Doctors could speak to patients by videoconference while monitoring weight scales, exercise bicycles, dermascopes, blood-pressure monitors and stethoscopes. This equipment could be wired or integrated wirelessly.
Capable of running on computer screens, smart phones and televisions, the program unites hardware devices through a Web browser. The icons are reminiscent of those found on a Mac and can be easily accessed with a mouse or remote control. The ability to pick and choose which devices to integrate “allows people to build custom interfaces,” Calit2 staff member Hector Parra said.
“We try to make it as Lego-like as possible,” he said.
Calit2 is testing the software for use in senior homes, medical clinics, hospital rooms and prisons. It also has potential for broader health and wellness applications.
“You could have your personal trainer live in Minnesota,” Bachman said. “Your yoga instructor could be in Florida. They don’t have to be in the same physical location.”
The simple user interface also makes Telios an appealing preventive health tool, its proponents say. Individuals can easily monitor their blood pressure, weight, heart rate and the level and duration of an activity.
“People who constantly monitor their vitals tend to be healthier,” Parra said.
A sense of accountability and the knowledge that the collected data could be sent to a health professional might encourage people to take better care of themselves now, he said.
But telemedicine with this new technology will face the same legal challenges that telemedicine has faced for the past 30 years. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act has security and privacy requirements that limit video consultation.
Still, health-care reformers say, preventive health solutions such as Telios may help it overcome these hurdles.
“There’s nothing wrong with taking your own blood pressure,” Parra said. “The technology is ready. If we put the technology out there and people like it and start using it, then people can force legislation.”
While the project may be well-suited to preventive health, the primary purpose is to bring the doctor into the home.
Simply put, Parra says, “We don’t want grandma to have to leave the house.”
