RTX Telehealth Monitor keeps you in contact with your doctor
By Nilay Patel 
posted Nov 19th 2007 7:31PM
posted Nov 19th 2007 7:31PM
[Via MedGadget]
Please note: If you're a current Engadget commenter, you do not need to re-register. Simply login and you will be prompted to select a username.
Just as an FYI to some Engadget visitor, telehealth is nothing new, and devices such as this have been around for quite a few years. A couple that comes to mind are the McKesson/HealthHero HealthBuddy and the Honeywell HomMed system. The Honeywell system even has a wireless network transmission system called "SkyNet", lol. The HealthHero is in widespread use in the Boston VA system. The problem with the whole concept is that is incredibly expensive for the healthcare agency to deploy, and the Medicare system is slow to begin any reimbursement systems.
Interesting premise, that doctors care about patients to the extent that this device implies. Doctors don't "keep track" of patient health. At the point someone needs this kind of attention, they may as well be in a hospital bed.
I am a medical student and I could not just let a foolish statement like this go uncontested. Physicians regularly call their patients and their patients just as regularly call them. This device and the many others out there decrease the chance of pt forgetting to bring in their measurements or simply measuring them wrong. It would be a great help in a primary care practice, allow the physician to spend more time with pt’s and less time on the phone. Now all we have to do is find a way to get some decent coverage for it.
"Physicians regularly call their patients"
LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL
Sorry, but that is not true at all. I wish it were, and I hope you do.
The ongoing premise that "someone else cares about my health more than I do" really needs to be addressed. Suckers!
True, but in the same vein, the ongoing premise of "As long as I do what the doctor says, I'll be perfectly fine" needs to be addressed. (Hopefully with the help of products like these)
well, gee Doc, IDK
I'm a pharmacist and I regularly review info like this with patients too. Most of the current glucose monitors have a "log" function and they always bring them along so we can discuss their diabetes and then I can make physician recommendations.
That being said, with such things already in existence and so many things coming through on our fax machines, emails, etc. already, I don't know how much of this things faxes would get ignored by primary care providers.
Where I live, the truth of "someone else cares about my health more than I do" is that the people are undereducated, especially about health care. Often, they're embarrassed to admit it. Anything that will help patients communicate more effectively and without embarrassment is a good thing.
I can imagine if Dr. Stiles's patients had one of these:
Do you have any glass shards or terrorist made viruses in you?
Yes No
"Do you feel your blood glucose level has been good and stable lately?"
What kind of a diagnosis question is that? I really hope that's just something a marketing monkey wrote in her Photoshop and the real questions are a bit more understandable and answerable by the patients. How the hell should my 89 -year old grandfather know if his blood glucose level has been "good and stable"?
If someone is diabetic, it seems likely that they would know what glucose is.
email...