iPhone/iPad Access Of Converged Health Management Approved By FDA
By Christine Kern, contributing writer
FDA clearance given to Verizon’s remote patient-monitoring medical platform running on iOS (Apple) mobile operating system
In a statement from Verizon, it was announced that patients and clinicians now will be able to access Verizon’s solution on their iPhones and can use their iPads to access the Converged Health Management portal. Verizon’s Converged Health Management, a remote patient-monitoring medical platform designed to help clinicians and patients manage patients’ health in between doctor visits, has been given U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance to run on the iOS (Apple, Inc.) mobile operating system.
MedCity News also reported on the story, stating the Converged Health Management platform is a cloud-based tool that transmits patient data to physicians’ mobile devices. Programmed algorithms aid physicians in spotting issues with their patients’ condition so they can intervene before the patients need to be hospitalized.
The platform allows doctors to monitor progress and communicate with patients, sending alerts or notices to remind them to take medications or suggesting they call into the office to speak to a nurse or schedule an appointment with the doctor. Patients as well as clinicians can access the data for analysis and intervention.
In addition, Converged Health Management added Telcare and Genesis blood glucose monitors to its list of other available biometric devices, including Ideal Life’s blood pressure cuff, glucose monitor model, pulse oximeter, and weight scale.
The Verizon press release further states, “The new enhancements give our customers added choice to deliver and customize mobile health solutions to patients and employees. In fact, 59 percent of physicians who use mobile medical apps do so on a tablet device, and from within that group, most prefer the iPad.”
Julie Kling, director of mobile health, Verizon, said, “There is value in having a range of biometric devices connect to the Converged Health Management platform.”
This new Verizon CHM platform is designed for healthcare providers, health insurance, and large private employers as a way to monitor at-home care compliance and engage patients in healthier lifestyle choices, all with the goal of helping clinicians reduce hospital readmissions.