By Bob Snyder and Gary Kayye, CTS

A white box with a touch screen on the outside cover that lets heart patients make video calls with their clinicians may prove the basis for an emerging home health market. Yep, it’s true!

Aetna released preliminary results of a joint study with Intel showing chronic heart failure patients who use a remote health management system (with an in-home patient device, the Intel Health Guide PHS6000) avoided some hospital stays and increased their independence from hospitals. The service combines Intel’s PHS6000 with its online platform that allows clinicians to monitor patients and manage care remotely via videoconferencing. You can also connect other devices for blood pressure, weight, pulse and blood glucose levels. It records your past medical data.

Last month Intel announced it will expand the Intel Health Guide into Europe. Why is home health of interest to HomeAV? First, we have already have hospital facilities as clients for 3D, displays and videoconferencing. A boom in home health care means all those consumer units will have to endpoint in an environment that deals with multiple inputs and that means industrial strength routing and control of incoming video.   Also, as research like this Aetna/Intel study validates home health care, corporations may decide to jump in provide services to employees much in the way they today provide gym, crèche, and other services that keep their workers healthy.

You can read all about the Intel Health Guide here: http://www.intel.com/about/companyinfo/healthcare/products/healthguide.htm