Intel gets approval for telecare device

The Intel Health Guide patient device

Intel has received market clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a new personal telehealth system, called Intel Health Guide.

The new telecare device, which has been tested in the US and UK, is described as a care management tool for healthcare professionals who manage patients with chronic conditions.

Intel says the device serves as a new category of ‘personal health system’ that can be connected to a range of wired and wireless patient monitoring devices, sending personal data to a secure server.

The Intel Health Guide combines an in-home patient device, as well as an online interface allowing clinicians to monitor patients and remotely manage care. The system offers interactive tools for personalised care management and integrates vital sign collection, patient reminders, multimedia educational content and feedback and communications tools such as video conferencing and e-mail.

Intel says the device can connect to specific models of wired and wireless medical devices, including blood pressure monitors, glucose monitors, pulse oximeters, peak flow meters and weight scales. The Health Guide stores and displays the collected information on a touch screen and sends to a secure host server, where health care professionals can review the information.

Patients using the Health Guide can monitor their health status, communicate with care teams and learn about their medical conditions.

Intel says the Health Guide enables caregivers to provide their patients with more personalised care at home, while also engaging and empowering patients to take a more active and positive role in their own care.

“This is an important product that will improve the state and cost of health care around the world,” said Louis Burns, vice president and general manager of Intel’s Digital Health Group. “It results from years of research to understand the needs of the aging population and how technology can support them in their daily lives.”

He added that Intel believes technology-enabled services can help more people with chronic diseases be cared for at home rather than in hospital.

Burns said: “Through our research, we’ve learned that a home-based model of care becomes more than just delivering care to patients at home – it is about creating connections to family, friends, caregivers, and the care team.”

“We believe the Intel Health Guide represents a new category of personal health systems that goes beyond the simple remote patient monitoring devices available today,” Burns said. “We envision a wide range of usage models, not only chronic conditions such as CHF and diabetes, but also programs for health and wellness management at home.”

Intel has completed pilot studies in the United States and United Kingdom to facilitate patients’ and clinicians’ understanding of the Intel Health Guide.

Later this quarter, Intel will conduct additional pilots with health care organizations to understand how the guide integrates with different care management models in the home. Intel expects the guide will be commercially available from health care providers in the US and UK in late Q4 2008 or early Q1 2009.