Not only did the pandemic lead to a huge surge in telehealth usage during the pandemic, it also led to a rise in remote patient monitoring, with a more than four-fold increase. Now that the COVID threat has dissipated, a surprisingly large percentage of people still use these services, even when they no longer have to: according to a report from the CDC, 37% of adults used telemedicine in 2021.
That’s why Philadelphia-based academic health system Temple Health is doubling down on the technology, announcing a strategic innovation collaboration with medical technology and automation solutions provider Masimo in order to focus on remote patient monitoring and telehealth, along with care automation.
The two companies, which have partnered since 2008, outlined a series of initiatives they want to collaborate on going forward; they include deploying technologies, therapies, devices, and systems designed to advance patient-centered care, as well as raising awareness of the importance of health equity, which it plans to to “by leveraging their expertise and regional influence to positively impact access to quality care for all Philadelphia residents.”
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Temple Health will also trial and refine Masimo’s technologies in its “Collaboratory,” before they’re broadly deployed, while they will also work together to reduce technology obsolescence in healthcare. It will also involve performing joint clinical research opportunities in in-patient, out-patient, and home-based settings.
While the technology that will be used in this collaboration does not seem to be set yet, the companies did outline a number of different Masimo device that could be used, including the Masimo W1, which is a health tracking watch; and the Radius VSM, a multimodal patient monitor.
It may also include Hospital Automation solutions such as UniView, which aggregates data and alarms from multiple Masimo and third-party devices, including patient monitors, ventilators, anesthesia machines; Halo ION, which allows clinicians to aggregate trend data from multiple physiologic parameters into a single patient score; and Sepsis Index, an early warning indicator for Masimo Patient SafetyNet, designed to help clinicians identify possible sepsis.
“Temple Health is committed to driving medical advances through clinical innovation, pioneering research and world-class education. Our commitment aligns with Masimo’s vision for achieving tomorrow’s outcomes and helping institutions like ours improve and automate the ways we monitor physiological status across more care areas than ever before, as well as extend high-quality care beyond the hospital and into the home,” Joseph DiMartino, Associate Vice President of Nursing at Temple University Hospital, said in a statement.
“We are particularly excited by Masimo’s innovations in telehealth, remote patient monitoring, and automation, and how they can help us support improved outcomes for our patients both within and after they have left the hospital. The future is bright with Masimo as a technology partner.”
