Hospitals, doctors offices and other healthcare practitioners are increasingly leveraging technological devices and programs to help streamline efforts and improve patient care. Verizon recently announced newly supported offerings to assist these groups as they move forward with their application and mobile device-based infrastructure.
According to MobileHealthNews, Verizon received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for a converged health management software platform. The system is available on the company's specially designed mobile device available by prescription. The hardware now supports a cellular-enabled blood glucose monitoring system from Telcare, as well as another blood glucose monitoring arrangement by Genesis Health Technologies.
Verizon was awarded its first certification from the FDA late last year, which allowed the company to leverage five Ideal Life devices, including a blood pressure cuff, glucose monitor, pulse oximeter, telehealth hub and weight scale.
Platform details
The newly cleared platform has remote monitoring abilities and can gather and archive biometric information from patients' personal home health devices. Individuals can then utilize a mobile application to review platform data.
MobileHealthNews noted that the converged health management system can provide educational content and motivational materials for patients, in addition to collecting and transmitting their home health device data. The FDA clearance document stated that the arrangement can allow "clinicians to send tasks, recommendations, surveys, educational, and motivational messages to patients," enabling them to connect with these individuals on a more personal level.
The management system can also be integrated with the patient's social media profile, a feature developed separately by Verizon to work with the platform. In this way, individuals can connect with other patients with similar health conditions, or discuss health information with family and friends.
Telcare glucose meter
Verizon also certified Telcare's wireless blood glucose meter earlier this year, enabling patients to utilize the device via the company's cellular network, according to Mobile Barcode Innovations. The meter was developed with Verizon and Qualcomm, and leverages Qualcomm's Internet of Everything platform for connectivity.
The meter is also connected to a cloud server utilizing Verizon's network, which allows users to obtain real-time measurements of their blood glucose levels, weight and blood pressure. Telcare CEO and co-founder Jonathan Javitt said the collaboration with Verizon and Qualcomm allows the company to better address the needs of diabetes patients, their families and healthcare practitioners.
"Moreover, the outstanding cellular coverage afforded nationwide by Verizon wireless will be particularly valuable in continuously connecting people with diabetes to their care system," Javitt said.
