Monitoring chronic health conditions is an expensive and time-consuming business, but the latest technology promises to revolutionise the area, writes AOIFE CARR
A NEW SYSTEM that would allow people with chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease to monitor their health from home would free up hospital beds, reduce health insurance costs and save the HSE millions of euro annually, according to its inventor.
Intellehealth is the brainchild of Joe Dalton, an entrepreneur and electronic engineer from Kilkenny, and was the winning entry in a new business start-up competition.
It involves installing a device similar to a Sky TV box in a patient’s home allowing them to record daily health readings such as weight, blood pressure, glucose and blood oxygen.
This data is then fed to a central depository where the patient’s doctors can access their up-to-date records and arrange hospital appointments as necessary.
A monitoring system alerts them to any irregular readings or unusual patterns. Patients would be shown how to record their health readings and to use the device, which is not yet on the general market but is due to be available in the summer.
The system will also promote general health and wellbeing with an emphasis on prevention.
“My aim is to help keep people out of hospital by helping them manage their symptoms before they reach crisis stage,” said Dalton. “Ultimately, this will mean people can get out of hospital sooner, relieving pressure on hospital beds. It will help cut down on the need for nursing home places as well.
“People won’t become so-called ‘bed blockers’ because a monitoring facility in the home would allow them to be discharged quickly. This is of benefit to the public health service.
“I see a huge scope for this. There are 400,000 diabetics, for example, in Ireland. Instead of going to the GP all the time to get your blood pressure taken or your lung capacity checked, you can do it at home and the details will be sent to the monitoring service.
“I believe some day each home will have its own healthcare set-top box, offering services such as monitoring, management and education via a healthcare television channel. Health insurers will incentivise people to use these programmes by offering discounts to subscribers encouraging customers to be more health conscious,” he said.
Dalton stressed that the system was not a replacement for traditional monitoring by a doctor or hospital but rather a supplement to it. “It’s about education and prevention, and enabling people to take control of their health.”
The cost of the service has not been finalised but will “not be much more than a Sky TV subscription”. And savings can be made on health insurance costs.
“The health insurance industry is moving to a reimbursement model. In [order] to avoid patient hospitalisation, health insurance companies could offer you a discount of 30 per cent if you have a healthcare monitoring system,” he said.
Dalton is currently in talks with a major multinational to build his service around their devices.
The initial focus will be on providing diabetes monitoring in the home. Services for patients with heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other serious illnesses will follow.
He believes there is an opportunity for Ireland to take the lead in developing telehealth services.
Intellehealth was the winning entry in the “Give a Start” competition run by the 11 Patrick Street business centre in Kilkenny, netting Dalton a prize worth €25,000.
Business owners based in the centre were behind the competition, which aims to encourage entrepreneurs to start their own business.
The judging panel consisted of entrepreneur and Kilkenny native Bobby Kerr, chairman of coffee chain Insomnia; Terry Clune, chief executive of Taxback.com which employs almost 700 people worldwide; and Paula Fitzsimons, an expert in entrepreneurship and director of Going for Growth.