New telemonitoring system for the home unveiled

The technology, which was developed by Royal Philips, will allow Partners HealthCare at Home nurses to monitor a person's vital signs and intervene quicker if the need arises, thereby reducing the rate of costly hospital readmissions, according to a press release.

"Remote patient monitoring does more than improve care coordination," said Sue Beausoliel, vice president of operations at Partners HealthCare at Home. "It provides a tool for patients to actively engage in their own health management. As the healthcare industry focuses more on improving patient experience and outcomes while reducing costs, technologies such as home monitoring contribute toward improved quality of life. Instead of having to wait for the next appointment, this real-time data daily monitoring helps us connect with patients, track their health status, alert us to a problem and intervene earlier beit becomes full blown."

Philips was selected as a telemonitoring partner because of its successful Hospital to Home program and because it had already implemented its Lifeline and Medical Dispensing programs for Partners HealthCare, the press release noted.

"Telehealth is so much more than a monitoring technology or a patient engagement app – it's a coordinated set of clinical programs that's key to enabling the future of healthcare and addressing the needs of our aging population," said Brian Rosenfeld, MD, vice president and chief medical officer of Philips Healthcare Hospital to Home. "Since 2006, Partners has been on the forefront of telehealth, and we're proud to help them drive the next phase of their strategic vision."