The LTE-M Connected Smart Scale Goes Beyond Tracking Pounds

Next week, February 11 – 15, HIMSS19 will take place in Orlando. HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society) brings together healthcare professionals who are interested in enhancing health engagements and care outcomes using information technology.

Our AT&T healthcare team will be there to demonstrate the key role connectivity and the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) plays throughout the continuum of care.  

I’d like to also note, February is American Heart Health Month. Throughout the month, Americans will join in the battle against heart disease. This brings awareness to preventative solutions like eating healthy, exercising and watching your weight.  

Given these two February events, I thought it appropriate to highlight a device we’ll demo at HIMSS. It’s a device that can help detect early signs of cardiovascular disease.  

Bodyport, headquartered in San Francisco, is developing a remote monitoring solution. As I referenced above, weight plays a role in heart health. But what’s unique about this device is that it goes beyond recording weight. It also measures cardiac function.

A patient steps on the scale. A daily routine for most of us. And with that one simple step the Bodyport scale’s proprietary sensor technology captures electrical and mechanical heart function - data that is typically only available through in-clinic measures such as ECG and echocardiography.

The AT&T LTE-M cellular network enables the transmission of multiple biomarkers of cardiovascular function to a remote care team. This allows the clinician to determine in near real-time patient risk and status.

How simple is that?  You step on your scale and before you brush your teeth your doctor can monitor your heart function.

Bodyport is currently performing clinical trials at leading hospitals. They are studying patients with cardiometabolic risk factors like high blood pressure and diabetes. They are also monitoring heart failure patients to help clinicians identify those at highest risk of readmissions.

I think this is exciting stuff. A daily routine can help care teams predict changes in health status, enable early interventions, and help keep patients healthy and out of the hospital!

For those who visit our booth at HIMSS19 (#2347), you can learn more on how connectivity and IoMT can bring the doctor to the patient, enhance the patient experience and help improve outcomes.

Remember it is Heart Health Month.  Eat healthy. Exercise. And step on your scale.  One day your scale may tell more than your weight!