Verizon is actively pursuing wireless and digital solutions for the healthcare industry.
Leveraging key assets such as its nationwide cellular network as well as increasing its 4G LTE presence, Verizon aims to streamline clinician workflows which will not only affect the quality of care, but will also decrease costs.
Verizon Wireless is focused on developing solutions to reduce the economic and human cost of chronic disease as well as the prevalent challenge to accessing healthcare for prevention, treatment and follow-up maintenance.
The imedicalapps team has previously reported on ways in which Verizon is affecting the mHealth landscape. We noted that Verizon has unveiled a new HD video conferencing tool, called FuzeMeeting which allows users to collaborate with documents, video, and images face-to-face, all in an intuitive experience on any mobile device or desktop. We also described an upgrade to Verizon’s Universal Indentify Service (UIS) for healthcare. This upgrade allows secure access to electronic health records and health information exchanges on smartphones running Apple OS, Android, Windows Mobile and Blackberry.
Verizon Wireless operates one of the nation’s largest 4G LTE and 3G networks. The company is headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J. and has nearly 83,000 employees nationwide. The company serves 107.7 million total wireless connections, including 90.7 million retail customers. Verizon is positioning itself as a major player in this expanding healthcare market not only because it makes smart business sense, but also because there is a great need to improve healthcare outcomes and efficiencies.
“Each year, more than 200,000 Americans die due to preventable, treatable chronic diseases. The broad challenges across our nation for accessing healthcare for routine care are often rooted in geographic, equipment or medical professional availability. On average, it takes about 20 days to schedule and complete a visit with a primary care physician. This problem will only be exacerbated by the growing shortage of healthcare professionals over the next several years.”
Additionally, Verizon is developing a digital care management solution focused on chronic care management. It will utilize a cloud-based platform to connect different medical devices from partners such as Entra Health.
Entra Health Systems is an international applied technology company whose mandate is to improve healthcare management. Entra Health provides technologies that improve patient care while at the same time reducing the burden on healthcare providers. One of their products, MyGlucoHealth meter, is the first FDA cleared Bluetooth®-enabled blood glucose meter.
What will make the overall solution suite offered by Verizon stand out from the crowd is the ability to integrate biometric devices from best-of-breed providers and deliver personalized care plans to users directly via their own personal mobile devices.
Michael Tighe, the executive director of mHealth solutions for Verizon Wireless, explains their commitment.
“Verizon Wireless is committed to the healthcare vertical, and we feel that medical practitioners need the best network to accomplish their goals and run efficient practices. Our depth of knowledge stems from team members who have strong backgrounds in the healthcare industry. We have engaged in conversations with healthcare professionals of all levels and worked together from the ground up to deliver the right solutions from a technology standpoint.”
Verizon Wireless will be showcasing its Digital Healthcare Solutions suite at the 2011 mHealth Summit in Washington, D.C. , from Dec. 5-7 (Booth #303). On Dec. 6, John Stratton , executive vice president and chief operating officer of Verizon Wireless, was a keynote speaker offering Verizon’s approach to mHealth.
Source: Press Release
