FDA Approves Intel's Home Health Care System

Wouldn't it be nice to visit the doctor from the comfort of your own home? Those who suffer from chronic illness may now be able to take advantage of such a service. Recently, the United States Food and Drug Administration gave Intel the green light to market their new in-home monitoring system, Health Guide, which allows health care professionals to treat their patients online.

The Health Guide system is first being marketed to those with chronic illness. The system will involve patients having an in-home device and provides access online for healthcare providers to monitor and treat patients. This technology allows for more flexible evaluation times and avoiding many visits to the doctor's office. The system can connect to blood pressure machines, glucose meters, pulse oximeters, peak flow meters, and weight scales. The information collected is stored and once transferred to a secure FTP site, it can be studied by health care professionals via a touch screen, at their convenience.

The market for patients who suffer from chronic illnesses is huge with at least 1 billion patients eligible to use such a system. Intel's initial target marketing will be focused on insurance companies, governments, and health care providers.

While the company continues with its research on the new system via pilot studies, the company states that feedback thus far from health clinics and the elderly has been positive. Elderly patients are most often passive when it involves treating their illnesses. Louis Burns, vice president and general manager of Intel's Digital Health Group, points out that the process allows for patients to have a more active role in their medical treatment which patients seem to enjoy.

Intel developed the product after years of research on the needs of the aging and what technology might help them function better. Burns feels the product is important because it will help to reduce health care costs around the world. He stated that more people are living with chronic diseases and the market is going to continue to decentralize and move from hospital care to more home care.

Heart patients currently have remote monitoring system options through St. Jude Medical Inc. or Medtronic Inc. Intel feels their system will complement the already offered online heart monitoring systems, rather than be in competition. The company hopes to have the system available by the end of 2008 or first of 2009, in both the U.S. and U.K.

Marketing of course will play a key role in the success of the new system. Intel hopes to sell it broadly in order to establish the new form of treatment in patients as the norm. The company hopes to land some larger Insurance contracts to get the standards started.

Convenience is a key player in many situations. Why not health care? New technology, such as the new Health Guide system, will be more convenient for all involved in patient's health care treatment. Intel discovered through all of their research, that the new system didn't only make it easier for health care treatments, but it also helped to create connections between all of those involved in the patient's treatment including family, friends, caregivers, and health care team.