Philips received FDA 510(k) clearance for two of its telehealth applications, eCareCoordinator and eCareCompanion. Both apps are part of a Philips program called Philips Transition to Ambulatory Care (eTrAC), which aims to reduce hospital readmissions by providing patients with the tools to make their transition to the home.
“The FDA clearance of the Philips eCareCoordinator and eCareCompanion applications marks the first major step in realizing our vision for a digital health platform that seamlessly integrates data to transform the way we deliver patient care,” Philips Healthcare Informatics Solutions and Services CEO Jeroen Tas said in a statement. “These applications address both clinician and patient needs, providing clinicians with better access and analysis around patient data while empowering patients to manage their own health with direct access to care teams. The deeper insights into patient conditions will help enable more efficient and cost-effective care for improved outcomes.”
With eCareCoordinator, clinicians can access daily summaries for each patient so that they can prioritize which patients to reach out to and what care plans they need to adjust. The app collects data from connected devices that measure health metrics including blood pressure, vital signs, and weight, but the app also gathers more subjective data from questionnaires and communication with the patient's care team. This tool runs on a browser.
eCareCompanion is a patient portal, available on tablets, that helps patients manage their own condition. Patients can use it to fill out health questionnaires, communicate with their care teams, and sync data from connected medical devices. So far, this app runs only on Android devices, but it will be extended to iOS in the future.
Philips developed the apps this summer as part of a partnership with Salesforce to build an open, cloud-based platform that helps caregivers manage patients. Saleseforce expects that this platform will eventually offer patients tools that range from self-care and prevention, to diagnosis and treatment through recovery and wellness.
In August, Philips Lifeline, Philips’ longstanding personal emergency response brand for seniors, launched its first-ever app that acts like an mPERS. The Philips Lifeline response app will allow seniors to one-touch call the same response center that handles other Lifeline products via their smartphone from anywhere. The app itself is free on Android and Apple phones, but to have access to Philips’ 24/7 call center, there is a monthly fee of $13.95. There are no installation, setup, or download fees and no long-term contracts.
