Medication Adherence Facilitated by Smartphones & More News

Study Shows Wireless Tech Effective for Medication Adherence

A recent study explored the effects of wirelessly observed therapy (WOT) on medication adherence in tuberculosis (TB) patients. WOT includes an ingestible sensor and external wearable patch paired with a mobile device that detects and records the ingestion of medication. Researchers found WOT was as accurate as in-person observations and better at supporting confirmed daily adherence. In addition, patients preferred WOT over in-person observation. Medication adherence is crucial to treat TB and prevent its spread; thus, WOT may be an impactful method to facilitate patients’ self-management of their medications and ensure they complete their treatment.

Amazon's Textract Innovates Simple Optical Character Recognition

Amazon has made its next leap into the digital health market. Textract is the latest of Amazon’s AI and Cloud tools to become HIPAA eligible. The technology reduces labour intensive work like manual data entry by accurately and effectively analyzing documents using machine learning-- bypassing the need for human intervention or customization. Textract is already being explored by companies such as Cambia Health Solutions and Change Healthcare to optimize care coordination and streamline administrative processes. The ability to customize Textract and utilize it in HIPAA compliant ways, will expand how health care providers can use the tool.

Smartphone-based Interventions Can Positively Impact Behavior

A study conducted by researchers at Stanford University found that behavioral interventions, delivered through a smartphone, significantly increased daily short-term physical activity. The trial was run through the MyHeart Counts App. Following a baseline period, participants were assigned one of four different smartphone-based interventions such as hourly prompts and personalized coaching messages. Results indicated that all four interventions significantly increased mean step count when compared to baseline, suggesting that digital interventions delivered via mobile apps can impact behavior. In addition, the medium through which the study itself was conducted, an iPhone, illustrates how technology can reduce barriers to entry for individuals to participate in research. This study is the latest to examine the intersection between research and health tech, highlighting the interest in digital behavioral tracking and optimization.

The Future of Smartphones: Detecting Norovirus with an App & More News

The Future of Smartphones: Detecting Norovirus with an App

A research team from the University of Arizona is developing a way to detect norovirus in water sources with a smartphone. In the test, the researchers soak paper in a water sample before adding antibodies against the virus that are labeled with fluorescent material. They then use a camera attached to a smartphone to take a picture of the paper and an app to analyze the fluorescent patterns of the antibodies. The researchers’ findings show that the smartphone app is able to detect norovirus at very low concentrations.

Although further research is needed, the test’s ability to detect small amounts of norovirus is significant because just 10 virus particles can make a person sick. Norovirus is responsible for a staggering 700 million cases of gastroenteritis, over 200,000 deaths, and over $60 billion in associated costs each year. This test highlights the increasing diagnostic role that digital tools like smartphones are playing in the health sector --- from patient monitoring to virus detection, innovative solutions are becoming integral players in the effort to make care accessible and intelligent.

Smart Devices Venture Into Chronic Illness Monitoring

Health care organizations are partnering with innovators to invest in personalized smart monitoring for individuals with chronic illnesses. For example, Myia Health has closed a $10 million financing round with Mercy Virtual, the digital arm of the Mercy Health hospital chain, to monitor patients with congestive heart failure and track their early symptoms through Myia’s technology suite.

Myia Health is not the only innovator focused on chronic illnesses. Fitbit executives recently announced a one-on-one coaching service to be rolled out in 2020 to help consumers manage chronic conditions like diabetes. In addition, wearables from Apple and Biobeat offer heart rate, blood pressure, and sleep habit tracking of patients at home. Health care organizations and innovators alike, are exploring the effects of personalized monitoring and home-based care on patient recovery and resilience.

Health Care Survey Results Highlight Major Gaps in Cybersecurity

Since 2017, the health care industry has seen a string of cyberattacks, from the the WannaCry ransomware attack in May 2017 to a recent data breach at Presbyterian Health Services that exposed 183,000 patients’ data. While internet-connected devices provide high levels of utility and connectivity, they are also at a high risk for cyberattacks due to their software vulnerabilities. Irdeto, a security software company, surveyed 700 security decision makers across health care, transportation, and manufacturing industries in 5 countries. It found that 8 out of 10 health care organizations have experienced an IoT-focused cyberattack in the past year. Across all 3 industries that the survey targeted, operational downtime (43%) is the most common impact of a cyberattack, followed by compromised customer data (52%) and brand or reputational damage (31%). The results of this survey indicate that organizations are aware that such vulnerabilities exist, but they do not have the infrastructure to anticipate and deal with such attacks. To address organizational network vulnerabilities, organizations need to invest in cybersecurity strategies that incorporate all connected devices on a given network.

RWJF Innovation Challenges Finalists

Finalists for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Home & Community Based Care and Social Determinants of Health Innovation Challenges will compete live on September 16th!

Home & Community Based Care Innovation Challenge Finalists

• Heal

• Ooney

• Wizeview

Social Determinants of Health Innovation Challenge Finalists

• Community Resource Network

• Open City Labs

• Social Impact AI Lab - New York

The three finalists from each challenge will compete in a Live Pitch on September 16th, from 2:30-4:30pm, at this year’s Health 2.0 Conference in Santa Clara, CA. They will demo their technology in front of a captivated audience of health care professionals, investors, provider organizations, and members of the media. The first place winners will be featured on the Conference Main Stage, September 17th at 3:15pm. Winners will be awarded $40,000 for first place, $25,000 for second place, and $10,000 for third place.

Biological Virus Detection with Your Smartphone & More News

Biological Virus Detection with Your Smartphone

Global estimates for deaths from seasonal influenza-related respiratory illnesses have increased, making flu prevention an important priority. In an effort to combat viruses like the flu, Yoshihiro Minagawa, a researcher from Tokyo, has created a tool that detects viruses with a smartphone. The device is about the size of a brick and smaller than conventional options. It detects viruses more quickly than a fluorescence microscope and is estimated to be 100 times as sensitive as a rapid flu test kit. To use the device, a smartphone is placed in a space at the top of the scanner so that it’s camera faces a small lens. Users download an app that allows them to visualize the viruses present in a sample.

Minagawa’s goal was to create a tool that can be used in inaccessible and impoverished communities to combat diseases like the flu globally. This virus scanner is one of many smartphone diagnostic tools that utilizes advanced cameras, motion sensors, facial recognition, natural language algorithms and/or artificial intelligence. The development of diagnostic tools for smartphones has the potential to improve access to care and health worldwide.

Smart Wearables are Key Disruptors in Health Care

Once regarded as simple calorie and step trackers for the fitness-conscious, wearables have transcended the sports category and are being used by clinical researchers. Smart wearables’ potential for advancing health outcomes has been explored by giants like Apple. In 2017’s Apple Heart Study, Apple Watches were utilized to collect and track heart health data, highlighting the role wearables are beginning to play in personalized health monitoring. Other players offering wearables for health tracking include Fossil, whose next smartwatch will use neural network technology to detect various heart conditions and Google Fit, who is diversifying its wearable technology by updating its software to integrate sleep tracking.

According to data provided by Circle Square's June 2019 Digital Trends Report, smart wearables have significant implications for the future of remote patient monitoring in the field of digital health. As health care moves towards a value-based system, with an emphasis on patient-centered care, smart wearables are becoming an efficient monitoring tool to deliver more precise care. 

Making Health History More Accessible

An unfortunate product of the siloed health systems in the U.S. is that it is difficult for patients to attain their health information. To tackle this issue, representatives from Apple, Google, Amazon and Microsoft, health insurers, and hospitals met in Washington D.C. to announce plans to provide consumers with easier access to their medical information. They will begin testing a set of technical specifications for sharing claims data, which are medical bills sent to a patient’s health insurance company. A broad overview of patients' health is often difficult to access because information is held within a specific hospital or clinic where they received care. Claims data offers this overview, irrespective of where they were treated.

In recent years, the government has pushed for claims information to be made available to Medicare beneficiaries. However, it is not routinely shared with individuals who receive their health insurance through their employer or a commercial payer. Apple, Google and Microsoft have developed tools that make it easier for consumers to access their health information, but they have had mixed success. For example, Apple requires each individual hospital or clinic to register with its service, which limits the information available. The new specifications for sharing claims data will benefit health data service providers and ultimately, may disrupt health care silos. Increased accessibility to health information can help patients track their medical bills, choose health plans, and tackle fraud.

FDA Clears Single-use Nerve Stimulation Pain Relief for Adolescents with IBS

With the US in the midst of the opioid epidemic, healthcare stakeholders are leveraging technology to create alternative sources of pain relief. Recently, the FDA granted De Novo clearance for a prescription nerve stimulation device called IB-Stim. Developed by Innovative Health Solutions, the device is a single-use electrical nerve stimulator that reduces functional abdominal pain for adolescents and teens with irritable bowel syndrome. It is placed behind the patient’s ear and emits a low-frequency pulse that stimulates cranial nerves to provide pain relief. This isn’t the first time the FDA has provided marketing authorization for a digital health tool to target the opioid crisis and pain management. In recent years, the FDA cleared the NSS-2 BRIDGE, a device used to reduce symptoms of opioid withdrawal and the Electro Auricular Device for use in acupuncture. Neurological medical devices offer the possibility of safer alternatives to pain management.