The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology has issued a call for public comments surrounding the security, privacy and best practices of using mobile devices in healthcare.

More specifically, the ONC is seeking comments on three categories, including real-world uses of mobile devices by providers and other healthcare delivery professionals; real-world privacy and security practices, strategies and technology; and other general comments on the use of mobile devices by providers and other healthcare delivery professionals.

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A new survey published recently by HIMSS and Qualcomm Life show that while consumers understand what remote patient monitoring is, only a quarter of those surveyed reported using one before.

In addition, only 16% of those surveyed had heard about remote monitoring devices from their healthcare provider, and 22% said they’d used such a device themselves in the past.  Just 8% said they currently used such devices as part of a fitness program and 5% said they were using such a device provided by a physician.  The survey included phone interviews with 125 American adults in January so the sample size wasn’t that large.  Still, the findings fall in line with similar research showing consumer awareness of the concept, but not the adoption to match.

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ChartLogic, a company known for its EHR suite that spans Electronic Medical Records, patient portals, billing/document management and patient education solutions, has announced a new voice recognition overlay technology designed for compatibility with all leading EHR systems.

Called “Stella,” the new solution works similar to Apple’s Siri personal assistant by leveraging the same type of cloud-based natural language processing (NLP) technology to “greatly speed workflow for physicians by enabling them to use iPads, iPhones and other mobile devices with their hospital’s EHR system.”  Voice recognition has long had a place in the healthcare space, and with the proliferation of mobile devices the concept is finally coming to fruition.

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It was announced today that Sensei, Inc. — a provider of wireless health and wellness solutions — has partnered with IDEAL LIFE — maker of mobile medical devices and other wireless health solutions — to offer wireless device monitoring and feedback through Sensei’s cloud-based mHealth platform, Sensei Connect, in addition to a suite of mobile health applications.

Integrated mHealth solutions stemming from the new partnership include things like integrated biometric devices such as blood glucose meters, blood pressure meters, scales, and pedometers, with all data being wirelessly and securely transmitted to IDEAL LIFE and pushed to Sensei’s secure platform.  From there it’s transmitted to the individual’s mobile phone, allowing real time tracking and feedback.  The result is seamless data tracking and provision of immediate feedback, education and guidance to “promote engagement, understanding and better health outcomes,” according to the companies.

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Using the popular iPhone 4, medical researchers at UC Davis created a portable microscope capable of magnifying an image 350 times. Clinical staff and physicians are able to view chemicals and cell types by simply adding a $40.00 lens to the device they already have in their pocket.  This assembled imaging device is able to view objects as small as 1.5 microns, or one millionth of a meter.

The widely available add on uses a ball lens that is normally only capable of magnifying an image five times. The properties of the iPhone camera sensor allow it to work with the lens to create points of focus that, when seamed together, make high resolution images. The phone’s software takes the image and reduces the distorting effects of the lens to create a clear picture of what is invisible to the naked eye. The app will be showcased during this week’s annual meeting of the Optical Society of America.

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According to a new report out from healthcare market research firm Kalorama Information, the market for wireless hospital monitoring systems has skyrocketed to more than $4.4B over the past five years, up from just $1.7B.

The report, ”Wireless Opportunities in Healthcare 2011,” indicates wireless devices using wireless personal area networks (WPAN) such as ZigBee and Bluetooth are driving a majority of the growth.  “The WPANs are the growth engines because of the mobile nature of healthcare delivery,” said Bruce Carlson, publisher of Kalorama Information.  “Some of this growth is due to innovations from device makers to avoid interference, and some is due to the flexibility of hospital policies regarding wireless devices.”

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Florida-based Voalte, a company known for its mobile applications for nurses and clinicians, is teaming with a company called AirWatch, a maker of smartphone security and mobile device management solutions, to launch a platform designed to help administrators manage mobile devices throughout any building or campus.

The platform, dubbed “Voalte Connect,” gives administrators a platform to deploy, use and scale MDM solutions for enterprise-wide deployments.  The platform is designed to allow clinicians to send and receive presence-based text messages, make phone calls using the hospital’s VoIP system and receive critical care alarms on their iPhones, among other things.  The main benefit comes with the ability for any hospital or facility to manage all internal and personal mobile devices, such as smartphones, laptops and tablets, from a central and secure location.

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