The week that was in wireless health includes developments across a number of topics: business model (Best Buy again), devices (iPad, more), policy (mHealth in health reform), interoperability (WiThings?), innovation (Nokia made a big move), and much, much more. Here are some highlights from the week:
iPad, iPad, iPad. Let's start with the iPad since that's been struggling for some attention lately: The iFund, which provides funding for iPhone apps has a new $200 million fund for iPad apps and its directors are excited about the healthcare opportunity. HealthLeaders noted that a good number of people in line for iPads over the weekend were from healthcare: More on those here. An emergency room doctor posted a gushing review of the iPad for clinical use that included this gem: "The only problem was that the increase in efficiency was offset by the patients and family who wanted to gawk at it." Dana Blankenhorn believes the iPad will take some time to get into the healthcare market -- look for slow adoption and a push from EMR vendors in particular. The Huffington Post got cute this week with an April Fool's (joke) article about Apple getting into the insurance business -- funny thing is, some of what's written about is actually happening in mHealth. Who's the fool now, HuffPo? More on these here.
Should mHealth go retail? Health devices not welcome in Verizon retail stores? No problem, one NJ hospital is selling health devices at a local Best Buy. More here.
Connecting glucose meters to phones through Bluetooth: Now available. Nokia made a big announcement with Entra Health Systems this week that sees more than 50 Nokia devices connecting to a Bluetooth enabled glucose meter made by Entra Health Systems. App and meter sold separately, of course. More here.
Interoperability chief high fives WiFi weight scale: Dr. John Halamka is always thinking about interoperability, especially between EMRs, since he is the chair of Healthcare Information Technology Standards Panel (HITSP). This week Halamka lauded consumer health product WiThings for its efforts towards interoperability in the consumer health space. More.
21 ways health reform affects connected health: No, I didn't read the entire health reform bill, but the wonks over at Continua did and they slipped us some pointers about how health reform might affect its members plans for personal connected health devices and services. Slideshow
On the beat at live events: For those of you looking for some face-to-face time with the industry -- there are at least three events on MobiHealthNews' radar this week and in the coming week: The ever popular Health 2.0 event is just about finishing up today across the pond in Paris; Another important medical technology event, Med-e-Tel is set to begin next week in nearby Luxembourg; And a little closer to home for the MobiHealthNews team: Babson College is hosting their 7th Healthcare and Life Sciences Forum on campus just outside of Boston. Be sure to send us any news tips as they come out of these events and let us know if you are heading to Babson next week: We will see you there!
