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MedSys Health Chooses FirstNet for Remote Patient Monitoring Solution Aimed at Improving Health Outcomes
Use of FirstNet® Will Help Expand Reach to Patients in Rural and Underserved Areas
What’s the news? MedSys Health, a South Florida start-up revolutionizing virtual care, is teaming with FirstNet, Built with AT&T*, to simplify and expand its remote patient monitoring (RPM) solution for high-risk patients nationwide.
MedSys Health provides an end-to-end virtual care platform that includes RPM, telemedicine, and patient engagement solutions. Its RPM solution allows healthcare providers to monitor over 80% of chronic conditions, such as hypertension, heart disease, COPD, diabetes, heart failure, and respiratory health.
The health tech firm is adding smartphones from AT&T embedded with FirstNet IoT SIMs to its RPM kits. The kits contain one or more monitoring devices, such as pulse oximeters, glucometers, blood pressure monitors, respiratory monitors, and more. The smartphones provided in the RPM kits are preloaded with the MedSys Health app and paired with the kits’ monitoring devices before shipping to create an easy out-of-the-box solution for patients. MedSys walks patients through their first reading and offers 24/7 dedicated customer support.
MedSys Health is providing RPM kits to healthcare providers as part of the FirstNet® Embedded IoT Program. FirstNet connectivity is critical for healthcare providers to access actionable patient health data from the home to help avoid preventable emergencies and improve patient quality of life.
The FirstNet Embedded IoT program allows for FirstNet eligible devices to be combined with FirstNet to create a single, end-to-end solution. Eligibility for the FirstNet Embedded IoT Program is rigorously reviewed before service is approved to help ensure devices meet the unique requirements of FirstNet, which was built for first responders and the extended public safety community that supports them, such as healthcare providers. FirstNet is built with AT&T, in public-private partnership with the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) – an independent agency within the federal government.
Why is this important? RPM has played a critical role in advancing care during the pandemic. But MedSys Health realizes simplicity is key to RPM’s continued adoption. Almost 41% of Medicare patients don’t have a smartphone or a wireless data plan, the pre-requisites for participating in a remote monitoring program. Adding a smartphone with FirstNet IoT connectivity to its RPM kits removes the complexity of onboarding for doctors and provides RPM access to more patients.
Before adding the smartphones to its RPM kits, MedSys would send the monitoring devices to the healthcare provider, who would then have to train patients how to use the devices with their personal smartphones. The process was cumbersome and daunting for the providers. And patients without a smartphone weren’t able to use the RPM kits.
With chronic diseases on the rise in the U.S., RPM not only can help improve care for these high-risk patients, but it also can reduce hospitalizations, readmissions, and healthcare costs. And with FirstNet as part of MedSys Health’s RPM solution, the company is able to reach underserved areas.
What are people saying? “By teaming with FirstNet, Built with AT&T, we’re able to provide a simple remote patient monitoring solution to healthcare providers nationwide. Our solution is now able to reach more patients and help improve their health outcomes. For example, we are now able to serve an assisted living facility with a large patient population that would have been unreachable without these ready-to-use, out-of-the-box RPM kits. With our fully integrated virtual care platform, we believe MedSys Health is in the forefront of a positive disruption presenting an unparalleled opportunity to improve health outcomes and address the issue of ever-increasing cost of healthcare.” – Safaquat Khan, CEO, MedSys Health
“Patients want convenient access to personalized services at any place and any time, and the solution MedSys is providing is helping accomplish just that. We’re pleased to welcome MedSys as a member of our FirstNet IoT Embedded Program. This allows us to further our mission to deploy, operate, maintain, and enhance the only nationwide wireless communications platform dedicated to public safety and the extended community that support public safety response.” – Joe Drygas, VP of AT&T Healthcare Industry Solutions
“The capability to virtually monitor my patients with chronic conditions is extremely important to me. As of now, we have deployed the glucometer and the blood pressure monitoring devices to our patients. The MedSys kits, along with the smartphones as part of the RPM solution, allow us now to include even those patients who don’t own a phone with a data plan. The feedback from the patients involved in the RPM program has been great so far.” – Dr. Cristian Breton, Primary Care & Diabetes Group of Kendall (Miami, FL)
©2022 AT&T Intellectual Property. FirstNet and the FirstNet logo are registered trademarks and service marks of the First Responder Network Authority. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.
Posted 1.31.2022 -
ViVE Signs Rock-Star Cast of Health Technology Speakers to Launch Debut Event
ANN ARBOR, MI, Jan. 31, 2022— A star-studded line-up of speakers has signed on to contribute at ViVE, the major new digital health event making its debut in Miami Beach in March 2022.
These speakers are top executives and thought leaders from major health and technology corporations, including Google, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, UnitedHealth Group and Adobe. They are directors at major government technology agencies such as the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). They are brilliant innovators in artificial intelligence, machine learning and tech-driven medical treatments. And they are black, white, Asian, American, international, and distributed across gender, race and country of origin in a way that marks this event as a groundbreaking catalyst for what is transformative, what is exciting and what makes a difference. For a nation and a world that needs the best and boldest minds of our time to give their energy to making health care available, effective, and affordable for all people, ViVE is a breath of fresh air.
Over 250 industry leaders will speak at ViVE from March 6-9, 2022, including:
David Feinberg, M.D., President and CEO, Cerner
Margaret-Mary Wilson, Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President, UnitedHealth Group
Frans van Houten, CEO, Philips
Kim Majerus,, Vice President, Public Sector State & Local Government and Education, Amazon Web Services
Marc L. Boom, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer, Houston Methodist
Geeta Nayyar MD, MBA, Chief Medical Officer, Salesforce
Dr. Micky Tripathi, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, Department of Health and Human Services
Mariann Yeager, CEO, The Sequoia Project
Terry Myerson, CEO, Truveta
Alisa Bergman, Vice President and Chief Privacy Officer, AdobeViVE is focused on change, a deliberate departure from traditional top-down, lecture-focused healthcare conferences. The brainchild of two leading organizations in digital health and innovation, ViVE merges the leadership of CHIME and the digital marketplace of HLTH to create a technology event focused on the business of transformation in healthcare. The event is designed to spark dialogue, creativity, and collaboration across sectors to drive the current revolution in digital health to its best outcomes for patients from all walks of life.
The inaugural ViVE event will take place March 6-9, 2022 in Miami Beach, launching with significant support from over 300 sponsors and event supporters, including title sponsors Allscripts, Amazon Web Services, athenahealth, AT&T Business, Baldrige Foundation, Canon Medical, Cerner, Clearsense, Dell Technologies, Divurgent, DrFirst, ELLKAY, EY, Hyland Healthcare, IBM Watson Health, InterSystems, Mediant Health Resources, MEDICOMP Systems, Medigate, Nordic, Olive, Optimum Healthcare IT, Philips, ResMed, Sirius Healthcare, Tegria, and Verizon.
“Healthcare is standing on the threshold of advances in technology that are going to make science fiction into reality,” said Tanya Townsend, CHIME Board Chair, System VP and CIO, LCMC Health. “We are hearing from leaders across all healthcare sectors that ViVE is exactly the kind of event that we need; ViVE will foster the collaboration that will move us to a completely new era in digital health.”
“HLTH has always strived to bring together a diverse mix of thought leaders with outside-the-box perspectives on the most pressing topics impacting our industry, and ViVE will continue this mission,” said Jody Tropeano, Head of Content, HLTH. “Our agenda will challenge attendees to think differently and embrace change, and hopefully have some fun doing it.”
For more on ViVE, including a list of speakers and details on the Techquity Program that explores the power of technology to improve health equity, visit viveevent.com.
About CHIME
The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) is an executive organization dedicated to serving chief information officers (CIOs), chief medical information officers (CMIOs), chief nursing information officers (CNIOs), chief innovation officers (CIOs), chief digital officers (CDOs) and other senior digital health leaders. CHIME includes more than 5,000 members in 56 countries and two U.S. territories and partners with over 160 healthcare IT businesses and professional services firms. CHIME and its three associations provide a highly interactive, trusted environment that enables senior industry leaders to collaborate, exchange best practices, address professional development needs and advocate for effective use of information management to improve health and care in their communities. For more information, please visit chimecentral.org.
About HLTH
HLTH (pronounced “health”) is the leading platform bringing together the entire health ecosystem, focused on health innovation and transformation. From unparalleled events with industry-leading speakers to inspirational digital content and mission-driven initiatives, HLTH creates a unique marketplace for the health community leading the dialogue and development of a better health ecosystem. HLTH returns to Las Vegas November 13–16, 2022, at the Sands Expo and Convention Center.
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Contact
Rosslyn Elliott
Editor, Communications & Media Relations, CHIME
734.275.0104
[email protected]Posted 1.30.2022 -
EarlySense® Showcases its Award-winning InSight+® System at CES 2022
New sensing technology solution to be initially made available for clinical development partners
LAS VEGAS, Jan. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — For digital health attendees at CES 2022, EarlySense®, the market leader in contact-free continuous monitoring solutions, will be showcasing its InSight+® sensing technology system (an investigational device not yet available for sale), a CES® 2022 Innovation Awards Honoree.
The award-winning solution will be available to see prior to its general availability as part of the Innovation Awards Showcase, at the CONNECTIONS Summit at CES and in the company’s CES Exhibit Suite (29-221), details of which can be found on the dedicated InSight+ website page of the company’s website.
“We look forward to sharing more about our passive sensing technology to attendees at the show,” said Matt Johnson, CEO of EarlySense. “With the pandemic still firmly with us, we know we will continue to see an explosion in use cases for patients who want to be cared for at home and for providers who want to incorporate virtual care solutions into their practices in the long-term.”
The EarlySense InSight+ system is built on the company’s medical-grade technology and re-engineered for the home. It utilizes a contact-free, under-the-mattress sensor to continuously and passively collect patient biometrics. The solution’s Vital Signs Cellular Processing Unit, powered by AT&T IoT, analyzes and securely transmits core vital signs, movement and sleep data to the EarlySense cloud, where it can be integrated into care management systems and dashboards.
The data collected from patients through InSight+ includes sleep stages, sleep trends, sleep scoring, overnight breathing patterns, heart rate, heart rate variability, respiratory rate, respiratory rate variability and body movement levels, as well as clinical marker alerts related to heart rate instability and respiratory rate depression.
“We’re excited to team up with EarlySense to help deliver care to more patients who need it, in the comfort of their home,” said Joe Drygas, AT&T VP of Healthcare Solutions. “A reliable and highly secure connection is key for remote patient monitoring.”
Using years of data from its monitoring solutions in hospitals, the solution applies smart pattern detection and Artificial Intelligence (AI) models to create a dynamic patient baseline and then flags subtle shifts in patient vital signs, with the intent of helping healthcare providers visualize significant health changes and identify early signs of patient deterioration
Not scheduled to be made broadly available until the second half of 2022, EarlySense is making InSight+ available for clinical research purposes, giving early access to the proprietary monitoring technology to augment ongoing clinical efforts in telehealth, passive monitoring and AI-driven health initiatives.
“We’re truly excited by the opportunity to partner with researchers, technology developers and clinical service providers who are as passionate about advancing in-home virtual care solutions as we are,” said Terry Duesterhoeft, Chief Product and Commercial Officer, EarlySense. “This initiative will allow us to support studies and develop new applications to provide a fuller picture of true patient health, with vital sign data captured continuously overnight – the time when it is most stable to gather data.”
Researchers interested in partnering with EarlySense can visit the company’s website.
About EarlySense:
EarlySense® is the global leader in 100-percent contact-free, continuous monitoring solutions. Used worldwide in hospitals, post-acute care facilities and in the home, the company’s technology and predictive data science applications empower providers, clinicians and patients with continuous multi-vital data and actionable insights that improve quality of life and patient outcomes across the care continuum. EarlySense is based in Ramat Gan, Israel and Woburn, Massachusetts. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.earlysense.com.SOURCE EarlySense
Posted 1.28.2022 -
My Takeaway from CES: Connectivity Will Underpin the Future of Healthcare
By: Joe Drygas – VP Healthcare – AT&T Business
Take our customer EarlySense, a CES® 2022 Innovation Awards Honoree. We’re providing connectivity for their InSight+® (not yet available for sale) and InSight at Home (currently available) sensing technology systems — both of which are built on the company’s medical-grade technology and re-engineered for the home. The systems utilize a contact-free, under-the-mattress sensor to continuously and passively collect patient vital signs, sleep and movement data. A cellular hub, provided, configured and powered by AT&T IoT, securely transmits data to the EarlySense cloud, where it can be integrated into care management platforms.
Another healthcare solution connected by AT&T and unveiled at CES is the Smart Meter iPulseOx™, the world’s first cellular-connected device that measures oxygen saturation in the blood stream, according to Smart Meter. The company supplies healthcare providers with cellular-enabled remote patient monitoring devices and services to help improve health outcomes for patients with chronic conditions. In addition to the new IPulseOx™, Smart Meter provides the iGlucose®, iBloodPressure 2.0™, and iScale™ devices. These easy, out-of-the-box monitoring devices run on our nationwide IoT network. They contain IoT SIM cards, so they automatically send the patient’s data over our IoT network to the SmartRPM cloud, where the healthcare provider accesses the data.
RPM continues to grow because healthcare providers realize the benefits to both them and patients. For doctors, RPM provides ready access to more complete patient data and the ability to act on it in near real-time, while automatic record keeping meets requirements for reimbursement. For patients, RPM means more control over their health and better health outcomes. And for both, it can result in lower costs.
But connectivity in healthcare goes beyond RPM. Our customer Spright, a part of Air Methods, the leading air medical service in the U.S., chose FirstNet®, Built with AT&T, to provide reliable and highly secure connectivity to support its fleet of medical delivery drones. The drones, which are in testing right now, will provide access to lifesaving resources. FirstNet is the only nationwide, high-speed broadband communications platform dedicated to and purpose-built for America’s first responders and the extended public safety community.
Now do you see why I say connectivity will underpin the future of healthcare? Healthcare is moving beyond four walls. Patients want access to it whenever and wherever they are. And healthcare solution providers are eager to deliver. But it goes beyond just virtual care. The whole medical ecosystem is relying more on connectivity. From medical drones to smart operating rooms to remote robotic surgery, connectivity is the core of the digital transformation of the healthcare industry. And that’s what we do best.
If you are innovating in the connected health space, stop by our booths at ViVE (#902) and HIMSS (#2659), or reach out here. Happy to help!
Posted 1.28.2022 -
Censinet Extends Healthcare Vendor Cybersecurity Program
Ongoing Healthcare Vendor CISO Hour Addresses Safeguards to Provider Deployments and Managing the Challenges of Nth-Party Risk
Boston, MA – January 24, 2022 – Censinet, the leading provider of healthcare IT risk solutions today announced the expansion of its successful “Healthcare Cybersecurity Vendor CISO Hour.” The program brings together third-party vendors, suppliers, and consultants to address the unique challenges of meeting the increasingly stringent requirements from provider organizations both pre-deployment and in the ongoing assessment process. These industry providers also have to manage their own third parties and cascading nth-party risk and their business challenges.
“Vendors are a critical part of important digital health initiatives and improving patient care,” said Chris Logan, Censinet SVP and Chief Security Officer and facilitator of the ongoing Healthcare Vendor CISO Hour. “Censinet has the largest active vendor and product network in the healthcare industry, and we know how to equip our vendor partners with the cybersecurity tools, processes, and expertise to accelerate their product adoption without amplifying risk exposure. The Healthcare Vendor CISO hour is the only community forum that tackles these critical issues in conjunction with the vendors.”
The Healthcare Vendor CISO Hour is open to vendor stakeholders responsible for protecting their organization and securing their products. Registration is open for the next Healthcare Vendor CISO Hour with Chris Logan on Wednesday, January 26, 2022, at 12:00 PM ET. Register at www.censinet.com/healthcare-vendor-ciso-hour.
This session’s topic will be “2022 Changes the Rules for Healthcare Vendors.” Last year represented the perfect storm for healthcare providers: the disruptive impact of COVID-19 to clinical and information technology teams; the escalation and horrific impact of more virulent cyberattacks, including ransomware; and the increase of third-party vendors to support digital health initiatives. According to the leading healthcare research firm, Ponemon Group, improper assessment, and integration of third parties resulted in operational disruption and impacted – with life-threatening consequences – patient care.
About Censinet
Censinet, based in Boston, MA, enables healthcare organizations to take the risk out of their business with Censinet RiskOps™, the first and only cloud-based exchange that integrates and consolidates enterprise risk management and operations capabilities across critical clinical and business areas. RiskOps builds upon the Company’s foundational success with third-party risk management (TPRM) for healthcare. Censinet transforms healthcare risk by increasing productivity and operational effectiveness while eliminating risks to care delivery, data privacy, and patient safety. Find out more about Censinet and its RiskOps platform at censinet.com.Contact:
Rob Ciampa
Censinet
(617) 286-6785
[email protected]Posted 1.24.2022 -
AT&T 5G Connects Researchers & Patients at Ellison Institute
Private 5G Network from AT&T Now Connecting Researchers and Patients at Lawrence J. Ellison Institute for Transformative Medicine of USC
State-of-the-Art Medical Facility Among the First in the Country to Use 5G to Advance Cancer Research
DALLAS, May 12, 2021 – What’s the news? A new private 5G network from AT&T* is helping to revolutionize the way patients and researchers connect at the Lawrence J. Ellison Institute for Transformative Medicine of USC. The on-site 5G network is providing ultra-fast connectivity for patient-centered cancer research, treatment, and wellness education. The Ellison Institute is among the first medical facilities in the country using 5G to help advance cancer research.
Part of the mission of the Ellison Institute is to use technology to create an immersive, first-of-its-kind experience for patients, visitors, clinicians, and students. 5G connectivity is at the core of that goal. The addition of AT&T Multi-access Edge computing (MEC) and ultra-fast 5G+ millimeter wave service to the private 5G network will help the Institute create new outcomes and capabilities at its “smart” facility. For example, the Institute will be able to capture and analyze data faster and more securely at its point of origin rather than the data having to travel to a remote data center for analysis.
Why is this important? The Ellison Institute has created a model in cancer research and treatment where patients, researchers, doctors, and scientists can interact in a community environment. Integrating these cutting-edge technologies with the building is helping reimagine the connectivity within healthcare and enhancing the patient experience within the clinic.
- Data collected on-site via the private 5G network will allow doctors to make decisions on the spot due to ultra-low latency. Add in the use of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, and clinicians can create a daily almost instantaneous feedback loop that will help them improve what they do.
- The higher speeds and bandwidth provided by the private 5G network will help advance research at the clinic, such as the use of 3D tumor imaging, and increase the privacy and security of the data since it is being analyzed locally. One example is 3D tumor imaging.
- Digital bracelets given to patients upon their arrival will map their journey through the 80,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art facility, which includes a demo kitchen, History of Medicine Gallery, and museum-quality artwork. Appointment alerts can be sent to patients anywhere in the facility.
- Wireless connected screens allow researchers to send large data files from one lab to another.
- With patients, researchers and staff all wearing connected sensors, the Institute will be able to track how much patient interaction is taking place. For instance, is a scientist stopping at a connected screen to explain to a patient more about research being done? Or, is a doctor interacting with the patient in the Institute’s gallery? Being able almost instantly to study the research and care process can lead to better collaboration and outcomes.
- Reliable wireless communications – provided through a private 5G network using low-band spectrum – allows for wall-to-wall coverage inside the Ellison Institute with enough capacity for thousands of users.
- Immersive, personalized, and engaging experiences for patients and visitors can be delivered through the combination of these and other technologies. For example, the type of music and lighting used during a patient’s visit can be customized to reflect the patient’s preference.
What’s next?Our MEC technology is scheduled to go live at the Institute in June 2021. Rollout of our 5G+ millimeter wave network at the Institute is scheduled to start later in the summer.
What are people saying?
”Data is at the core of everything we do at the Ellison Institute, and our work with AT&T enables us to capture and employ that data in meaningful ways that benefits science and our patients,” said Dr. David Agus, CEO, Ellison Institute for Transformative Medicine of USC. “This collaboration is developing programs to use 5G to collect data from patients, healthcare providers and scientists, as well as using the Internet of Things to effectively manage our clinic and labs. It’s an exciting step forward.”
“5G is going to be a game-changer for the healthcare industry,” said Anne Chow, CEO, AT&T Business. “One lesson from this pandemic is there is a strong need to be able to treat and monitor patients remotely. 5G’s fast speeds and lower latency can help expand the use of telemedicine. And it can help deliver the near real-time data healthcare providers need to make quick decisions. The future of healthcare is about delivering a personalized patient experience and improving outcomes. 5G is already helping to make that a reality.”
Where can I find more information?
Go here to learn more about AT&T healthcare solutions or visit the Ellison Institute here.
In addition, Ellison Institute CEO Dr. David Agus and AT&T Business CEO Anne Chow will discuss transforming healthcare through 5G at The Wall Street Journal’s Future of Everything Festival on Thursday, May 13 at 2 pm EDT.
Posted 1.20.2022 -
How AT&T Technology for Healthcare Is Playing a Role in the Distribution of the COVID-19 Vaccine
February 11, 2021 – As parts of the country experience fluctuations in COVID-19 cases, distribution of the new vaccine is crucial. And technology is playing an important role in that process. Through innovative solutions, AT&T is helping healthcare organizations ensure those who need the vaccine get it.
Vaccine Location Tracking
One of the biggest challenges with getting the vaccine to as many people as possible is logistics. But with a tracking solution like our IoT Fleet Management, the location of the vaccine can be tracked from production to clinic. AT&T provides the network connectivity for many of the shipping companies that are playing an integral part in the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. We support the connections that enable companies to see in near real-time where the vaccines are in the distribution process. We also created an internal “command center” to help expedite the turn-up of services for these designated customers taking part in this critical mission.
Vaccine Temperature and Cold Storage Monitoring
Add to the logistical challenge the strict temperature and storage requirements for the vaccines. The doses must be kept at a certain temperature during transit and once they reach their destination. Our IoT solutions can help with this, enabling companies to monitor the vaccines’ temperature along each step of the distribution process.
Vaccine Patient Communication
Communication is critical in any crisis. And with the complexities involved in the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines, this couldn’t be truer. Healthcare providers are getting overwhelmed with calls. People want to know when and where they can get the vaccine. AT&T is working with providers to address these challenges. Prisma Health in South Carolina is one example. When hundreds of calls for COVID-19 vaccine information flooded the company’s 800 number, AT&T set up Interactive Voice Response (IVR) to help manage call volumes. IVR is one of our Contact Center Solutions which combines our highly secure network and cloud-based platform and services to deliver patient reminders, SMS notices, voice calls, and call volume management. We also provided Prisma Health with a private data network connection at its pop-up vaccination site. This enabled Prisma to connect back to its data center at the hospital.
Vaccination Site Connectivity
With hospitals and medical centers using pop-up vaccination sites to reach the masses, the need for reliable and secure communication is a must. That’s why several healthcare providers reached out to us for FirstNet® – the only nationwide, high-speed broadband communications platform dedicated to and purpose-built for America’s first responders and the extended public safety community. It provides highly secure coverage and capacity with available priority communications.
In New Jersey, Capital Health is using FirstNet on tablets and smartphones to check in patients at its Trenton and Hopewell inoculation sites, while Inspira Health Network is using FirstNet for stand-alone hotspots and smartphones with hotspot capability at its vaccination site. Spectrum Health is also using FirstNet on smartphones at the West Michigan Vaccine Clinic in Grand Rapids. The healthcare provider also used Portable Data Network (PDN) kits at COVID-19 testing sites. A PDN is an all-inclusive mobile suitcase equipped with a modem and FirstNet connectivity that provides highly secure internet access – think ultimate Wi-Fi hotspot – wherever you take it.
Spectrum Health is using FirstNet on smartphones at the West Michigan vaccine clinic in Grand Rapids for reliable communications. Temperature Screening Kiosk and Patient Identity / Check-in Kiosk
Healthcare providers also are taking measures to help safeguard visitors, patients, and employees from exposure to COVID-19. That was the case for Compass Health Network in Missouri. We provided the nonprofit with an integrated solution for its Windsor facility: a temperature screening kiosk equipped with a touchscreen, camera, thermal imaging and a wireless modem. When someone enters the facility, the kiosk takes the person’s temperature, displays a COVID-19 questionnaire on the touchscreen, and logs-in the person. The automated solution streamlines the check-in process and cuts down on resources. Gone is the paper questionnaire and the need for a staff member to take the temperature of everyone who enters the facility.
Compass Health Network is using our temperature screening kiosk solution at its Windsor, Missouri facility.
Virtual Care and Remote Patient Monitoring
As patients seek ways to safely obtain outpatient care during the pandemic, virtual care has taken front stage. In fact, according to the Harvard Business Review, many physicians have seen their telehealth visit volume increase by a factor of 50 to 175. And AT&T is helping bring that care to the home through our end-to-end virtual care platform. For example, healthcare provider St. John’s Well Child in Los Angeles uses our Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) solution to provide patients of all ages with medical, dental and mental health services. RPM can enable doctors to track the vitals of a patient, like temperature and blood pressure. Doctors are using the solution to track the vitals of patients who have COVID-19, as well as patients who are receiving doses of the vaccine.The Future of Health Care
So, what will health care look like post-COVID-19? That remains to be seen. But with virtual care now a part of the new normal, technology will continue to play a key role.
“Healthcare organizations are making the requisite investments in technology to build resilience,” said Lynne A. Dunbrack, group vice president, IDC Health Insights. “According to IDC’s COVID-19 Impact on IT Spending Survey, 47% of healthcare respondents reported that IT spending will be higher than expected in 2021, and on average, 13.2% of reallocated or increased technology expenditures will be to accelerate projects that introduce business model innovation.”
And as health systems look for opportunities to revolutionize care, AT&T will be here to deliver solutions.
FirstNet and the FirstNet logo are registered trademarks of the First Responder Network Authority. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.
Posted 1.20.2022 -
Remote Patient Monitoring & the Future of Healthcare
Remote Patient Monitoring: A shot in the arm for the future of health care
April 26, 2021 When Troy Bird started experiencing shortness of breath, fatigue, vomiting, and loss of taste last spring, of course COVID-19 sprang to mind. Concerned with his symptoms, Troy’s wife drove him to the MetroHealth ER in Cleveland. Even though he tested negative for COVID-19 in the ER, the hospital still wanted to keep an eye on Troy’s symptoms once he left. He is a cancer survivor, which puts him at risk for the virus. So, as part of its Hospital at Home program, MetroHealth set up Troy with a remote patient monitoring (RPM) kit.
RPM is one of the telehealth services that has had the greatest impact on health care during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), telehealth use rose by 50% in just the first quarter of 2020 and 154% in the last week of March 2020 alone compared with the same period in 20191. While telehealth has been an important tool in maintaining connection to healthcare professionals during the pandemic, doctors seeing patients over a video link are missing data that would normally be collected in person. Remote patient monitoring equipment allows providers to collect this important information through near real-time monitoring of blood oxygenation, heart rate, temperature, respiration rate, blood pressure, and more, while still meeting with the patients remotely.
Connectivity is key to RPM and virtual care. We work with virtual connected care providers to provide a highly secure connection for ready-to-use RPM kits. The MetroHealth RPM kits, for example, include an AT&T tablet that uses FirstNet® – the only nationwide, high-speed broadband communications platform dedicated to and purpose-built for America’s first responders and the extended public safety community.* The tablet connects through Bluetooth with the thermometer, blood pressure cuff, and oximeter in the RPM kit to monitor patients’ vitals.
“The COVID pandemic emphasized the value and importance of telehealth delivered care services during a time of crisis and uncertainty,” said Albert Ferreira, director, Telehealth Operations at The MetroHealth System. “During a critical period when in-person care options were very limited, our remote patient monitoring solution and devices allowed us to maximize our clinical resources, minimize staff exposure, and meet the timely care needs of our lower acuity COVID-19 patients from the safety and comfort of their homes.”
For Troy Bird, the use of the RPM kit with daily video telehealth exams with MetroHealth doctors and nurses provided peace of mind.
“My vitals were taken three times a day and transmitted back to MetroHealth Hospital,” said Bird. “I had video calls with the nurse twice a day and with my doctor once a day to discuss the findings. I was very impressed with the whole set-up. Knowing I was monitored throughout the day gave me assurance. And it’s a hundred times easier than driving to see a doctor. I’d definitely be comfortable using a remote patient monitoring kit again.”
Bird is not alone in that sentiment. A 1-year COVID-19 remote patient monitoring pilot launched by the Defense Health Agency2 last September shows patients’ willingness to use remote patient monitoring. As of February 2021, the COVID-19 RPM program had served 98 patients. Twenty-six of those 98 patients returned to a military medical treatment facility or ER for higher levels of care. Of those 26, 73% (19) asked to be re-enrolled in the pilot after their readmission discharge from the hospital. And when consumers were asked in a 2019 Consumer Technology Association survey3, well before the pandemic, if they would use a connected health device if it was recommended by a physician, 52% said they would.
Dr. Anitha Mullangi, chief medical officer at St. John’s Well Child and Family Center in south Los Angeles, understands why.
“It’s convenient for the patients and gives them reassurance knowing someone’s monitoring their vitals and will follow up with them if something goes wrong.”
St. John’s Well Child hadn’t used remote patient monitoring prior to COVID-19. But when the pandemic struck, many of the people served by the nonprofit’s community health clinics were among the hardest hit. For the last six months, St. John’s Well Child used about 200 RPM kits with AT&T wireless connectivity to monitor the oxygen levels and temperature of COVID-19 patients living below the poverty line. Dr. Mullangi is also using RPM kits to monitor St. john’s patients who receive COVID-19 infusion therapy patients – people who receive antibodies from someone who has already had COVID-19. She recognizes the benefits of RPM, especially during a time like the pandemic.
“It frees up staff resources, allows for timely intervention for patient care, and can reduce expenses for providers,” said Mullangi.
Remote patient monitoring also reduces the strain on hospital resources, like in-patient beds, freeing these resources for higher risk or more severe cases.
Dr. Mullangi is optimistic the use of remote patient monitoring will grow, especially if Electronic Health Records systems develop interfaces for telemedicine platforms.
“I can see unlimited possibilities,” Mullangi added.
So can other healthcare providers. As hospitals across the country report increased patient engagement and reduced readmission rates for COVID-19 cases through the use of newly developed RPM programs, some are exploring similar RPM programs for conditions such as cardiovascular disease and cirrhosis. With more health systems and hospitals turning to RPM for improved patient outcomes and reduced costs, GlobalData expects remote patient monitoring to grow significantly.
“A large reason why U.S. hospitals have demonstrated such strong uptake of RPM programs is due to the favorable regulatory and reimbursement changes that the FDA and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services have put in place during the pandemic. Our expectation is that the U.S. government will continue to support RPM usage, due to increased patient engagement and care efficiency, which is expected to support the 18% market growth over the next 5 years,” says Dr. David Brown, senior healthcare analyst at GlobalData.
Doctors weren’t strangers to remote patient monitoring before COVID-19. But the pandemic has demonstrated that the ability to provide RPM must be a core capability for providers going forward. Now that virtual care has become the “new norm,” mobility is expected to play a bigger role in connecting the healthcare of the future.
“As the healthcare industry navigates through a massive digital transformation accelerated by the pandemic, we’re providing solutions that can help providers stay connected, protect and manage data, and communicate and collaborate during this unprecedented time and beyond,” said Joe Drygas, VP of AT&T healthcare solutions. “From remote patient monitoring to temperature screening kiosks to pop-up medical solutions, we’re creating connections that healthcare providers need to thrive.”
*MetroHealth joins FirstNet as an extended primary user – organizations and agencies that could be called on to help support public safety in day-to-day operations and during emergency response. Extended primary use cases vary widely and include healthcare, essential government services, transportation, utilities, and others that operate in support of primary public safety entities. Eligibility for extended primary user status is rigorously reviewed before service is approved to help ensure that FirstNet’s unique capabilities remain dedicated to first responders and those who support them.’
FirstNet and the FirstNet logo are registered trademarks of the First Responder Network Authority. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.
1Koonin LM, Hoots B, Tsang CA, et al. Trends in the Use of Telehealth During the Emergence of the COVID-19 Pandemic – United States, January-March 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2020;69:1595-1599. DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6943a3
2The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.
3Consumer Technology Association April 11, 2019 press release: CTA Survey Finds High Demand for Remote Patient Monitoring Devices
Posted 1.20.2022 -
Cybersecurity in the Healthcare Industry
Cybersecurity in the Healthcare Industry: The Best Defense is Offense
June 14, 2021 – Most of us get an annual physical to ensure we’re in good health. So too should healthcare organizations regularly conduct a check-up of their cybersecurity plan. Cybercrime is one of the biggest threats the healthcare industry faces. Yet, many organizations aren’t prepared to handle cyberattacks.
Just look at recent headlines. A ransomware attack earlier this year brought a major healthcare system to its knees, crippling its services for 4 weeks. And that was just one of many since the start of the pandemic. Ransomware attacks on the healthcare industry are becoming more frequent and costly. In fact, Cybersecurity Ventures predicts ransomware attacks on healthcare organizations will grow 5X before end of year. And another report shows healthcare cyberattacks doubled in 2020.
“The impact of COVID-19 has created more opportunities for malicious actors to target organizations in many industries, especially healthcare,” said Bindu Sundaresan, director of AT&T Cybersecurity. “Healthcare organizations have expanded their remote system access and management but are challenged in keeping up with protecting sensitive information from malicious actors.”
Other reasons the healthcare industry is a growing target for cybercriminals include:
- Hospitals store an incredible amount of confidential patient data that’s worth a lot of money to hackers.
- Connected medical devices are also an easy entry point for attackers. These devices can be used to launch an attack on a server that holds valuable information.
- Oftentimes, outdated technology means an organization is unprepared for attacks.
So, what’s the first step in creating a cybersecurity strategy? It’s a cliché, but the best defense is offense. A healthcare provider must adopt a security-first mindset. A potential data breach should be viewed as a “when” not an “if” occurrence.
“Business is not static, and neither are the solutions that enable and protect it,” added Sundaresan. “As a business evolves, so too must the operations and security solutions that protect it. Today, a cybersecurity strategy needs to be nimble to match the pace and dynamic modeling of the business it is protecting.”
In addition to best practices like planning for the unexpected, using firewalls, installing and maintaining anti-virus software, and controlling access to protected health information, there are several cybersecurity services a healthcare organization can use to help make its network more resilient to cyberattacks:
- Cybersecurity consulting services – These address the essentials of security with a multi-layered approach and can help healthcare organizations with:
- Endpoint security – These solutions help protect organizations’ laptops, desktops, servers, and mobile devices.
- Network security – These services help protect and connect users, data, and apps on-site, remotely, or in the cloud.
- Threat detection and response – These solutions provide continuous security monitoring, incident investigation, and incident response
With today’s evolving threat landscape, many organizations can’t keep up with fighting against cybercrime. They realize it’s not their core competency. Some organizations are turning to fully managed cybersecurity solutions, like Distributed Denial of Service (DDos) Defense and Managed Threat Detection and Response. DDoS attacks are among the most disruptive activities passing over the internet. In a DDoS attack, multiple devices are used to overwhelm a targeted server with requests and take web applications offline. These attacks can cost a company time and money. With a fully managed DDoS defense service, potential attacks can be detected and mitigated.
All these solutions can help guide a healthcare organization’s journey to cyber resiliency. But that means making cybersecurity a fiscal, technical, and operational priority. What’s your organization’s cybersecurity game plan? Perhaps the best place to start is with a check-up.
Posted 1.20.2022 -
Myia Health Chooses FirstNet to Remotely Monitor Patients
Myia Health Chooses FirstNet®, Built with AT&T, to Remotely Monitor Critical Care Patients Nationwide
DALLAS, August 05, 2021 – What’s the news? Myia Health has chosen FirstNet®, Built with AT&T, to provide reliable and highly secure connectivity for tablets and routers to support thousands of remote patient monitoring (RPM) kits and help improve access to care for vulnerable patients. The FirstNet network is critical for healthcare providers to access actionable patient health data from the home to help avoid preventable emergencies and improve patient quality of life.
The Myia Health data-driven virtual care platform is used by leading health systems to provide preventative and continuous care to patients in their homes living with complex chronic conditions, including heart failure, COPD, diabetes, and hypertension. The Myia platform is preconfigured based on patient conditions, enabling the reliable capture and transmission of critical health information and interactions, including:
Using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, Myia harnesses patient health data from these remote monitoring devices and notifies clinicians when they need to intervene quickly. Myia’s intelligent platform helps clinicians support the right patient at the right time and can help identify the risk of adverse events weeks in advance. Insights gathered by the Myia Health operating system are integrated into clinical workflows and software, saving clinicians time and improving clinical capacity, making virtual care truly scalable. Remote patient monitoring over FirstNet helps ensure key patient data makes it to the right place at the right time, helping first responders to quickly respond during a medical crisis identified by this technology.
Why is this important? Myia serves high-risk patients nationwide, so reliable, highly secure connectivity, especially in rural areas, is a must. FirstNet provides both. It’s the only nationwide, high-speed broadband communications platform dedicated to and purpose-built for America’s first responders and the extended public safety community. It’s Built with AT&T, in public-private partnership with the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) – an independent agency within the federal government.
Myia Health joins FirstNet as an extended primary user – organizations and agencies that could be called on to help support public safety during emergency response. Extended primary users include healthcare, public works, essential government services, school security, transportation, and utilities. The work they are called on to perform ranges from mitigation, remediation, clean-up, and restoration to the provisioning of other services required during the time of an emergency or its aftermath. Eligibility for extended primary user status is rigorously reviewed before service is approved to help ensure that FirstNet’s unique capabilities remain dedicated to first responders and those who support them.
What are people saying? “With virtual care expected to continue growing post-pandemic, the need for reliable and highly secure connectivity has never been greater,” said Joe Drygas, VP of AT&T Healthcare Industry Solutions. “We’re honored Myia Health chose FirstNet to help them power patient care that can help manage chronic conditions and redefine the quality of daily life.”
“The ability to reach the most vulnerable of patients with varying degrees of acuity and risk from the comfort of their homes is paramount. The reliability of FirstNet gives our customers total peace of mind that critical data and insights are delivered uninterrupted and in near real-time, even to those without access to the internet,” said Vince Salvo, Myia’s Chief Commercial Officer.
FirstNet and the FirstNet logo are registered trademarks of the First Responder Network Authority. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.
Posted 1.20.2022 -
Remote Patient Monitoring Solutions Connected by FirstNet
High-Risk Patients Served by AllHealth CHOICE Remote Patient Monitoring Connected with FirstNet®
DALLAS, August 05, 2021 What’s the news? AllHealth CHOICE has chosen FirstNet®, Built with AT&T, to provide reliable and highly secure connectivity for 400 tablets used with the company’s remote patient monitoring (RPM) kits. The tablets transmit the vitals of high-risk patients with chronic or complex conditions. The patients’ oxygen levels, heart rate, blood pressure, and more, are collected by health devices included in the RPM kits, such as pulse oximeters and blood pressure monitors.
AllHealth CHOICE provides MyCharlie, an end-to-end solution-based platform for physicians. The MyCharlie remote health monitoring system helps reduce critical and catastrophic events by transmitting red flag and preventative information to the patient, medical providers, the AllHealth CHOICE team, and caregivers. Remote patient monitoring not only may improve care for these high-risk patients, but it also may reduce hospitalizations, readmissions, and healthcare costs.
Why is this important? As the healthcare industry works to lower costs and produce better patient outcomes, it’s turning to technology and innovation like remote patient monitoring. The reliable, highly secure FirstNet connectivity is critical for clinicians to access patient health data captured by the peripherals in RPM kits.
FirstNet is the only nationwide, high-speed broadband communications platform dedicated to and purpose-built for America’s first responders and the extended public safety community. It’s Built with AT&T in a public-private partnership with the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) – an independent agency within the federal government.
AllHealth CHOICE joins FirstNet as an extended primary user – organizations and agencies that could be called on to help support public safety during emergency response. From mitigation, remediation, clean-up and restoration to the provisioning of other services required during the time of an emergency or its aftermath, extended primary users include healthcare, public works, essential government services, school security, transportation, and utilities. Eligibility for extended primary user status is rigorously reviewed before service is approved to help ensure that FirstNet’s unique capabilities remain dedicated to first responders and those who support them.
What are people saying? “If there’s one thing healthcare providers have learned from the pandemic, it’s the undeniable value of continuous connected care, especially for those with chronic conditions. Never has a highly secure, reliable connection been more important as the healthcare industry realizes the benefits of remote patient monitoring for both the patient and the provider.” – Joe Drygas, VP of AT&T Healthcare Industry Solutions
“Our representatives with AT&T have been proactive in meeting the needs of AllHealth CHOICE. The flexible packages and pricing options make it affordable for our team to provide continuous connected care to patients with chronic conditions in underserved communites through the use of our platform “MyCharlie.” AT&T services are critical for us to stay connected, not only to our participants and their Clinical Care Team, but also to the health providers we serve and to the vast network of healthcare systems.” – Ray Cross, CEO and president of AllHealth CHOICE.
FirstNet and the FirstNet logo are registered trademarks of the First Responder Network Authority. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.
Posted 1.20.2022 -
AT&T Helps Nation’s Largest Rehabilitation Solutions Provider
AT&T Helps Nation’s Largest Rehabilitation Solutions Provider Accelerate Patient Outcomes with Development of First-of-Its-Kind App and Interconnected Cloud Platform
DALLAS, August 11, 2021 – Accelerated Care Plus Sees Its ACPlus® Interconnected Care Solutions as a Game-Changer for the Rehab Solutions Industry
What’s the news? AT&T* is helping Accelerated Care Plus (ACP) improve outcomes for physical therapy patients and efficiency for staff with the development of a cloud-based platform accessed through an iOS app. ACPlus® Interconnected Care Solutions is the first-of-its-kind HITRUST1, HIPAA2-compliant platform for the rehabilitation solutions industry. It puts everything therapists need to treat patients and track their progress at their fingertips.
Why is this important?As the nation’s largest provider of rehabilitation solutions, ACP serves Medicare and Medicaid-certified skilled nursing and assisted living facilities. Treatment plans for these patients must be evidence-based and require extensive documentation for insurance reimbursements, such as pre-therapy evaluations, treatment time, device settings, and duration of treatment. Missing, inaccurate or inconsistent data can result in denials for reimbursement.
In addition to ensuring accurate, efficient, and compliant point-of-service documentation, ACPlus® saves therapists up to an hour a day by streamlining the documentation process. Less time spent on paperwork means more time spent driving better patient outcomes.
What’s unique about this solution?It’s a first for the rehabilitation solutions industry. This end-to-end solution from AT&T transforms a multisystem, time-intensive, paper-driven process into a one-stop-shop paperless environment with consistent and accurate documentation.
How does it work? The ACPlus® app, which houses pre-built documentation templates, connects directly with the patient’s electronic medical records (EMR) and ACP’s communications-enabled physical therapy equipment: the OmniCycle®, OmniStand®, OmniVR®, Synchrony®, OmniVitals™, OmniFlow™, OmniVersa®, and OmniSWD®. Patient information pulled from the EMR system and ACP’s physical therapy equipment auto fills the documentation templates. For example, to document a patient’s therapy, such as duration and device used, the therapist simply scans the QR code on the equipment, and the data uploads to the app.
Before ACPlus®, clinicians depended on oftentimes illegible handwritten notes or memory to enter the information on a computer at a later time. There’s more room for error with that method which can lead to delays in filing for reimbursement. Collecting this data at the point of care not only allows clinicians to adjust their therapy plan in real-time, but also allows transmission of the data to the patient’s record with the click of a button.
ACPlus® Interconnected Care Solutions also includes the ACPlus® Facility Portal which pulls data from the ACPlus® app into an easy-to-use dashboard. Through this portal, facility managers can access the list of patients at the facility, their assigned therapists, their treatment progress, and the protocols used. Facility managers can also track billing and equipment usage, as well as access ACP treatment programs and help desk support through the web portal.
What are people saying?
“Helping companies like Accelerated Care Plus succeed by providing end-to-end solutions is what we do best. We’re honored ACP chose us to design its new ACPlus platform and app to benefit patients and clinicians.” – Joe Drygas, VP Healthcare Industry Solutions, AT&T
“ACPlus® was built for post-acute and rehab partners to remove the longstanding barriers that have limited clinicians and executives from having real-time, accurate, and inter-connected data at their fingertips to make better decisions. We are grateful to our partners for their ongoing input with this project and are thrilled to be launching ACPlus®.” – Deb Koepsel, President, ACP
Where can I find more information?
Go here to learn more about AT&T IoT Professional Services. For more information about Accelerated Care Plus, visit here.
1 The Health Information Trust Alliance champions programs that safeguard sensitive information and manage information risk for global organizations across all industries. HITRUST develops, maintains, and provides broad access to its widely adopted common risk and compliance management frameworks, related assessment, and assurance methodologies.
2 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 is a federal law that required the creation of national standards to protect sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without the patient’s consent or knowledge.
Posted 1.20.2022