Paging Dr. Frischer: Home Medical Devices
Health care technology has advanced dramatically. Patients now have access to a wide range of medical devices to help monitor and treat chronic diseases, and we are experiencing a shift from hospital-based care to managing our health at home.
We’ve had access to blood pressure monitors and glucose test strips since the 1950s. In the 1980s, portable ECG machines and CPAP devices for sleep apnea became available. In the 2010s, wearable health technology was introduced, and now AI diagnostics and remote monitoring play a part. And of course, COVID-19 brought telehealth and remote monitoring into the mainstream.
In the United States, our population is aging, and suffers from more and more chronic diseases. Over 50% of adults have at least one chronic condition. Health care costs, and hospital care in particular, have risen dramatically. Diabetes, hypertension, heart conditions, and other diseases require monitoring. These diseases fill our hospital beds, which is inconvenient, costly, and sometimes even dangerous. Home medical devices are typically convenient, cost-effective, efficient, and allow us some measure of control of our health. The global home healthcare market is projected to reach $515 billion by 2030.
Here are some devices, both old and new, available:
Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGM) track sugar in real-time
Home Dialysis Machines allow kidney patients to undergo treatment at home
Portable Oxygen Concentrators help patients with COPD breathe
Smart Blood Pressure Monitors track trends with smartphones or through WIFI
ECG Monitors detect irregular heart rhythms and are found on devices like the Apple Watch
Pulse Oximeters measure blood oxygen levels (home use became popular during the COVID-19 pandemic)
Nebulizers produce a medicated mist to treat asthma and COPD
TENS units use electrical stimulation to provide pain relief
IV infusion pumps deliver intravenous medications
Hearing aids connect to phones and devices with Bluetooth
Smart walking canes include fall detection
Voice activated medication dispensers issue reminders to take medications
Call for help devices like Medic Alert allow the push of a button to contact paramedics
The field faces challenges: The FDA is slow to adapt new innovations. Health data could be vulnerable to hacking. Home devices often are not as accurate as those in hospitals or medical offices. Patients, including the elderly, may struggle to use them.
Still, home medical devices can yield so many benefits. They are convenient, and may replace office or even hospital visits. They reduce costs. They catch chronic issues early, by alerting the patient or healthcare practitioner to abnormal readings. They are based on real-time data. Perhaps most importantly, they can lead to more independence and control of our own care and health.