Mabu, a robot helping patients with congestive heart failure, is working with the American Heart Association

Catalia Health today announced that it has formed a partnership with the American Heart Association (AHA) to bring AHA-approved content on heart attacks and strokes to Mabu, a personal health assistant robot working to reduce congestive heart failure patients readmission to hospitals.

Mabu is similar to robots like Pillo in that it’s designed to remind patients to take their medication, but it also offers education and tracks patient activity to better help those diagnosed with congestive heart failure.

The full article can be viewed at this link.  

Effects of Integrated Telehealth- Delivered Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Depression and Insomnia in Rural Older Adults

We examined the effects of integrated cognitive-behavioral therapy for depression and insomnia (CBT-D + CBT-I, respectively) delivered via video conference in rural middle-aged and older adults. Forty patients with depressive and insomnia symptoms were randomized to receive either 10 sessions of CBT-D + CBT-I or usual care (UC). Patients in the integrated CBT condition were engaged in telehealth treatment through Skype at their primary care clinic. Assessments were conducted at baseline, post treatment, and 3-month follow-up. CBT-D + CBT-I participants had significantly greater improvements in sleep at post treatment and 3-month follow-up as compared with the UC participants. The Time X Group interaction for depression was not significant;participants in both the CBT-D + CBT-I and UC conditions showed a decrease in depressive symptoms over time. Although integrated CBT benefits both depression and insomnia symptoms, its effects on depression are more equivocal. Further research should consider expanding the depression treatment component of integrated CBT to enhance effectiveness.

The full article can be downloaded below.  

The Amazonification of Healthcare

The digital age is no longer about just the product – it’s equally about the customer experience.

In turn, businesses are competing on their ability to deliver quantifiable results to empowered consumers, who are:

• Informed
• Proactive
• Demanding
• Discerning
• Cost-conscious

Naturally, empowered consumers have high expectations of the services and brands they choose to integrate into their lives – and Amazon’s buying experience, which is ultra-fast, convenient, innovative, and driven by user reviews, is the perfect example of this trend in action.

This “Amazonification effect” is transforming every industry from retail to finance – and the healthcare industry is now set to change forever for both consumers and businesses.

The full article and infographic can be viewed at this link   

Enhancing Rural Population Health Care Access and Outcomes Through the Telehealth EcoSystem™ Model

The article highlights the Telehealth EcoSystem™ model, a holistic cross-sector approach for socioeconomic revitalization, connectivity, interoperability and technology infrastructure development to address health equity for rural underserved communities. Two guiding frameworks, Community & Economic Development (CED) and Collective Impact, provided the foundation for the Telehealth EcoSystem™ model. Public and private organizational capacities are addressed by comprehensive healthcare and social service delivery through stakeholder engagement and collaborative decision-making processes. A focus is maintained on economic recovery and policy reforms that enhance population health outcomes for individuals and families who have economic challenges. The Telehealth EcoSystem™ utilizes an intranet mechanism that enables a range of technologies and electronic devices for health informatics and telemedicine initiatives. The relevance of the intranet to the advancement of health informatics is highlighted. Best practices in digital connectivity, HIPAA requirements, electronic health records (EHRs), and eHealth applications, such as patient portals and mobile devices, are emphasized. Collateral considerations include technology applications that expand public health services. The ongoing collaboration between a social science research corporation, a regional community foundation and an open access telecommunications carrier is a pivotal element in the sequential development and implementation of the Telehealth EcoSystem™ model in the rural southeastern region community.

The full article can be viewed below.  

Research on Hybrid Information Evaluation Type Watching Technology for the Improvement of QOL of the Elderly

The increase in living alone and old households due to aging of the society has led to a decline in the quality of life (QOL) of elderly people. How to maintain and improve the quality of life for elderly people is a pressing issue of society. We watch over the elderly from both aspects of health-related QOL and subjective QOL and work on creating a social system that realizes a safe and secure life for the elderly. In this research, we promote the health information database which holds health related information in the shared database system such as the cloud by the will of the person him/herself, and develop a method for mining various kinds of life log information and medical/care related information in a hybrid manner. In this paper, we propose a remote watching method inferring resident's behavior related to the operation of electric appliances from the measurement of total load current of the household. We also attempt to perform hybrid data mining by combining subjective mood data and objective data with wearable sensors that can collect biological data. We aim to provide a system that brings a safe and secure life to the elderly by carrying out assessment and early detection of abnormal symptoms of them such as depression and dementia.

The full study can be downloaded below.  

A Smartphone App and Personalized Text Messaging Framework (InDEx) to Monitor and Reduce Alcohol Use in Ex-Serving Personnel: Development and Feasibility Study

Self-reported alcohol misuse remains high in armed forces personnel even after they have left service. More than 50% of ex-serving personnel meet the criteria for hazardous alcohol use; however, many fail to acknowledge that they have a problem. Previous research indicates that interventions delivered via smartphone apps are suitable in promoting self-monitoring of alcohol use, have a broad reach, and may be more cost-effective than other types of brief interventions. There is currently no such intervention specifically designed for the armed forces.

This study sought to describe the development of a tailored smartphone app and personalized text messaging (short message service, SMS) framework and to test the usability and feasibility (measured and reported as user engagement) of this app in a hard-to-engage ex-serving population.

App development used Agile methodology (an incremental, iterative approach used in software development) and was informed by behavior change theory, participant feedback, and focus groups. Participants were recruited between May 2017 and June 2017 from an existing United Kingdom longitudinal military health and well-being cohort study, prescreened for eligibility, and directed to download either Android or iOS versions of the ”Information about Drinking for Ex-serving personnel” (InDEx) app. Through the app, participants were asked to record alcohol consumption, complete a range of self-report measures, and set goals using implementation intentions (if-then plans). Alongside the app, participants received daily automated personalized text messages (SMS) corresponding to specific behavior change techniques with content informed by the health action process approach with the intended purpose of promoting the use of the drinks diary, suggesting alternative behaviors, and providing feedback on goals setting.

Personnel engaged and used the app regularly as demonstrated by the number of initializations, interactions, and time spent using InDEx. Future research is needed to evaluate the engagement with and efficacy of InDEx for the reduction of alcohol consumption and binge drinking in an armed forces population.

The full pdf can be downloaded below.  

Presentation slides and recording from 8/22/18 Webinar.

For many stakeholders, the healthcare experience can feel siloed and fragmented. In reality today, care management is limited to the windows of time patients and providers have during in-person appointments to discuss quality of life, lifestyle habits, monthly device readings, and adjust treatment. This is because providers only have access to a fraction of the valuable information about patients’ health outside the four walls of the hospital.

However, the use of digital health devices and apps – like in-home medical devices and wearables – can extend care beyond these walls and provide better insights into patients’ health. These devices and apps generate valuable patient data that, when incorporated into the clinical workflow and a continuous program of care, lead to more efficient and effective treatment that can lower costs and improve outcomes.

In this webinar, three stakeholders – including a patient with type 2 diabetes, a provider who designed and managed remote care programs, and a health technologist specializing in data workflows and analytics – will share their perspectives on the value that patient-generated health data (PGHD) and digital health devices offer remote care programs.

Participants will also gain practical guidance on:

-Best practices for implementing and scaling a remote care program with digital tools
-How best to engage and empower patients with data-driven remote care programs
Join the webinar to hear from a patient discussing their firsthand experience participating in a remote care program, and the perspectives of a technologist and provider on the implementation and operation of such programs.

Speakers:
-Drew Schiller, CEO, Validic
-Steve Van, Patient Advocate
-Martin Entwistle, President and CEO, Ares Health Systems

Author: Ralph Johnson III

Federal and state mandates have compelled healthcare systems to adopt “meaningful use” electronic health record (EHR) systems. Off-the-shelf, onthe-spot, one-source EHR systems such as EPIC® have become popular choices. Indeed, EPIC® recently captured a substantial proportion of the Houston Texas Medical Center (TMC), CVS Pharmacy mini-clinics, and extended into academic institutions. Current reported estimates are contentious but vary between 2047% of the EHR market share. Therefore, it is only sensible to conduct a review of EPIC.