In early January, the world’s largest consumer technology tradeshow – CES—showcased an abundance of cool tech gadgets, products, and innovation in the works for 2011. One series of apps that stood out the most is the Fitness TechZone featured apps and hardware that touched on themes of mobile monitoring for healthcare, which got me thinking about what the top tech trends for ehealth will be in 2011.
Wireless Monitoring
One of the big trends for 2011 is wireless monitoring, where people can check their blood pressure, glucose, and anxiety levels from the comfort of their own home, simply by downloading apps on their smartphones. Wireless monitoring presents a possibility for saving health costs and allowing older people to stay out of nursing homes.
The Withings Blood Pressure monitor was featured at CES, and can plug directly into an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch, and reveals blood pressure results right then and there. Measurements are automatically transmitted to your online health book so you can monitor them wherever you are.
Mobile Health
The integration of technology in hospitals is constantly evolving, but 2011 will be an interesting year to see the integration of doctors using tablets and smartphones to help improve communication with patients and access information in a more efficient way.
The Ottawa Hospital (TOH) before he got his iPad, Dr. Cwinn, veteran physician said, he spent way too much time checking printed charts, darting from patients’ bedsides to desk-bound PCs and walking around the hospital to see what his staff were up to and which beds were empty. Staring down at the chest X-ray, he says, “You wouldn’t make a diagnosis with this, but for interacting with patients, it’s excellent.” The Ottawa Hospital plans to order 3,000 iPads by the middle of this year. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/telus-puts-faith-in-high-tech-health-care/article1766042/page1/
New Technologies
Mobile Dispatch
Maximising the use of networked information technology when it comes to patient’s well being will be a popular trend for 2011. B.C. Ambulance Service (BCAS) is proposing to implement in-vehicle computing devices to provide Mobile Computer Aided Dispatch (MobileCAD) capability. The MobileCAD devices will be touch screens that display current maps and allow dispatchers to send paramedics call information directly. This new technology is designed to improve response times and help paramedics get to the patient’s side more quickly. http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/112822189.html
Telehealth
Connectivity, scalability and mobility will be key features for telehealth technology in the next few years. As more and more hospitals integrate telehealth technologies initiatives into their patient care, the need for wireless data transmission standards will become more important, as large amounts of sensitive patient information will be at stake. Internationally accepted standards and guidelines may be an important trend as telehealth becomes a global service.
Telehealth Saskatchewan uses live, two-way videoconferencing technologies and electronic medical instruments to treat patients. That way, rural citizens have access to a healthcare provider without having to travel far to receive health care. Telehealth Saskatchewan allowed over 5,300 residents to see their health care provider without travelling. http://www.health.gov.sk.ca/telehealth-professionals
2011 is shaping up to be an exciting year for tech health trends. Which trends do you think will help eHealth take off this year?
