Introduction and Overview

It probably won’t surprise you that the Internet of Things (IoT) is revolutionizing the healthcare industry, creating new opportunities for improved patient care, cost reduction, and operational efficiency. However, (IoMT) looks to bring even more innovation to the healthcare sector. IoMT includes some systems that were already staples of IoT, such as remote monitoring systems and wearable technology devices. However, IoMT expands the field through implanted devices and other smart connected devices that can feed critical and expensive or hard-to-access data back to healthcare providers.

Market Highlights

The market for this technology now appears set to grow from approximately $48.7 billion in 2022 to $370.9 billion by 2032, at a projected Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 23.15% (Source: Market.us). All signs suggest that North America will continue to be the most important region, given a market share of 35.8%. In comparison with other global regions, North America’s embrace of IoMT and the accompanying adoption of advanced healthcare technologies has been faster and more widespread. In turn, the availability of these technologies has driven demand for remote patient monitoring technologies and services.

The global COVID-19 pandemic also radically shifted the boundaries of medical technology, and it is no exaggeration to call this a turning point in the widespread adoption of IoMT devices in healthcare. During the pandemic, remote consultations, monitoring of vital signs, symptoms, and other health parameters, and vaccine distribution and administration have been widely adopted through IoMT devices. Moreover, the vast amount of health data generated during the pandemic has provided valuable insights for trend analysis and better-informed decision-making, leading to improved strategies for managing the pandemic and other healthcare challenges.

Trends Shaping Market Growth

There are several factors currently shaping the growth of IoT in healthcare. Technological advancements in connected devices, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cloud computing, have significantly improved the capabilities of IoMT devices and their potential impact on patient care. The increase in chronic diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases, has also led to a higher demand for remote patient monitoring. This presents a key opportunity for IoMT by allowing healthcare providers to monitor patients remotely and provide early intervention, with improved patient outcomes and decreased hospitalization rates and shorter stays.

In addition to these driving factors, several trending factors are shaping the future of healthcare delivery through the integration of IoT technologies. The use of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, edge computing, blockchain, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and smart sensors, enables more efficient and personalized healthcare services. AI-enabled algorithms can perform in-depth real-time analysis on impossibly large amounts of health data streaming from IoMT devices. This analysis can identify patterns and trends for better decision-making and truly personalized treatment plans. Cutting-edge techniques and technologies like Edge Computing and widespread 5G also reduce latency and increase the speed of data transfers, enabling more data to move ever more easily. Taken together, these trends are leading toward a likely scenario where wearable tech alone will be worth $54 billion by the end of 2023 (Source: GlobalData).

IoMT Applications and Use Cases

IoMT devices are being used in various applications across the healthcare industry, including physiotherapy and sports/fitness therapy. Wearable medical devices, such as fitness trackers and smartwatches, are expected to dominate the IoMT market, holding the largest share of 45% (Source: Market.us). These devices are widely used for personal health monitoring, fitness tracking, and chronic disease management, among other applications.

One of the key benefits of IoMT devices is their ability to enhance patient engagement and empower individuals to take control of their health. Wearable medical devices enable patients to track their physical activity, sleep patterns, heart rate, and other health parameters, to make informed decisions about their health and lifestyle. Patients with chronic conditions can use IoMT devices to monitor their health parameters at home and share the data with their healthcare providers, enabling remote monitoring and personalized care plans.

Another major reason for the appeal of IoMT devices is their ability to improve patient safety and slash the costs of delivering healthcare. For example, medication dispensers with smart technology can help prevent medication errors by providing reminders and alerts to patients, ensuring timely and accurate medication administration. Smart hospital beds equipped with IoMT sensors can monitor patient movements, pressure points, and other parameters to prevent pressure ulcers and improve patient comfort.

For a deeper insight into IoMT, we’ll now consider the work of Softeq, a full-stack digital transformation and , in building firmware for a custom skin cancer screening device.

Case Study: Firmware for a Non-Invasive Custom Skin Cancer Screening Device

The use of Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) devices has revolutionized the healthcare industry, with applications ranging from fitness tracking to chronic disease management. A medical device manufacturer with a specialization in skin cancer screening wanted to create a portable device that was capable of . The company turned to Softeq to test this idea’s viability and to create the firmware on which the device would ultimately run.

The Softeq team developed a complex hardware and software system using cutting-edge mobile hardware and software. The device had LED lights, a speaker, an accelerometer, a display, and other hardware components. It included a pair of photodetectors and a force sensor, collectively used to create a real-time visual representation of the patient’s skin.

The system observed how quickly blood was refilled in suspect skin lesions and analyzed the data using custom algorithms. It had firmware and software that included an audiovisual guide with error messages, LED lights calibrated to enhance the sensitivity of the photodetector, and the ability to store over 100 test results in its memory. The system also had a custom Linux BSP and drivers, built-in flash memory-based software, optimized Linux boot-time, firmware updates via USB, and secure login via SSH protocol.

Conclusion

It should be clear by now that IoT devices for healthcare and IoMT devices are completely transforming the health sector. However, there are a few things to be cautious of if you’re considering an internet of medical things project. In particular, the collection and transmission of sensitive patient data by IoMT devices pose significant concerns in terms of data privacy and security. In designing and constructing IoT in healthcare projects, it is vital to protect this data to safeguard patient privacy and comply with regulatory requirements like the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Interoperability and standardization are also challenges, making it essential that you work with an experienced Healthcare like Softeq.

The bottom line is that IoMT devices are revolutionizing the healthcare industry by enabling remote patient monitoring, improving patient engagement, enhancing patient safety, and optimizing healthcare asset management. However, challenges related to data privacy, security, interoperability, and standardization need to be addressed to fully realize the potential of IoMT in improving patient care and outcomes. As technology continues to advance, IoMT is expected to play a crucial role in shaping the future of healthcare by enabling personalized, proactive, and patient-centric care.

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Through innovation, eDevice has become the leading provider of connectivity solutions for medical device companies, now connecting one hundred thousand devices across the globe.

A few years ago, it was considered a risky bet for an M2M (Machine-to-Machine) telecommunication company to heavily invest in new technology for the emerging Telehealth market. But with the combination of an aging population, an increasing number of chronically-ill patients, and a global need for improving the efficiency of national health systems, eHealth increasingly became one of the most promising markets for technology companies. With 50% growth in its global revenue for 2012, eDevice does not regret the decision to take this route as they complete their 6th consecutive year of growth and profitability.

Starting in 2000 as an end-to-end M2M solutions provider, eDevice obtained its first RPM (Remote Patient Monitoring) client in 2002 and specialized in eHealth after 2008, creating a global connectivity solution for Telemedicine companies.

As a pioneer in medical device connectivity, eDevice is the chosen partner of some of the most admired companies, including worldwide leaders in RPM, pacemaker and defibrillator monitoring, remote glucose monitoring, and chronic disease management.

In its “mHealth & Home Monitoring” study of 2013, Berg Insight identifies eDevice as the only MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) specialized in the healthcare industry and further positions eDevice as a major player of the Remote Patient Monitoring platform market for the future.

Michael Freudmann, Vice-President Sales of eDevice, speaks about the specialization of his company:
“At eDevice, we believe in specialization. It makes no sense when a company offers connectivity solutions and services for truck tracking, utility metering, industrial M2M, alarm systems, and then also for pacemaker monitoring. Healthcare is a market by itself that requires a very specific know-how and skill set“.

eDevice attributes its success to its complete offer for medical device companies, which allows them to focus on their own product and service strategy. With modems and network gateways, wireless and fixed lines services, and remote device management services, eDevice solutions have now been adopted worldwide.

eDevice CEO Marc Berrebi, said:

“According to all the market surveys, the Medical Device Connectivity market is promised to generate phenomenal growth in the next decade. We see new entrants, but it will take years before they can handle the stringent requirements of mHealth.”

Throughout the next 5 years, eDevice anticipates 30%+ annual growth of its global revenue.

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Agreement expands growing global footprint of RACO Wireless and allows customers the ability to develop and manage M2M solutions in Canada with integrated award-winning tools.

RACO Wireless, the leading provider of wireless machine-to-machine (M2M) solutions, announced today that it has entered into a carrier agreement with Rogers Communications, Canada’s largest wireless communication services provider. The agreement will allow customers of RACO Wireless the ability to deploy M2M solutions in Canada through its award-winning platform, the Omega Management Suite.

John Horn, president of RACO Wireless, said:

“We are pleased to be able to expand our reach into the Canadian market with such a dynamic player. Rogers is Canada’s largest wireless communications provider, and we envision our new relationship tremendously benefiting our current and future customers with M2M needs in the Canadian market.”

Through this agreement, customers of RACO Wireless will be able to seamlessly manage solutions in Canada, while still maintaining an award-winning set of tools and the most experienced team in the M2M industry. With full integration into the Omega Management Suite, customers in a variety of markets – such as fleet management, security, telemedicine and asset management – will experience a turn-key, global solution to their M2M needs.

RACO Wireless’ agreement with Rogers will enable RACO Wireless to support international customers with custom solutions and offers unique to the Canadian market. As a result, Canadian businesses and consumers will have access to connected solutions across a number of categories including transportation, healthcare, home, consumer electronics and energy management.

“We want to make it as easy as possible for people to run their businesses. By expanding our footprint in Canada we not only meet the needs of our expanding customer base by allowing them to grow internationally with proven tools, but we provide them with a clear advantage over their competition,” added Horn.

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The provision of healthcare services and information by telecommunication methods – or ‘telehealth’ – holds the potential to change the way many of us receive medical care, states a new report by healthcare sector experts GlobalData.

According to a new research report from London-based Global Data, the worldwide telehealth and telemedicine market will experience a boom in growth over the next few years as technology continues to expand, both in terms of number of applications and availability.

From a 2011 valuation of $13.2 billion, the global market for telehealth and telemedicine will jump to $32.5 billion by 2018, climbing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 14%.

According to GlobalData, the key factors driving the industry include the need to increase the reach of quality medical care to remote locations, reduce healthcare expenditure and enable the optimal usage of limited provider resources.

The accelerated growth of robust telecommunication technologies, the increased adoption of related healthcare IT solutions and the readiness of companies and governments to invest are also contributing to the market’s double-digit growth.

Currently the US dominates the industry, holding a 51% share in 2011, but it is the Asia-Pacific region that is estimated to exhibit the most impressive growth.

In 2011, Asia-Pacific contributed $2 billion to the global telehealth and telemedicine market and this is expected to almost quadruple by the end of 2018, to just under $8 billion. This means a CAGR of 21%, while the US and European markets are expected to climb at the less substantial rates of 12% and 13%, respectively.

Growth in the Asia-Pacific region is expected to be driven by improved awareness of the model’s potential for expanding the penetration of affordable medical care to the wider population, with the governments of India and China rapidly adopting and pushing telehealth to cater to the needs of the huge rural patient population.

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M2M Leader’s Expertise Enables Efficient, Real-time Connectivity to Medical Device Telemetry

Numerex Corp, a leading single source provider of secure machine-to-machine (M2M) products and services, announced today the company has developed a complete Device-Network-Application (DNA) solution for remote cellular monitoring of MicroMed Cardiovascular Inc.’s HeartAssist5® System.

Numerex led the innovation and development of the new wireless monitoring connectivity and software application for the HeartAssist5® System, the latter consisting of two devices developed by MicroMed: the HeartAssist5® Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) and the MicroMed Controller. The MicroMed HeartAssist5® LVAD was originally developed by the world famous heart surgeon Dr. Michael DeBakey in partnership with NASA. It is the only LVAD with a precise, direct flow measurement system and cellular-based remote monitoring.

“The partnership with Numerex has been spectacular.  They provided the expertise we need along with their Numerex DNA® solution to move our idea quickly and reliably to market,” said Bryan Lynch, Vice President of product development at MicroMed.

Prior to Numerex implementing the new M2M technology, clinicians accessed device data after the body-worn external controller unit was physically plugged into the MicroMed Heart Attendant and transmitted via a local internet connection. This limited mobility and continuous reporting could not occur.

The MicroMed Cardiovascular team sought a solution to improve real-time visibility to the devices and engaged Numerex to integrate a cellular radio into the MicroMed Controller, provide cellular network services, and deliver a web-based application to consolidate and present the reported data for clinicians to review.

“This is a good example of the value-added services Numerex brings to their enterprise customers to deliver new solutions,” said Mike Marett, Chief Revenue Officer of Numerex.

“MicroMed brought their deep domain expertise and a strong core product to us. After which we applied our M2M expertise and leveraged our platforms to enable a rapid product evolution and ultimately enable the many new benefits associated with continuous connectivity and monitoring.”

The MicroMed Cardiovascular M2M application was built using the secure, reliable Numerex FAST® platform.  As part of the Numerex DNA® solution, the firmware was optimized to reduce the size of the data packet transmissions, ultimately optimizing from over 50MB to less than 4MB per month and resulting in significant efficiencies and cost savings. Remote monitoring of the device is now continuous and consistent, allowing for relevant device statistics to be reported around the clock. More importantly, any anomalies in the device are reported in real-time.

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To some observers, today’s mobile sector resembles a form of controlled chaos where even the most conservative incumbents of the past are embracing the need for a more open, competitive environment. The reason for this lies in the volatility that continues to erupt around the pillars of disruption that define the open mobile era: rapid development of mobile Web technology, insatiable consumer demand for mobile Web and data services, and an evolving policy debate that may finally introduce a more equitable market.

As with all creative destruction, this is good news for some and doomsday for others. Network carriers in particular are scrambling to compete with the new wave of mobile upstarts that have turned Silicon Valley into Smartphone Valley in less than 3 years. Insight from Deloitte’s new Open Mobile survey point to the formidable challenges incumbents face in trying to capture growth in an era where the old rules simply don’t apply.

The incumbents’ travails seem centered on how to sustain market leadership without relying on traditional revenue streams. Voice revenues have declined, but data revenues have soared and now account for a significant portion of the total revenue for the wireless industry. This trend is set to accelerate over the short term and provide new revenue opportunities for anyone agile enough to act. The big question is where will these opportunities reside? According to our research, vertical industries adjacent to mobile  – especially healthcare and life sciences  – are poised to experience the most profound mobile business model growth.

Mobile health, or mHealth as it’s commonly known, is emerging as a significant growth opportunity for companies looking to capitalize on machine-to-machine (M2M) technology in wireless healthcare. By 2016, the worldwide market for machine-to-machine connections is predicted to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 27 percent, and global connections are forecast to reach 365 million. Much of this growth will come from services designed around the “Internet of things,” but other reasons apply. In particular, the declining cost of mobile devices and infrastructure coupled with an increased deployment of networks are providing the opportunity for mobile incumbents to apply existing infrastructure in new markets.

Healthcare seems like the obvious choice in this regard. Analyst forecasts estimate the potential value of the mHealth market will be $4.6 billion by 2014. The driving forces behind this expected uptick are numerous. Mounting pressure to cut burgeoning costs in the U.S. healthcare system is a government mandated objective; in particular, preventable readmissions cost an estimated $12–17 billion per year. On top of this lies the problem of an aging population, exacerbated by the size of the baby boomer demographic. Americans aged 60 or older represented 18 percent of the U.S. population in 2009; , this segment is expected to grow to 27 percent by 2050.

Wireless healthcare solutions offer a way to deal with these pressing issues and more. Improving disease management, despite an increasing incidence of chronic diseases, is particularly attractive, considering 7 out of 10 deaths among Americans each year are from chronic diseases. Heart disease, cancer and stroke combined account for more than 50 percent of all deaths each year. In 2005 alone, 133 million Americans — almost 1 out of every 2 adults — had at least one chronic illness. These sobering statistics have big implications. Costs associated with chronic disease management accounts for more than four-fifths of the total healthcare expenditure, which totaled $2 trillion annually in 2009, and they are expected to increase on average 6.1 percent per year over the projection period 2009–2019. Ouch. Adding more fuel to the fire is a chronic shortfall of physicians. The Association of American Medical Colleges estimates a shortage of 90,000 doctors nationwide by 2021. The impact of this dwindling resource pool will be amplified and felt even more in specialist areas such as geriatrics. The rising baby boomer population can then expect to face the considerable challenge of getting quality healthcare on a timely and consistent basis.

Despite these concerns, all may not be lost in fighting the double whammy of rising demand and decreasing supply. Advances in wireless remote patient monitoring (RPM) are expected to have a big impact across targeted disease areas where chronic conditions are a leading cause of the readmissions problem. RPM can equip healthcare providers with timely information about patients’ health, while improving speed and accuracy of diagnosis. Wearable body sensors and remote monitoring can keep chronic patients out of hospitals and improve their quality of life while significantly reducing admission expenses. If, as expected, more trials are successful and adoption of such RPM technology becomes suitably widespread, savings are expected to reach $197 billion over the next 25 years.

With these challenges and opportunities firmly front and center of the prospective mHealth industry, many mobile incumbents are struggling to make a significant play. Organizational capabilities, or lack of, are often the root cause of the uncertainty. Deloitte’s findings suggest that platform development, ecosystem building and alliance management are the core capabilities required for boosting competitiveness in the Open Mobile era. This resonates strongly in the mHealth industry where many believe future growth rests on the proliferation of open platforms across multiple facets of the value chain. Winners in this market will have to learn to astutely mobilize new ecosystems, build trust with new partners in the innovation process, and develop differentiated mobile technology platforms to generate value.

For those quick off the mark, this is already happening. Savvy incumbents and new entrants alike are already collaborating. New networks are forming, allowing disparate resources to combine in key knowledge areas, spurring the growth of wireless technology across the sector. A good example of this is the Open mHealth Consortium, which has established a flourishing ecosystem of multiple players across the mobile, software, and healthcare industries to implement a roadmap for mHealth technology development. Other more familiar players such as Qualcomm are orchestrating platform and ecosystem strategies in the most promising growth areas. For mobile incumbents, unlocking value in this nascent market will require sustained collaboration across traditional boundaries. This will be critical to integrate mobile solutions across monitoring, wellness, and reminder services, which together represent the core of the mHealth opportunity.

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M2M Leader’s CC864-DUAL Module Connects Next-Gen MCOT Remote Patient Monitoring Device from CardioNet

Telit Wireless Solutions, a global leader in machine-to-machine (M2M) wireless technology, today announced its CC864-DUAL cellular module will connect the next generation Mobile Cardiac Outpatient Telemetry (MCOT) from CardioNet, Inc., a leading wireless medical technology company with a current focus on the diagnosis and monitoring of cardiac arrhythmias.

Enabled with cellular capabilities by the Telit module, the CardioNet MCOT captures and transmits cardiac data while the patient is fully ambulatory. The device provides heartbeat-by-heartbeat ECG monitoring, analysis and diagnosis from virtually anywhere, allowing patients to leave the hospital while maintaining physician access to vital medical information.

Joseph Capper, president and CEO of CardioNet explained:

“By prescribing our newest MCOT device, cardiologists are able to monitor patients in a natural setting, receiving an accurate view of heart function during normal daily activities.”

“Telit’s CC864 module allowed us to reduce the cost of our device while developing a reliable, portable solution for real-time, high-speed cardiac data transfer, keeping users safe and healthy.”

Physicians prescribe the CardioNet MCOT for up to 30 days, during which patients wear the device 24/7 for comprehensive monitoring and diagnosis. Sensors connected to the patient’s body record cardiac events and transfer data to a small, handheld cellular device equipped with the Telit module. This handset then quickly and reliably sends the data back to the CardioNet Monitoring Center, staffed around-the-clock by expert technicians, for analysis and response.

“CardioNet’s MCOT is a prime example of the enormous benefit cellular technology lends to healthcare practices, enabling immediate and responsive monitoring capabilities for physicians while helping patients avoid costly hospital stays,” said Mike Ueland, senior vice president and general manager of Telit Wireless Solutions North America. “With these types of mHealth solutions, patients with chronic illnesses are now able to live their normal daily lives while experiencing premium care previously impossible outside the walls of a medical facility.”

Telit’s CC864-DUAL is a CDMA-1xRTT wireless module designed to have the same form, fit, and function as its GSM/GPRS and UMTS/HSDPA counterpart product families, the GC864 and the UC864 respectively, allowing integrators to achieve global deployment and service flexibility with a single design. With its ultra-compact form factor and extended operating temperature range, the Telit CC864-DUAL is the perfect platform for medium-to-high-volume m2m applications, mobile data and computing devices. Additional features such as integrated TCP/IP and UDP, a three-channel ADC and one-channel DAC provide extended functionality, adding value to the end application without adding cost.

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Whitepaper examines the proliferation of mobile device alternatives in today’s evolving healthcare landscape

Today’s U.S. healthcare providers face a three-pronged deluge of demands from patients, insurance companies, and the government. To successfully address these new and evolving expectations, members of the medical sector must leverage the capabilities of new wireless technologies – or fall behind their more savvy competitors.

Frost & Sullivan recently published a whitepaper, “Mobile Devices and Healthcare: What’s New, What Fits, and How Do You Decide?”, which examines the strengths and drawbacks of four major mobile device types – smartphones, tablets, push-to-talk communication devices, and machine-to-machine (M2M) remote medical monitoring devices. Each device category is evaluated for application in three unique environments – the hospital, physician’s office, and the patient’s home. Criteria for selecting a mobility partner are also discussed.

“The healthcare sector has never been known for being an early adopter of information technology. However, now there are innovative, powerful mobile devices that must be recognized as absolutely key to expanding and improving patient care, to controlling costs, and to complying with regulatory mandates,” said Frost & Sullivan Senior Industry Analyst, Jeanine Sterling.

Smartphone penetration among U.S. healthcare providers continues to surge, and understandably so. As these devices have become more powerful and convenient, their assortment of medical software applications has grown. Caregivers can now use their smartphones to easily access medical reference libraries, view lab results, monitor patient vitals, and access patient electronic health records (EHR). A second device category – today’s next-generation tablets – is now taking these capabilities and magnifying their usefulness with the aid of larger screens, high-resolution displays, and dual cameras.

Even the familiar push-to-talk devices are augmenting their instant voice communications benefit with new form factors and an array of new capabilities, providing needed functionality in multiple scenarios, including the emergency room and in natural disaster situations. And, lastly, M2M remote monitoring devices are starting to bridge the geographic gap between healthcare providers and patients who find it difficult to make in-person office visits. In addition to supporting patients with chronic conditions, M2M technology is being used for personal wellness monitoring and for helping elderly or at-risk individuals to live independently. M2M is improving outcomes and cutting expense – a win-win combination of benefits that few can afford to ignore.

“Mobile technology promises to transform healthcare. It all begins with the mobile device, and vendors are working hard to tempt healthcare providers with a broad, and often bewildering, set of choices. Different types of medical staff will have different information and communications needs. We discuss the criteria to consider when selecting the optimal device(s) and mobility partner. And we offer Sprint as an example of an end-to-end mobile solution provider that has done the due diligence and assembled a top-tier portfolio of solutions and partners,” stated Sterling.

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Aerotel Medical Systems, and its partner Cinterion announce winning the Connected World Magazine’s prestigious gold Value Chain Award in the home health category for Aerotel’s e-CliniQ system and the Connect-CELL telehealth homecare hub.

Connected World Magazine’s Value Chain Awards honor the most successful corporate adopters of M2M technology and the solution providers that make their success possible.

The Aerotel Connect-CELL hub is intended for home-based chronic disease management applications. It automatically collects data from Bluetooth^®-enabled medical sensing devices as well as wired devices and uses a Cinterion M2M module to securely send data over cellular networks to a health monitoring center. Authorized doctors and clinicians can log in at anytime and from anywhere in the world to access health measurements and determine treatment approaches.

“Aerotel and its partner Cinterion were honored for using M2M technology to enhance quality of life for patients with chronic conditions by increasing access to doctors and care givers,” said Peggy Smedley, editorial director and publisher of Connected World.

“Connect-CELL helps cut costs while improving quality of care and it also highlights the transformative power of M2M technology in solving global healthcare challenges.”

“Aerotel’s Connect-CELL homecare hub uses the latest Cinterion M2M technology to address the urgent need for solutions that reduce spending while improving quality of service for the growing ageing population,” commented Norbert Muhrer, CEO of Cinterion.

“The use of Connect-CELL has already proven to reduce hospitalization costs by up to 30 percent.”

“The Connect-CELL hub is part of Aerotel’s e-CliniQ system, which is one of the most cost-effective home telehealth solutions available today with proven clinical and economical benefits,” said Ofer Atzmon, Aerotel Medical Systems vice president for business development and marketing. 

“With Connect-CELL, caregivers can remotely see when a patient is in trouble and respond immediately for increased peace of mind and convenience.”

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Sprint’s open approach, network flexibility and proven execution reduces costs, extends accessibility and enhances overall effectiveness of health care

How does a wireless carrier make health care delivery more cost efficient and patient friendly? By enabling mobile applications and machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, Sprint is on the forefront of telemedicine. The driver of Sprint’s innovation is its “open” strategy, providing opportunities for developers to create innovative applications and solutions for the medical community. It also encourages third-party development, streamlines the process of certifying a product on the network and increases the speed a company can get its product to market.

Rather than dictating what developers can do on the Sprint network, Sprint makes available application programming interfaces (API’s) that allow businesses to develop wireless solutions and applications that take advantage of capabilities at the network, IT, service and device level. Sprint has moved beyond the idea that “as a carrier we know best” and instead focuses on leveraging its assets to drive innovation to the market.

“The Sprint Emerging Solutions Group is all about open development,” said Wayne Ward, vice president-Sprint Emerging Solutions Group. “The developer community has told us they thrive in an environment that accelerates their speed to market with simple, unencumbered access to our full complement of network capabilities. Considering that they are delivering wireless applications for the purpose of enhancing the health and well-being of all Americans—and potentially saving lives—Sprint is only too willing to invest in technology and processes that foster innovation.”

Sprint Partners are Improving Patient Care

Sprint’s open approach has attracted the attention of many entrepreneurial health care companies who understand that chronically ill patients recover faster and are more comfortable at home than in a hospital and that telemedicine has the potential to improve quality of life. Two such companies are American TeleCare and Reflection Solutions.

Powered by Sprint 3G and 4G, American TeleCare, Inc. (ATI) provides solutions to enhance key health care customer applications in clinic-to-clinic and clinic-to-home settings. ATI uses a world-class remote stethoscope at 9.6 Kbps in clinic-to-patient home settings and a sophisticated, leading interactive video technology to access more patients at lower bandwidths.

ATI was the first company to market a video solution over wireless and plans for rapid expansion into hospitals to dramatically decrease costs for 30-day re-admissions. Sprint and ATI are also collaborating on connectivity solutions in patient’s homes to ensure top-notch care, a higher quality of life for chronically ill patients and reduced overall health care costs for their treatment.

Reflection Solutions offers a unique product called “Reflection powered by AFrame Digital” which provides wireless personal health monitoring. It includes a device designed to be worn and function as a wristwatch to wirelessly connect patients and their caregivers. The “watch” monitors the patients’ health and physical activity, and provides instability and fall detection. It also has a traditional PERs panic button and can even automatically send an alert in the event of a fall, even if the user is unable to activate the PERs button. Boosted by the power of the Sprint networks, Reflection powered by AFrame Digital extends meaningful care beyond traditional limitations, working in conjunction with the caregivers’ mobile phones and PDAs, so they remain in touch and will be alerted even when they are on the go.

Reflection, a founding partner in the Sprint M2M Collaboration Center, was recently named in the Health and Wellness enterprise and vertical market category of CTIA’s Emerging Technology (E-Tech) Awards.

Taking a Collaborative Approach

Sprint is successfully partnering with health care and wireless companies by sharing its network and expertise in embedded mobile computing and M2M communications. This arrangement allows Sprint’s health care partners to offer a wireless solution while focusing on its core competencies. Those companies include:

AirStrip Technologies has developed one-of-a-kind remote patient monitoring applications that deliver real-time vital waveform and other critical patient data directly from hospital monitoring systems to mobile devices to let providers continually monitor vital signs from wherever they are.

BodyMedia provides a holistic weight-management system consisting of an armband monitor, online activity manager, optional display and free smartphone apps. It automatically tracks the calories burned during daily activities and even monitors the quality of sleep. In April, the companies launched the Sprint BodyMedia ID pack, a customized bundle of widgets, applications, wallpapers, ringtones and wellness content for selected Sprint smartphones.

Calgary Scientific has developed an application called ResolutionMD Mobile powered by PureWeb which provides advanced visualization of critical medical images (MRIs, CAT scans) directly on Sprint devices, such as the HTC EVO 4G and Samsung Epic 4G. Attending or acute care physicians can have real-time access to specialists such as neurologists, regardless of where the physicians and patients are located.

IDEAL LIFE manufactures in-home health monitoring equipment for individuals with chronic conditions such as congestive heart failure, hypertension, diabetes, asthma and obesity. The system can work wirelessly using the Nationwide Sprint Network to transmit medical data to health care providers to support diagnosis and general monitoring. IDEAL LIFE products are FDA approved for over-the-counter sales and HIPAA compliant for patient confidentiality.

Omnilink tracks individuals who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or some other form of dementia. With Omnilink, Sprint ensures family and friends are well-cared for even while away from a doctor’s office or care facility.

Roll Up Your Sleeves

To meet the demand for developer support and network certification, Sprint recently opened an M2M Collaboration Center in Burlingame, Calif. The center is a hands-on, interactive environment where ideas, knowledge and technology unite to produce wirelessly enabled M2M concepts, products and solutions. Engineers from Sprint and their solution partners team up to rapidly bring new M2M ideas to the marketplace that can improve people’s health and wellness. In addition, Sprint holds an annual developers’ conference each fall in California. Developers gather to hear from Sprint executives, industry leaders and session experts to gain valuable insight into the next evolution in the wireless data industry.

The Case for Telemedicine is Clear

The prescription for improving health care includes bringing the industry up to date with current technology. Statistics from the Health Research Institute suggests that telemedicine has the potential to support significant numbers of people with remote monitoring, leading to reduced costs, extended accessibility and enhanced overall effectiveness.

If doctors use wireless applications to remotely monitor patients with chronic conditions, such as diabetes or obesity, the annual savings could amount to approximately $21B due to a reduction in hospitalization and nursing home costs.

88 percent of physicians would like their patients to be able to monitor their health on their own.

During a two-year study by the Health Research Institute, e-visits were able to replace in-office visits in 40 percent of the 2,531 cases.

As a demonstration of their commitment to the development of telemedicine as a health care delivery channel, Sprint is a Sustaining President’s Circle member of the American Telemedicine Association.

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