Brian Dolan, mobihealthnews.com
Understanding wireless health regulation: Mintz Levin associate Russell Fox breaks down the regulatory landscape for wireless health devices and services: “mHealth raises policy issues within the domain of at least two federal agencies — the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FCC has jurisdiction over the use of the electromagnetic spectrum used by cellphones, Wi-Fi routers, and similar devices. It also has jurisdiction over the spectrum used by devices that are attached to or are implanted in patients, measure vital signs or other medical information, and transmit that information wirelessly elsewhere. The FDA has jurisdiction over medical devices and must approve the medical devices before they are made available to the public.” More
Apple lands mobile phone wireless monitoring patent: One area of wireless health Apple has yet to enter is wireless remote monitoring, but the company recently won patent approval for a mobile phone-based remote vital sign monitoring system using wireless sensors. One possible application: A remote monitor for babies’ breathing and heart rates. More
Qualcomm startup to offer glucometer phone: News that the iPhone will soon support Bluetooth connectivity with medical devices such as blood glucose monitors sent the wireless health community into a tizzy. Now a years-in-the-making start-up, Lifecomm, will launch with a glucometer-equipped mobile phone. It won’t be the first — LG débuted its Glucophone a while back — but the Qualcomm-backed company could have more luck finding a market. More
Continua: Enough pilots, let’s move to deployments: Medical device interoperability consortium Continua Health Alliance has seen enough pilot studies of wireless remote monitoring systems, according to executive director Chuck Parker. He told attendees at last week’s Healthcare Unbound event in Seattle that the Veterans Health Administration has remote patient monitoring pilots involving about 30,000 patients under its belt. That’s enough pilots, Parker said: We don’t need to do any more pilots for remote patient monitoring; we need to move to deployments and look to the VA for their pilots’ findings. More
Brian Dolan is editor of mobihealthnews, the emerging wireless health industry’s daily monitor.
