Intel has begun pilot programs to test a home health laptop, application, and database system that puts patients remotely in sync with their health care providers.
The Intel Health Guide, which includes a laptop for patients and an online interface for health care administrators, received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in July. Now Aetna, Scan Health Plan, Erickson Retirement Communities, and the Providence Medical Group in Oregon have each begun pilot programs to test how well the system works, or doesn't work, with their patients.
Intel's Health Guide PHS6000 has built-in tools like blood pressure cuffs for reading vitals.
(Credit: Intel)"Health care is an area where getting and gathering the right information, and getting decisions made in a timely matter can make an enormous difference in patient care. We hope this technology helps with that," Mariah Scott, head of sales and marketing for Intel's Digital Health Group, said in an interview.
While many see health care moving into the home through technology, it seems like Intel knows government approval alone will not convince people to trust a tech company to dispense medical advice.
The company also announced that it has partnered with two major names in medicine, the Mayo Clinic and the American Heart Association, to provide the application's medical assessments, evidence-based treatment guidelines, and educational multimedia content.
That's probably a good idea because Intel plans to sell its Intel Health Care Management Suite as a comprehensive online data-collection system for health care organizations; the Intel Health Guide PHS6000 device is intended for patients themselves to operate, not experienced clinicians visiting the homebound as previously speculated.
... Read moreIntel plans to unveil a series of health care products aimed at the aging and chronically ill on November 11.
Few details have been released, but it's likely the new products will tie in with the Intel Health Guide PHS 6000.
Intel was recently granted approval for this touch-screen laptop with a 40GB hard drive and corresponding Web application from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. While it's run trials in the UK with the device, Intel's still awaiting approval for the UK market.
The laptop and its software enables medical data input, analysis, and transfer between a patient and health care professional over any broadband network, according to the info Intel has made available so far.
The software seems geared toward health care professionals visiting and assessing patients in their home.
However, the Intel Health Guide PHS 6000 also appears to allow patients to input their own medical data, such as their vitals or answers to a series of prompted questions. Other data-collecting tools like a blood pressure monitor and glucose meter can also be plugged directly in to the laptop or communicate with them wirelessly, according to Intel.
The software automatically transmits collected data to a patient's health care professional, but can also receive instructions. The machine also allows for two-way video conferencing.
- prev
- 1
- next
