The Internet of Things was an even bigger theme this year at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas with the mantra that anything that can be connected to the Internet should be connected from dog collars to thermostats. So it’s a bold move for a company like Validic that has developed a technology infrastructure to de-silo and transmit data from connected medical devices used the conference to launch a tool that totally negates IoT.
Instead, VitalSnap uses optical character recognition. Patients who want to capture a blood pressure reading from a non connected device use their smartphone. In the camera setting, they hold their smartphone over the device screen showing the reading without actually taking a picture. That data is recorded within an application and transmitted to a providers’ electronic health record or patient portal, according to a statement from the company.
Validic’s move could make remote patient monitoring easier to implement so providers can spot warning signs of deterioration earlier. The practical reality is that the majority of medical devices have limited digital connectivity, so Validic’s move gives it a broader potential customer base.
But Validic isn’t the only company to use optical character recognition. In an interview with the CEO of mySugr, an Austrian digital health company, Frank Westermann, said it partnered with Medtronic and Abbott for an app using this technology to capture and record glucometer readings with a smartphone camera.
If the technology can gain more traction through Validic and mySugr’s efforts it could make a big difference not only in reducing the digital divide but also offering an alternative to the Internet of Things and the security concerns that accompany it.
