What are the biggest challenges in remote monitoring and how can they be overcome?

An interview with mSafety’s product manager, Andreas Hallonsten

Remote monitoring among care providers is on the rise. How would you explain this?
Among care providers, we see an increasing emphasis on the continuous monitoring of patients’ wellbeing. It’s easy to understand why. The benefits include ease of access to patient daily health, the ability to deliver better care to more patients and of course, lower costs. In practical terms, remote monitoring means staying connected with patients 24/7, whatever they’re doing and wherever they are.

"The biggest challenge is that many of the solutions available on today’s market require a high degree of effort from the end user."

What are the main challenges of today’s remote monitoring solutions?
The biggest challenge is that many of the solutions available on today’s market require a high degree of effort from the end user, usually by a patient or relative, to complete the setup and maintain the Remote Patient Monitoring system. For instance, pairing with companion devices such as cell phones using standard Wi-Fi and LTE connectivity for data upload, can be quite a complex process. It often presents a barrier to user acceptance and, for the elderly or physically impaired, that barrier is sometimes impossible to overcome.

What do healthcare providers need? Is there an answer?
Healthcare providers are looking for systems that are as easy as possible to set up and use. At the same time, they would like to get more and better-quality information, which means having more advanced engagement tools and data processing capabilities – and ultimately leads to more timely insights and practical advice for both patient and carer.

The current convergence of several innovative technologies is helping to move things forward. IoT, telecommunications and AI can all be used to enable access to rich data and allow service providers to develop new services; solutions that, for example, improve adherence to prescriptions, enable early detection of conditions, such as diabetes, and boost the users’ general health and wellbeing.

"The combination of a single application with full control over the operating system and ‘always-on’ connectivity makes mSafety extremely flexible."

How does mSafety help service providers?
Our B2B customers tell us that our platform is more practical and versatile than other solutions they’ve been using to date. The combination of a single application with full control over the operating system (OS) and ‘always-on’ connectivity makes mSafety extremely flexible. It’s easy to keep firmware up to date, and remotely install new apps and updates, features and services on wearables that have already been deployed. This means the service providers can control exactly which app is being used by their patients or clients and be sure to deliver the best one for each individual. All this is possible without the end user having to do anything to either trigger or prevent activation.

"Interestingly, the most common feedback we get from end users is that they appreciate the device’s simplicity."

How else does mSafety help end users?
The mSafety wearable is so straightforward, almost anyone can use it. It works directly out of the box and does not require pairing with a companion device e.g. a mobile phone, wi-fi routers or additional cloud accounts, so there’s a lot less to for end users to worry about. Once switched on, it connects automatically with the service provider’s backend and starts sending data. It has optimised battery life, big buttons, and large clear display. Moreover, mSafety offers exceptional communication capabilities, including bi-directional communication so that information and alerts can travel from wearable to the service provider and vice versa.

Interestingly, the most common feedback we get from end users is that they appreciate the device’s simplicity. They also like its stylish design and easy-to-read monochrome interface… and the fact that it doesn’t attract too much attention. This last point is especially important for people living with a health condition.

Read also the interview with Anders Strömberg, Head of Health Solution Division. Anders shares his vision about directions and developments of remote monitoring in general, and for mSafety specifically.


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