Rounding up our data breach reporting for 2011: according to industry watchdog group Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (PRC), three of this year’s top six data breaches involved stolen patient data. The thefts took place at Sutter Health [TA 28 Nov], Health… Read moreTheft of patient data leads 2011 top data breaches
“Phyllis Sim, 92, is blind in one eye, uses hearing aids and a Zimmer frame, leaving her virtually housebound. Yet more town hall cuts mean a vulnerable 92-year-old’s only link to the outside world will be a telephone…”It is just… Read moreThe Council, The Savings, The Nonagenarian & Her Telecare (UK)
Yoritex is a Toronto-based – but clearly international in composition – company that has produced a hub device that plugs into a Blackberry or Android smartphone and into which many other devices can be connected. The company is aiming to… Read moreYoritex: new mhealth hub device (Canada)
In all the sunshine coming out of the recent mHealth Summit, there was a little dark cloud: a well-attended panel of VC investors moderated by Rob McCray from the Wireless Life Science Alliance (WLSA) which essentially disparaged the market value… Read moreVCs skeptical of digital health startup potential at mHealth Summit
Tired of tech entrepreneur/VC neglect of the 50+ (and 65+) markets? The trendy health apps that miss the unmet needs of older (and disabled) people beyond health concerns to be mobile and live independently? Here is a discussion that may… Read moreRise of the grey market (video)
US health insurers haven’t exactly been leading the way in eHealth, beyond mobile versions of their websites and select apps, with the notable exception of some of UnitedHealth Group/OptumHealth telemedicine initiatives. Here may be a change–not telehealth monitoring but patient engagement. Last week giant Aetna announced on an investors’ call the acquisition of Healthagen, the Denver-based creator of the iTriage smartphone mobile app which enables an individual to check symptoms, research diseases and find a doctor or clinic. The acquisition actually took place in September. Purchase price not disclosed, nor whether Aetna will turn iTriage into a proprietary app. Health 2.0 News.
According to FierceMobileHealthcare:
Aetna’s president Mark Bertolini disclosed the month-and-a-half-old deal at the insurer’s annual investor conference late last week, according to TechCrunch.
“About a month and a half ago we bought a little company called iTriage…the fastest growing consumer application in healthcare today,” Bertolini said. “We’re going to begin to change the healthcare industry by giving people tools they can put in the palm of their hand.” It will feature as a strong patient engagement function for the company’s emerging accountable care organization, as well.
The new site is designed for people with alzheimers, dementia, diabetes and other long term conditions, and their carers. It has been developed by Medilink under its Alvolution brand. The site contains five categories: wellbeing, safety, memory, home control, sight… Read moreMedilink launches Alvolution online equipment store (UK)
Ultradian Diagnostics has announced the successful completion of a human pilot study for its minimally invasive, continuous glucose monitor (CGM). It has also set up a research and pilot prototyping partnership with the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE)… Read moreCommercial minimally invasive glucose monitoring a step nearer (US)
The case with the disgruntled AMAC shareholders having been settled, the acquisition has now been completed. Tunstall Healthcare Group Completes Acquisition Of American Medical Alert Corp Nasdaq. It will be interesting to see what Tunstall does with it. Tunstall press… Read moreTunstall completes acquisition of AMAC (US)
Microsoft released an official mobile app for its HealthVault PHR platform last week for smartphones running the company’s Windows Phone 7 operating system. The free app allows users to input medical information quickly. Full item: Microsoft launches HealthVault Windows Phone… Read moreMicrosoft launches HealthVault Windows Phone app
