‘Watson’ Analytics to Being Used to Increase Smartphone, EHR capabilities

I for one thought it was really cool that they developed a computer system that could outperform people on Jeopardy.  I am not ready to have my own robot at home, though that would reduce the housework I would have to do, but I love to see people trying to push their limits, and develop things that have never been done before.  That is exactly what the people at IBM are doing.

The full article can be found here, but here are some of the most amazing things that they are developing based on the “Watson” technology:

IBM has doubled the number of healthcare solution architects and technology specialists working at the Solutions Center, tasking them with helping physicians connect smartphones, tablets and other devices to EMRs while also helping healthcare providers build new solutions for remote patient monitoring.

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Meanwhile, more than a quarter (27 percent) of specialists and primary care physicians use a tablet PC or similar device nowadays. As clinicians adopt smart devices at five times the rate of the general population,

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Using clinical voice recognition from Nuance Communications and medical terminology management from Health Language, IBM is working to improve the mobile EMR experience through voice recognition and technology that provides understanding of medical text, similar to the way Watson analyzed hundreds of millions of pages of text from books, encyclopedias and periodicals to compete on Jeopardy!

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With the rapid adoption of electronic medical records and other health IT applications, the amount of data associated with health care providers in North America is expected to reach close to 14,000 petabytes by 2015.

Now for those of you, like me, that don’t know how much a petabyte is, it is equivalent to 1024 terabytes which is equal to about 13.3 years of HDTV content.  It is incredible how fast this industry is growing.  Information has always been the source of power in healthcare, and now we are in a position to use more, and more accurate, information than ever before.  What is truly incredible is that most of it can be accessed in the palm of your hand.

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May 31, 2011 I Written By

Filed Under: Health Care  Healthcare IT  mHealth  Mobile Health Care  Smart Phones  Tablets
Tags:Health IT Applications  Health Language  Healthcare Solution Architects  IBM  Information Analytics  Nuance Communications  Remote Patient Monitoring  Tablet EMR  Watson Jeopardy!

CDC Flu App Challenge Submission: Child Flu HQ

About a month ago I wrote about the CDC Flu App Challenge which encouraged developers to use all of the new technology out there to develop an app that helped educate people on flu prevention and treatment.  The competition stopped accepting submissions last week, but I found one of the submissions that looks interesting.  From their submission website:

Child Flu HQ is a mobile application designed help keep parents educated and informed on the best ways to keep their children away from the flu. The applications, available on iTunes and the Android market (coming soon), are focused on pediatric flu education, and allow parents to personalize the application to their specific child.  Child Flu HQ then sends regular reminders and information to the parent with push notifications.  Information is directed to the parent from both physician resources as well as from the CDC.  The app also addressed the need of the physician who is confronted with a child with possible influenza. The App uses the CDC RSS Feed of Influenza updates, as well as the RSS Feed of Influenza podcasts.  Additionally, the App intends to use some CDC video content as well.

You can also find screenshots on the above website.

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May 30, 2011 I Written By

Filed Under: Android  Apple  Health Care  Healthcare IT  iPhone  mHealth  Mobile Health Care  Smart Phones
Tags:Android App Market  Apple App Store  CDC Flu App Challenge  Child Flu HQ  Flu App Screen Shots  Influenza Prevention  iTunes apps  Pediatric Flu Education

mobileStorm Launches First HIPAA-Compliant, Cloud-based mHealth Communication Platform; Announces Humana as a Beta Client

So I don’t usually like posting full press releases, but this one is significant enough all by itself that I feel like it can stand on it’s own feet.  It does have huge implications though so I may very well write something more on it later.

mobileStorm, an 11-year veteran of mobile messaging, announces “mobileStorm for Healthcare,” a patent-pending platform for Healthcare Payers, Providers, Software Solutions and Mobile App Developers, enabling the secure sending of PHI to smart phones.

San Diego, CA, May 11, 2011 – mobileStorm, Inc. (www.mobilestorm.com) announced today at the WLSA Convergence Summit the official release of “mobileStorm for Healthcare,” a secure mobile messaging platform that allows HIPAA-compliant transmission of PHI (Protected Health Information) to members and patients via mobile devices and smart phones.  mobileStorm has developed this capability in response to the healthcare industry’s need to control escalating expenses in the U.S., which totaled $2.5 trillion, or 17.3% of our national GDP, in 2009 alone. Recent widespread technological adoptions such as EMRs (Electronic Medical Records) are assisting healthcare organizations by bringing their processes into the modern age. The mobileStorm for Healthcare platform can “mobile-enable” any system. The communication tools that mobileStorm provides improve the efficiency of treatment and improve the outcomes for providers, while reducing costs to the health plans through lower utilization.  The key to reducing utilization is through adoption of wellness programs and prescription adherence.

mobileStorm for Healthcare is a straightforward solution, allowing any developer or IT department to integrate with the mobileStorm for Healthcare API (Application Programming Interface) which can power secure communication between systems such as EHR, EMR, and disease/appointment management tools. The API automates the delivery of AppMail™ messages which utilize AES-256 encryption. AppMail™ can deliver individual health notifications (presentable HTML or plain text) in a one-to-one or one-to-many fashion. In addition, the API delivers real-time analytics on important metrics such as who has read a message and for how long. AppMail™ is delivered to a secure inbox that can quickly be created using mobileStorm for Healthcare’s SDK (Software Development Kit).

The API also enables transmission of Push Notifications and SMS messages in order to utilize cross-channel communication strategies that drive higher response rates. mobileStorm for Healthcare takes a member-centric approach by allowing people to log into any web-connected device containing the organization’s mobile app or mobile site and securely access their inboxes and PHI messages. For organizations without a mobile app or site, mobileStorm offers custom solutions.

“We have been providing communication solutions for over 11 years and in the healthcare vertical for the last three years. We firmly believe that mHealth technology represents the most important social, cultural, and business impact that mobile technology has produced to date,” said Jared Reitzin, Founder & CEO of mobileStorm. “As a Communication Service Provider (CSP), we have worked with thousands of clients in hundreds of different industries which has given us a unique perspective of how mobile affects an individual’s behavior. All of us are patients as well as members, so it’s exciting to see the healthcare industry realize the massive impact that mobile can have on our behavior.”

As part of the official launch of mobileStorm for Healthcare, Humana has agreed to become a Beta customer in order to strengthen their efforts to help Humana members achieve lifelong well-being. Christopher Nicholson, Humana’s director of strategic communications, says “Humana is excited about the messaging capabilities that the secure mobile messaging center will bring us.  This partnership will allow us to deliver on multi-channel goals where we have not had a solution in the past. The ability to reach members ‘where they are’ with relevant, personalized and proactive communications is critically important.  mobileStorm is a wonderful mHealth vendor who truly wants to help us succeed.”

Mr. Reitzin continues, “mobileStorm for Healthcare represents the culmination of our experience, and we are confident that it is the most advanced HIPAA-compliant mobile platform available. Our company’s mission is to help our clients communicate with as much relevancy as possible, and with this new offering, I believe we are one step closer to completing our mission.”

mobileStorm for Healthcare is being unveiled and demonstrated at the WLSA Convergence Summit in San Diego, California, on May 12, 2011.  For more information on this event or to schedule a meeting with a mobileStorm representative, visit www.mobilestorm.com/wlsa.

To find out more about mobileStorm’s patent-pending mHealth platform or HIPAA compliance, which will be complete in June 2011, please visit www.mobilestorm.com/healthcare.

About mobileStorm

Based in Los Angeles, California, with more than a decade of email and mobile messaging experience, mobileStorm has delivered billions of messages on behalf of thousands of premier customers such as Humana, NASCAR, American Idol, Kaiser Permanente, and Ashley Furniture HomeStore. As a Communication Service Provider (CSP), mobileStorm’s mission is to help companies communicate with as much relevancy as possible, allowing everyone to win, from the ISP or carrier who delivers a message to the consumer who desperately wants to engage with content that matters. mobileStorm backs up their web-based technology with expert advice and legendary customer service that drives ROI for its customers.

About Humana

Humana Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, is one of the nation’s largest publicly traded health and supplemental benefits companies, with approximately 10.2 million medical members, 7.1 million specialty members, and operates more than 300 medical centers and 260 worksite medical facilities. Humana is a full-service benefits and well-being solutions company, offering a wide array of health, pharmacy and supplemental benefit plans for employer groups, government programs and individuals, as well as primary and workplace care through its medical centers and worksite medical facilities.

Over its 50-year history, Humana has consistently seized opportunities to meet changing customer needs. Today, the company is a leader in consumer engagement, providing guidance that leads to lower costs and a better health plan experience throughout its diversified customer portfolio.

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May 27, 2011 I Written By

Filed Under: Health Care  Healthcare IT  mHealth  Mobile Health Care  Smart Phones
Tags:AES-256 Encryption  AppMail  Appointment Management Tools  Christopher Nicholson  Communication Service Provider  EHR  EMR    Humana  Jared Reitzin  mobileStorm for Healthcare  Push Notifications  Sending PHI to Smart Phones  WLSA Convergence Summit

Mobile Health Market Worth $2.1 Billion in 2011; Growth of 22% in Next Three Years

Another focus of the report is the growth of mobile health and the key role it will play in various areas of healthcare delivery, including education and awareness, remote data collection, remote monitoring, disease and epidemic outbreak tracking, and diagnostic and treatment support.

The mobile health market has a year-over-year growth rate of around 17% since 2010 and is estimated to be worth $2.1 billion at the end of 2011. The report also said the mobile health market is expected to grow with a CAGR of nearly 22% from 2012 to 2014.

“The buzz surrounding mobile healthcare has steadily grown during the past two years. There’s no question that this area holds enormous potential in terms of improving patient care in the U.S.,” the report concludes.

The main driver of mobile health’s growth is the increasing adoption of smartphones during the past few years. According to the report, at the end of 2009, smartphone penetration was around 21% and is expected to be 50% by the end of 2011. Further, over 72% of physicians are smartphone users, and mobile health applications embedded in smartphones are a main reason for this increased usage.

Another trend of note is the adoption of Apple’s iPad tablets. More than 20% of U.S. physicians already have iPads, the report said.

“There are over 10,000 applications related to mobile health of which around 40% are designed for healthcare professionals, which includes remote monitoring and healthcare management applications. Even the Apple iTunes application store has about 6,000 mobile health applications,” the report said. -Source

I don’t know that there are very many industries out there that are projecting 22% growth in the midst of a major recession.  While that is quite impressive, there is something that I find even more amazing.  In an article I referenced last month they estimated the value of the mobile health market at $1.7 billion by 2014.  However, this article, written only six months later, estimates the value of the mHealth market at $2.1 billion by the end of this year.  Now you could attribute this to an uncertain future for mHealth, but I see it as a sign that the mHealth market is growing bigger and more rapidly than anyone could have expected.  I think this is another one of those technological booms that we will all underestimate.

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May 26, 2011 I Written By

Filed Under: Health Care  Healthcare IT  iPad  mHealth  Mobile Health Care  Smart Phones  Tablets
Tags:Apple iTunes  Healthcare Management  iPad Tablets  mHealth Growth  Mobile Health Applications  

LARK: A New Device that Could Replace Your Alarm Clock

I hate waking up to an alarm clock, who doesn’t?  It’s not that I hate waking up itself, though I generally would love a little more sleep, it is that jolting, heart-attack inducing, blaring sound coming from your clock, phone, or radio.  It is almost like they had a meeting to find the absolutely most annoying sounds on earth and installed them into alarms.

What’s worse is that the stupid thing always goes off in the middle of the very best dreams.  You know, the one where you are about to win the big game, perform at Carnegie Hall, or meet the person of your dreams.  You just want to throw your clock across the room and try and drift back into hibernating bliss.

There isn’t a whole lot you can do about the second problem because you probably needed to get up at that time anyway, that’s why you set the alarm in the first place.  However, the people at LARK Technologies have developed a device, involving an iPhone app, that cannot only wake you in a more pleasant manner, but help to improve your sleep, thereby improving your health.

You simply wear a small wristband, similar to a wristwatch, and set the alarm through the app on your phone.  When it is time to wake up the device on your wrist gently vibrates so that you wake up more naturally.  There is also a backup feature that is composer created should you not wake up or lose the device while you are sleeping.

The silent vibrations also prevent your alarm from waking up anyone who maybe be sleeping with you, or in the same room as you.  I know my wife hates hearing my alarm every morning.

The aspect of the LARK that really sets it apart is its ability to monitor your sleep and help you to improve it.  It will tell you how long you slept, how many times you woke up, and can even analyze your sleep patterns to help you improve.

There is also a sleep coach feature that you can purchase to develop a personal sleep plan.  This will activate personalized sleep tips and advice to improve your sleep which will improve your performance while you are awake.

LARK was actually developed in conjunction with a Harvard sleep expert as well as a pro sports sleep expert.  They are also working on developing the same system for Android phones but there was no definitive date given on their website.

With all of the worthless, time consuming apps out there I love finding ones that will actually improve your quality of life.  I know I perform a ton better when I sleep well.  I look forward to getting my hands on one of these in the near future.

Though they just went on sale yesterday, the website is already showing that they are sold out. For more information on the LARK and to order one, once they are no longer sold out, you can visit their website.

 

 

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May 25, 2011 I Written By

Filed Under: Android  Apple  Health Care  Healthcare IT  iPhone  Medical Devices  mHealth  Mobile Health Care  Smart Phones
Tags:  LARK Alarm Clock  LARK Technologies Inc.  Personal Sleep Coach  Sleep Apps  Sleep Better

ECHO Telehealth Project in New Mexico Could be a Pattern for Other Rural Areas

RT @: N.M. project could be national model, report says http://bit.ly/jkEZXO
via TweetDeck
Michael Spitz

Call me crazy, but I don’t often think of New Mexico as leading the way in much, with the exception of a few years back when they had a decent basketball team, but that really has nothing to do with healthcare.  However, they have developed a telehealth system that may prove to be a valuable asset to other less developed parts of the country.

The tweet above is in reference to an article describing the Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes or, ECHO.  It was originally designed as a pilot program to test the treatment of hepatitis C but has since been expanded to include other chronic conditions like asthma, diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.

ECHO uses telehealth technology to allow doctors in more remote locations to treat more complex illnesses that they were not able to treat in the past.

I realize that New Mexico and Africa are not the same, but if you read this blog often then you know that I have written about similar technological use in Africa where it is less densely populated as well.  These articles can be found here and here.

It is so awesome to see technology being used to improve the health of everyone, and especially those who have not been so lucky in the past.  Having lived in less densely populated areas, it would have been really nice to know that I could still get the same level of healthcare despite not living near a hospital.

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May 24, 2011 I Written By

Filed Under: Health Care  Healthcare IT  mHealth  Mobile Health Care  Telemedicine
Tags:Chronic Condition Management  ECHO  New Mexico Telemedicine  Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes  Rural Healthcare  

Non-Traditional Healthcare Companies Emerging in mHealth

Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised, but there is a trend that I am noticing as I learn more about mHealth: the companies involved are not new to most of us.  There are of course traditional healthcare companies, like GE who has been around since my grandpa was young, as well as any number of start-ups of various sizes, but what is becoming increasingly more common is other large companies expanding into the mHealth market.

Some of these companies may not be too surprising, such as AT&T who has a variety of interests in mHealth.  The obvious reason is because they own a huge portion of the mobile phone market.  As more mobile apps are developed, it is important for them to support the technology necessary for those apps to operate.  Not to mention creating mobile networks so that the customers can access their phones in the first place.

Perhaps the less thought of reasoning is the huge number of people that AT&T insures, both currently working for them, and those who have already retired.  By improving healthcare they will also lower their costs to insure people.

Last week I wrote about how Ford is entering the market to help improve drivers’ health.  It would not be at all surprising to see all of the other major automakers follow suit once they see the success Ford is having, and I have every reason in the world to believe they will be successful.

Cisco is another company that is becoming hugely important to the healthcare market as they help hospitals establish more reliable networks.  Through the installation of WLAN networks, doctors and nurses are able to more reliably access the information they need to take care of their patients.  As these networks become more reliable, hospitals will become more inclined to take advantage of the benefits they provide.

There is no doubt that technology, and smartphones in particular, will increasingly be a part of our lives.  Some people get freaked out because they feel like machines our running our  lives like we are in a movie or something.  As for me, I think any technology that can improve our quality of life, and in some instances save lives, is the kind of technology that we need to be pursuing.

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May 23, 2011 I Written By

Filed Under: Health Care  Healthcare IT  mHealth  Mobile Health Care  Smart Phones
Tags:  AT&T Healthcare  Cisco Wireless Network  Ford Healthcare  GE      

Ford’s SYNC Technology Looking to Include Mobile Healthcare

When you think of cars and the types of assistance that they provide you immediately think of getting directions or various sources of entertainment such as music and movies.  Recently many car companies have developed programs that can locate businesses and restaurants in your area followed by giving you directions to get there.

Ford is now going a big giant leap farther by working together with healthcare companies to develop mobile apps that could help people better manage their health.  Initially they are looking at developing apps that will help diabetics monitor their blood glucose levels as well as helping those with asthma or allergies better avoid environments that may cause them issues.

Much the way apps that already exist can help you avoid areas with large amounts of traffic, users will be able to avoid areas with allergens in the air that could irritate their allergies.  In the future, Ford is looking at developing apps to help monitor heart rate and even using technology to help relieve stress when driving.

Some may look at this move and wonder why Ford is stepping into what seems like an entirely new realm, but this quote from Gary Strumolo of Ford sheds some light on what they are trying to accomplish.

“Ford’s approach to health and wellness in the vehicle is not about trying to take on the role of a healthcare or medical provider, we’re a car company,” said Gary Strumolo, global manager, Interiors, Infotainment, Health & Wellness Research, Ford Research and Innovation. “Our goal is not to interpret the data offered by the experts, but to work with them to develop intelligent ways for Ford vehicles using the power of SYNC. In essence, creating a secondary alert system and alternate outlet for real-time patient coaching services if you will.”

I have an early version of SYNC in one of my cars, and I absolutely love it.  It makes so many things more convenient, and it interfaces so well with all of the devices that I have hooked up to it.  There are already numerous upgrades to the program since I bought my car in 2009, but reading about stuff like this gets me even more excited about what the future holds, especially in the realm of improving my health.

The full press release fro Ford can be found here.

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May 20, 2011 I Written By

Filed Under: Android  Apple  Blackberry  Health Care  Healthcare IT  iPhone  Medical Devices  mHealth  Mobile Health Care  Smart Phones
Tags:Asthma Control  Diabetes Monitoring  Ford  Gary Strumolo  Mobile Apps  Mobile Healthcare  SYNC

Smartphones Now Helping Kids with Autism

Having friends and family who personally deal with autism, I have seen the struggles that they go through in every aspect of their lives.  Like many other parts of the healthcare sector, there are people working on making life easier for those who live with autism.

AutismSphere was founded by John Eder who came up with the idea while studying for his MBA.  The full article describing the company can be found here, but the major ideas can be found below.

“The thing that gets me excited is building something that can be used all around the world,” Eder said. Eder has spent most of the last decade working in IT positions at Ernst & Young and Experian. He started AutismSphere due to experience with neurodevelopmental disorders. As a child, he had an attention awareness disorder.

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While a typical student might expect a class schedule that simply lists the time and place for a class, Eder says an autistic child would want to know more specific details. Math class might be spent first studying problems, then taking a quiz, and then doing homework, for example.

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The child could see another benefit: rewards. A reward might come in the form of a game that the child could unlock only upon completing a task.

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Mesibov says that Eder has solid technical and computer skills. But what sets him apart from others is his understanding of autism and his progress in developing the type of application that will connect with the autism community.

“He’s as close as anybody to understanding how these things need to be adapted,” Mesibov said. Eder envisions making the software free in order to make it accessible to as many people as possible.

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“This isn’t about making money, it’s about helping kids first,” Eder said. “That’s not an argument investors want to hear.”

It often takes someone going through a disease or disorder to want to do something about it.  The fact that Eder had his own neurodevelopmental disorder gives him an understanding, and inspiration, that will help him to find success that others maynot be willing to go far enough to achieve.

Like so many other things in life, technology could make life so much better for these kids and their families.  I really like the idea of unlocking games as rewards.  This is already widely used across the internet and all gaming platforms for all types of people, but this may be even more effective for kids with autism.

The last statement is what says the most about this company to me, but may also be the thing that keeps it from really growing.  That is really the paradox when it comes to developing these programs.  Investors want to make money, but at the same time many of these programs may not be very profitable if they make any money.

What amazes me most about AutismSphere, and Mr. Eder in particular, is that it is currently funded entirely off of his retirement accounts.  If that doesn’t show his devotion to truly helping kids I don’t know what could.  Here’s hoping he can find the support he needs because I know we need some software like this.

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May 18, 2011 I Written By

Filed Under: Android  Apple  Blackberry  Health Care  Healthcare IT  iPad  mHealth  Mobile Health Care  Smart Phones  Tablets
Tags:Autism app  Autism Schedule  AutismSphere  John Eder  Neurodevelopmental Disorders  Smartphone apps

Policy Workshop for Smartphones and Other Mobile Devices in Healthcare

Here is the information about this upcoming workshop:

As hospitals, clinics, and doctors’ offices struggle with questions related to the use of mobile devices, mHealth Initiative offers a one-day policy working session:

Policy Workshop for Smartphones  and Other Mobile Devices in Healthcare

10 am – 4 pm – June 21, 2011 – Boston, MA

This is a hands-on workshop in which participants will share their concerns, experiences, and plans for addressing the issues of practical implementation and integration of mobile phones, tablets, and other mDevices in the healthcare setting. The emphasis will be on practical approaches and actual experiences. Topics will include:

* Under what conditions should clinicians’ use of mDevices (smartphones, tablets, etc.) be encouraged? (Addressing such issues as benefits, ownership, and personal use)

* Should specific devices/apps be recommended or mandated?  Should others be banned?  Who makes these decisions? What needs to be done to create an inventory?

* How can security and privacy measures be established?  How can you guarantee HIPAA compliance? What must be done and what is optional?

* What policies need to be implemented?

* How should new ways of patient communication be managed?

* How can new communication systems be used for marketing provider services?

* What can be done to integrate mHealth applications into your HIS/EMR system?

* Other issues raised by registrants.

Workshop Details

Date: Tuesday, June 21, 2011, 10 am to 4 pm. Sponsor: mHealth Initiative

Workshop chair: C. Peter Waegemann, President, mHealth Initiative

Where:  Fisher College, 118 Beacon Street, 4th Floor, Room 41, Boston, MA. Parking available at Boston Common Garage. There are a number of nearby hotels. Lunch not included but available at college cafeteria.

Fee: $99 per person. Space is limited. Register here.

Who Should Attend?

*  C-level executives and their representatives

*  HIM specialists

*  Privacy officers

*  Physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals

*  HIT managers

*  Others concerned with mHealth implementation

For more information: Claudia Tessier at or

With the future of mHealth being extremely bright, but somewhat uncertain in terms of regulation this should be a very interesting workshop.

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May 17, 2011 I Written By

Filed Under: Health Care  Healthcare IT  Medical Devices  mHealth  Mobile Health Care  Smart Phones  Tablets
Tags:C. Peter Wagemann  EMR  Fisher College  HIPAA Compliance  mDevices  mDevices in Healthcare  mHealth App Integration  mHealth Initiative  Policy Workshop for Smartphones and mHealth


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