Do you like going to the doctor? If not, the time is right to have your medical providers call on you. This is possible because of new technology that allows providers to stay ahead of the disease game, using in--home or personal monitoring systems. There's no need for a checkup when you have been checked on each day.
Prevention Trumps Curing
Telemonitoring is one form of telemedicine. Telemonitoring is remote health oversight through electronic tracking of vital signs, activities and safety. Over the last decade, remote-monitoring technology has become more sophisticated and more widely available; small devices can transmit important medical information, and you can speak to a provider--all without leaving the comfort of your home. Or, by using smart cell phones, you can leave home and send a constant feed of vital-sign information to your provider via the Internet. These advancements allow a shift in importance from the diagnosis of a medical event to oversight that can prevent disease by catching early-warning signs before they become serious.
What's Available Now
Monitoring devices come in all shapes and sizes. Traditional monitors of blood pressure, weight, temperature, and other measurements are common in professional medicine and home health. Traditional devices look like laptop computers, and sit atop a desk or table for ease of use and to enable video conferencing. Most of these telemonitoring devices require a prescription from your doctor. In-home desktop monitors are not yet sold commercially. Home-health providers supply in-home monitors to patients and interpret the transmitted information to ensure their vital signs are within safe limits.
Newer commercially available gadgets can wake you up and tell you when to take your medicine; they can detect how much and how often you have moved about your home, or tell you where to find missing items like your keys. Infrared sensors can be embedded in doors, mattresses and even toilets. Just as communication systems can alert 911 if you are involved in an auto accident, technology in your home can call 911 for you if you fall or have a heart attack. Smart canes have motion sensors that provide you with walking-related tips and alert you to dangers that might cause a fall. The list of assistive devices is nearly endless.
What Will Be Available Tomorrow
Most remote monitoring now requires the patient to remember to interact with a monitor. This need reinforces the sense that someone is watching and that you are indeed a "patient." Newer technology runs in the background, freeing you to live your life without the constant presence of a strange device sitting on the dining-room table, serving as a reminder that you are at risk for a health-threatening event.
The focus has turned to sensors embedded in clothing--sensors that are smaller than a quarter and much easier to forget about than a computer-like device tethered to a plug and phone jack. New fabrics that serve as antennas transmit wirelessly all of the vital-signs information your doctor needs to track your well-being.
