCare) Vice-Chairman Connected Health belongs Joseph C. Kvedar said, "there really is such a phenomenon, the doctors feel they look staring at the screen, no eye contact with the patient, but the wearable device doctors can freed, making them more efficient work, communication with patients communicate more focused. "Connected health is a healthcare iT consulting firm. Joseph C. Kvedar said, "We know better relationship with the patient and the patient is almost always associated with better medical treatment results."

       CEO Steve Collens in Chicago healthcare industry innovators and entrepreneurs incubator companies MATTER pointed out that in fact wearable technology sweeping into the medical industry. He said, "Within five years, most doctors use in their daily practice in the wearable device certainly will not surprise me. I do not know the future of the medical profession wearable device application specific what happens, but I believe that day It will come soon. "

       Currently in the highly competitive field of wearable medical devices leading smart glasses and a headset. Some of these devices enables clinicians to navigate within its field of view medical records, the patient's vital signs or medical guidelines, so they do not need to divert the attention from the patient, to find information through computers.

       Other smart glasses with two-way audio and video communication capabilities, enabling an in A to healthcare providers, to be in the B clinicians real-time consultation, and field physicians to see and hear the patient's diagnosis and treatment is a doctor We can see, hear everything.

       Angela McIntyre Gartner (Gartner Inc.) research director, said the above-mentioned wearable medical devices, some already put into use, and others will soon be available. Gartner's research covers a wearable electronic device. She cited Vocera communications badge, for example, this is a hands-free wearable device, capable of a medical environment, such as in the doctor's office or hospital, or provide one-to-many communication.

       Analysts, doctors and industry leaders stressed that the wearable device and into the medical practice of the process is still in its infancy. Third Eye Health is a Chicago-based wearable medical device company, is a pioneer in the field leading position. The company's products include smart watches and smart glasses, can transmit live video and text, fast and secure HIPAA compliant specification.

       Third Eye Health, said company CEO Dan Herbstman, Northwestern Medicine in Chicago area to some of its front-line caregivers in the scene with the Third Eye Health installed software smart glasses to the hospital fast expert advice, propose the best treatment program for stroke patients .

       Dan Herbstman said, "you really can do a far from the medical staff to provide first-hand view, but can be done without taking your hands, uninterrupted delivery of health care services to patients."

       MD Harish Shownkeen is neurovascular Northwestern Medicine and medical director of the stroke program, is a composition by the doctors and nurses of the emergency team members, the team is to try to promote the Third Eye Health software.

       Harish Shownkeen said they want the team to better evaluate stroke patients in critical health care the first few minutes. Harish Shownkeen explained that emergency service personnel in the field using a set of emergency condition urgency evaluation system to evaluate stroke patients, but neurologists have a more detailed assessment procedures, better able to determine the evolving stroke of serious illness the extent and level of the corresponding required emergency treatment.

       Harish Shownkeen said, "When the paramedics connected after stroke patients, we (the expert) it is equivalent to almost have to live." In the case of sub-minute thing off aid effectiveness, which (wearable medical device applications) to improve the quality of health care services is a big difference. Harish Shownkeen cited as an example the recent first aid, emergency service personnel in the "front" of the rescue at the same time, a neurologist at the "rear" of the patient for accurate assessment to determine which stroke patients in serious condition, and out of the intravenous thrombolytic drugs. Emergency service personnel while transporting patients, intravenous thrombolytic drugs have been in the hospital ready. Thus, the patient was delivered at the hospital 23 minutes after the administration accepted, this time is considerably less than the recommended 60 minutes of standard time.

       Harish Shownkeen hoped that this pilot project will expand the promotion, so that the emergency services were able to take advantage of this technology to treat other medical problems. But experts say the wearable medical devices from the test phase to further expand the trial will not be easy, because it is integrated into the clinical application still faces many challenges.

       Steve Collens said that the first challenge is to develop a more secure and reliable proven in real-world applications of technology. He added that, to determine who will pay for these new technologies is the second major obstacle.

       Angela McIntyre said the technical challenges and infrastructure on the lot. Clinicians must want these technologies with other systems integration, while also ensuring their safety and compliance with HIPAA and other regulatory requirements. Users must also ensure that they have the necessary equipment to support wearable basic conditions, such as security of Wi-Fi capability and enough bandwidth.

       At the same time, equipment suppliers need to demonstrate their wearable device durable, able to withstand the test of the medical environment can be subjected to sterilization without damage. Medical services must also adjust workflows to accept any new data as well as the influx of doctors wearable device files.

       MD Gerry Tolbert in Kentucky is a practicing family physician, has written about the technical aspects of medical articles. In his own medical clinic equipped with trial software Google glasses and predict wearable devices will become a routine part of medical practice in the next 5-10 years.

       Gerry Tolbert said that he liked to use Google glasses, because it made him very easy to browse patient information, while also interact directly with the patient, although Google glasses technology is not mature enough, which means that also need to develop progress until more convenient ease of use, seamless integration into the workflow. He added that clinicians should, where feasible to try to use the interest in wearable device to help promote research and development service providers to produce more wearable devices to bring greater benefits to doctors and nurses.

       Gerry Tolbert said that once a virtuous cycle, service providers can further enhance the wearable device hardware and software, thus providing higher efficiency, greater accuracy, improved diagnostics and other benefits, the clinician is certainly willing to buy the wearable device. He said, "The benefits (wearable device) to bring more applications rate will be higher."