Just when you thought technology couldn’t get any better, along comes a healthcare tablet that takes your vital signs and reports them to your doctor. A New Jersey Health Tech firm designed and developed Bluetooth-enabled devices that patients can use remotely to telecommute and teleconference with their doctors. The devices also take your pulse, blood pressure, blood oxygen levels, digital weight (no, you do not stand on the tablet!) and a “stethoscope” feature that can read lung and heart functions.
There’s just one catch- the tablets are currently only available to seniors living in their own homes who live too far away from immediate mediical care to get to a doctor on time. The tablets are part of a home health care group that takes care of these patients and monitors their health regularly. Then the elderly and senior patients can remain in their homes for much longer than previously expected.
The tablets do provide the patients with a sense of security, given their distant locations from doctors, hospitals, clinics and family members. Family members are also comforted by the fact that these tablets can send them alerts to their connected phones anytime there is a serious health concern with their elderly relatives.
Of course, the patients do have to “opt in” to notify certain family members of their immediate health concerns, but it is something that definitely could cut rescue help time way down because the patients data would warn everyone before a major health risk occurs. Patients are also able to call for help from the tablets simply by activating the conferencing call feature.
The devices are still in production, so it may be a year or more yet before patients begin receiving their devices in conjunction with this home health care group. As for the rest of the nation, teleconferencing your doctor your vital signs may take a few more years. Until then, a phone call or an office visit may still be the only ways you can talk to your doctor or your doctor’s nurse.