Sponsored by PTS Diagnostics
By Michael Hewitt
Connectivity is Critical …
… in today’s competitive wellness and biometric screening environment
Michael Hewitt
In today’s fast-paced environment, people are accustomed to getting things immediately. Whether that is looking up an answer to a question or contacting a business associate, much of what we do is at our fingertips, with accessible technology. Medical and biometric professionals are demanding this same level of digital sophistication with wellness programs and insurance testing. Physician offices, clinics and retail medical centers have a strong need for digital connectivity between diagnostics devices and the electronic medical record (EMR).
What started as a simple paper-and-pencil operation has entered into the digital revolution. No longer are screening companies and doctor offices using three-part forms and mailing an individual’s results for manual data entry. The participants and patients simply do not want to wait a week to know their results.
With the advancement of new connectivity technology, there are more opportunities to expand to meet the changing needs of today’s customers. For example, digital data capture from a lipid or HbA1c analyzer can be immediately accessed. There is no longer a need to manually write test results, greatly reducing the possibility of human error.
One key to identifying a viable digital data capture platform is to seek solutions where results can be securely transferred in many ways (i.e., Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB or whatever the next-generation digital communication tool may be.) Connectivity solutions allow screening participants and patients access to their results faster. In today’s environment, biometric screening results can be made available to participants and patients via a secure, online portal. Much like using a secure banking website, a participant logs onto a private branded website, enters a username and password, and has instant access to their results. These online wellness portals should include physician-directed health risk assessments, education tools, exercise trackers and other functions to help the participant work toward improving his or her health. With biometric results documented, patients are able to track their results and see if they have improved on various tests.
In turn, companies have the ability to use this information to track the aggregate wellness of their employees and offer programs to help improve the health of their workforce. Connectivity solutions cut back on time and money that would otherwise be lost. Overall, corporations and companies that choose to screen their employees want a system that will aid them in population health management, aggregate reporting and digital data capture – three elements that are critical to selecting a biometric testing connectivity solution.
The right Connectivity Solution
Here are a few tips when choosing a connectivity solution:
- Look for platforms that encourage engagement between participant and healthcare professionals, and allow for secure communication. The ultimate aim for a wellness connectivity platform should be overall health improvement. Of course, HIPAA compliance is essential.
- Seek a solution that can produce an easy-to-read, patient-friendly, on-site report.
- Request device connectivity options that are flexible, with digital data capture. Biometric screening companies might not find it acceptable to be tethered to a USB cable.
- Find a solution that can be customized for each individual user’s needs. The wellness solution should allow for custom questions to help wellness professionals individualize health improvement plans.
- Find a biometric platform that can capture results in non-connected environments. The device should be smart enough to securely store the data and transfer it when an Internet connection is available.
- Ensure that population health management reports are readily available and easy to create. Analysis is an essential component of a digital wellness platform.
Digital connectivity will continue to be key in deciding which diagnostic devices wellness and biometric screening companies – as well as physician offices – use in the future. Researching the features and benefits of digital wellness platforms is – and will continue to be – a must. Wellness and biometric screening companies today seek more than just fast, easy and accurate devices. They demand technology-driven connectivity platforms that connect devices to wellness platforms, while improving the participant’s and patient’s overall health.
Michael Hewitt is the senior connectivity implementation manager for PTS Diagnostics, the manufacturer of A1CNow+ systems, CardioChek® family of products and the PTS Detect™ cotinine system. Mike helps customers across the globe implement PTS Connect™ solutions, a digital population health management platform that makes biometric connectivity flexible and information management simple. He can be reached at mhewitt@ptsdiagnostics.com.