AHA new digital health screening services to identify chronic disease risk

The American Heart Association, one of the leading non-profit organizations that foster cardiac care, is working to enhance community health through a new business line - Health Screening Services (HSS).  The new health screening services will help consumers become more conscious of personal health risk factors and motivate them to make changes in their behaviors and lifestyle.

"The new business offering is part of a larger ambitious mission strategy to help create a culture of health and well-being for Americans by increasing awareness of health risks and changing lifestyle behaviors," said John Meiners, the American Heart Association Chief of Mission-Aligned Businesses.

The new screening services offer effective modern appointments scheduling system and interactive online data analytics and reports to help the consumers receive authentic health guidance for self-monitoring programs.  The screening will be conducted both in the workplace and at public health check-up events to end health issues. These new services will also promote prevention programs among the population to address the risk factors that lead to poor health; the service will also convey the organization's primary mission goal to address the social determinants of health.

"We know that combining screenings with lifestyle and behavior change that takes into account the social determinants of health can result in overall health improvement – not just in the workplace with employees but in communities with the elderly and underserved at large," said Eduardo Sanchez, MD, the American Heart Association Chief Medical Officer for Prevention. “We are committed to providing realistic solutions to meet the needs of all people, regardless of who they are, where they live, or what they do."

The health screening combines AHA’s Life’s Simple 7 a (survey related to Health & lifestyle) which helps to obtain heart health score through biometric screenings. Simple 7 health behaviors and metrics represent seven of the top 10 most costly risk factors for employers, including smoking, eating habits, and cholesterol levels. Individuals who maintain ideal levels for at least five of the seven measures reduce their risk of heart-related death by more than 50 percent.

Once the health screening completed, the Association combines all the profile information and lab values into its online health assessment tool called - My Life Check Enhance. Consumers will get a personalized Heart Health Score and dashboard to measure their progress over time. They will also receive health actions sequenced and bundled according to individual responses.

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Digital Health Card on WeChat

Patients and Beijing residents are currently benefitting from the new electronic health cards issued by Beijing through the WeChat app; the program is facilitated by Tencent and Sinosoft Technology which is aimed to improve the healthcare services by 2030 through digital cards. Currently, the short plans are to systemize patient information and to explore the new applications of the electronic cards in the Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei with plans to collect and combine patient’s information. The electronic health card is currently availing through official WeChat account of Peking University Hospital.

The first batch of ID chips called SIMeID, which are for smartphone users, were issued by the government in Jiangxi province earlier this year. The chip is attached to the phone’s SIM card which can store important identifying information for safer verifications on the internet.

Internet companies like Tencent and Alibaba have also experimented with digitized versions of China’s ubiquitous ID cards. Alibaba is currently testing its Alipay based digital IDs in Zhejiang province and Fujian province. With the virtual IDs the users can book train tickets and check into hotels but is currently limited to local authorities. In 2017, Tencent started issuing ID cards through WeChat in the southern city of Guangzhou.

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Fitbit partners with Google digital health innovation

During the Fitbit Q1 earnings call, the company confirmed its focus on digital health regardless of the expected decline in sales numbers. Currently, Fitbit is focusing on its new alliance with Google, wherein the two companies will work together to speed up innovation in the digital health space to provide clear EHRs and precise patient data to help the clinicians.

 “We are planning to use Google‘s application programming interfaces (API) to help us to join with the healthcare system connecting user data with electronic medical records. Combining Fitbit with EMRs can help accurate view of the patients’ profile. We are looking to work together to help tackle chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension by using services such as Fitbit’s recently acquired Twine Health” Said James Park, Fitbit CEO.

Fitbit reportedly sold 2.2 million devices and generated $247.9 million in revenue, 17 percent decrease in revenue as the company sold less devices this quarter, regardless of the fact that the average price of a device increased by 16 percent to $112. Despite decrease in profits, the company reported success with the launch of its new Fitbit-Versa, a smart-watch released in Q1. This quarter Fitbit also launched its Fitbit Ace, which is aimed at the kids segment.

It is too early to say if the product was going to be on the shelf in Q2. “While sales and earnings were challenged as expected in the first quarter, we worked on the plan and surpass our dedications while making headway towards these objectives. We also launched two new product offerings to exceed our addressable market, Fitbit-Versa, and Fitbit Ace, closing the acquisition of Twine Health, and reducing operating expenses on a year-over-year basis.” said Park.

Earlier this quarter the company acquired Twine Health, a healthcare coaching app for an undisclosed amount. The app addresses health-related coaching for employees in the employee wellness programs.

Park also said. “In the coming days, we are planning to leverage the Twine platform to provide wellness programs to our large active user base.”

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FDA Seeking Digital Health to Combat Opioid Abuse

Recently, U.S, Food and Drug Administration announced an “innovation challenge” focused to initialize the development of mHealth application and diagnostic tests to detect and prevent the opioid infestation. The FDA challenge is welcoming projects between June and September from the makers with products at any level of development, or with an existing product striving to showcase an improved risk profile compared to opioids for pain management

In November, FDA’s device center will select which app is welcomed into the program, and the selected will have amplified interactions with FDA during the progress of their products.  FDA will grant the advanced device nomination to products that meet the permitted criteria without requiring a separate application.

FDA device chief Jeff Shuren said “The FDA stands ready to give  significant support and expedite premarket review of applications to help bring innovative devices that, if properly instituted, could help those at risk for addiction or treat those who might develop opioid use disorder”.

In March, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, that drug overdoses eliminated 63,632 Americans in 2016, with 66% of those deaths caused to a prescription or illicit opioid. The surgeon general has said more ppl should carry around naloxone, which can pedal-back the effects of an opioid overdose.

“We’re optimistic in collaborating with public health-minded developers, we can recognize and pump the development of new technologies that can contribute in novel and effective ways to help level-down the scope of this crisis” FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said in a statement.

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Apple to Launch ‘Digital Health’ to Fight iPhone and iPad Addiction

Yesterday, Apple announced that they are planning to introduce new features for iPhone and iPads called “Digital health” on this coming Monday (4^th June 2018) at WWDC 2018- Apple Worldwide Developer Conference.

Digital Health — said to launch as a segment of Apple's new iOS 12 operating system — which will reportedly assist apple users manage how much time they spend on their iPhones and iPads with tools that show how long users spend inside apps. The company is also planning to include other features like tools to keep you update on the stock market

Earlier this month, Google introduced same features when it launched the new version of Android, called Android P. App dashboards that will show limits for apps, a new feature where users won't be able to access the application after they've used them for a fixed amount of time during the day. The Google’s new feature all introduce a "Do Not Disturb" mode that silences all alerts & notification, and also a "Wind Down" function that turns the phone grayscale at a predetermined time so that the Android P user can prepare to go to sleep at night.

Apple usually introduces the new version of its operating system during its WWDC meeting and then rolls it out to consumers in the fall.

By Ddu

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South Korean KT Crop to Provide Digital Healthcare System in Russia

Yesterday, South Korea based KT Corporation announced the launch of a digital pilot project in Russia, in partnership with Russian Railways and Seoul National University Bundang Hospital (SNUBH), to enable remote medical diagnosis and treatment among hospitals in Russia.

KT Corporation, the largest leading telephone company on South Korea, showcased a telemedicine system at its launching ceremony of its global pilot project last week, that connects Central Clinical Hospital No.1 of Moscow, with regional hospitals in Tula and Yaroslavl, 200 km and 300 km away for the capital.

KT Corporation will enable collaboration between the central and local hospitals to aid in better medical services to patients visiting clinics in rural areas. With the assistance of the new system, the clinicians from the hospital in Moscow will be able to offer remote treatments via video, based on the diagnostic data will be stored and shared in KT's digital healthcare platform 'm-Hospital.'

Yun Kyoung-Lim, head of KT's Future Convergence and Global Business Office said "This pilot project is a great opportunity to improve medical infrastructure through digital healthcare. We will actively expand our digital healthcare business to help patients in medically underserved areas."

The Memorandum of understanding was signed in December 2017 by Russian Railway and The Korean telecom provider to jointly develop a mobile diagnostic solution for primary care at medical centers in Russian rail stations and trans-Siberian trains.

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Increased Funding in Digital Health

The digital health world seems to be continuing its rapid growth where around 70 companies' funding results were announced during the second quarter od 2018, totaling to $2 billion. The funders from several international companies are interested to invest specifically in artificial intelligence and telehealth. The top deals were from UK-based AI company Benevolent AI and Chinese healthcare platform WeDoctor. Many Australian and European companies have also stepped in.

Let us have a look at the top 5 digital health fundings for this quarter.

WeDoctor - $500 million

As per reports from Reuters and the Financial Times, the top online healthcare services company in the Chinese market named WeDoctor raised $500 million from investors by selling private shares.

BenevolentAI — $115 million.

BenevolentAI is a UK-based company with expertise in artificial intelligence integration for drug development. They raised $115 million from unrevealed investors in the United States. The existing supporter named Woodford Investment Management also took part in the round, where the company’s total raised funds amounted to around $200 million.

Livongo — $105 million.

Livongo is a digital chronic disease management company that raised $105 million in a Series E funding round, predominantly from current investors. The funding round was led by Swedish investment firm Kinnevik and General Catalyst, where investors such as Merck Global Health Innovation Fund, Microsoft Ventures, Sapphire Ventures, etc. also contributed.

Iora Health — $100 million.

Iora Health is a digitally-enabled primary care provider from Massachusettes in the US and is focused on senior Medicare, declared that it closed at $100 million in Series E financing. Thus the company’s total funding reached $223.5 million.

Doctor On Demand — $74 million.

Doctor On Demand, a telemedicine provider from San Francisco, announced the closure of a $74 million round of Series C financing. Here, the funding round was led by Goldman Sachs Investment Partners and Princeville Global. Previous investors like Shasta Ventures, Venrock, and Tenaya Capital have also taken part.

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Use of Digital Health Rises, but Wearables &Telemedicine Falls – Rock Health

A survey spanning 3 years by Rock Health on 4000 U.S residents, to assess their usage and opinions on digital health, revealed that 87% of Americans were using a minimum of one digital health service in 2017 as compared to 80% in 2015.

 “With data from 2015 to 2017, we see a clear upward trend of consumers taking control of their healthcare via the use of digital tools like telemedicine, wearables, and online provider reviews,” Rock Health researchers Megan Zweig, Jen Shen, and Lou Jug mentioned. “… But the needle has not moved equally across every subgroup of the population — nor across every type of digital health solution. … So while digital health solutions promise impactful, even life-altering outcomes for patients, consumers are still transitioning to testing out — and sustainably integrating — these solutions into their lives.”

The survey revealed that online health information was used by 79% of the population while 58% accessed online provider reviews, both services being used the most. However, only 24% used mobile tracking and wearables and live video telemedicine usage stood at 19%. Every service usage has gone up each year barring wearables which remained stagnant at 24% and telemedicine which experienced a fall from 22% in 2016.

Probing into the experience with telemedicine, the survey found that 91% of people, who spent on it, were “moderately” or “extremely” content and 62% of people who didn’t spend money, were satisfied.

It was discovered that 54% of people used wearables in 2017 to increase their physical activity while 40% used it for weight loss and 24% for enhanced sleep and 18% for stress management. Additional findings showed that self-health tracking was largely devoid of digitalization among the population.

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