Low cost wireless ECG cardiac monitor can save lives and cut healthcare costs

Developed by British medical services startup Isansys – and based on the class-leading performance of Nordic nRF24AP2 ANT chips – the LifeTouch HRV011 cardiac monitor supports low cost yet continuous, clinical-grade ECG monitoring for the first time and can thus be used to detect post cardiac arrest and other problems when they are usually straightforward to treat, avoiding life-threatening and costly emergency room re-admissions

Oslo, Norway – July 7, 2011 – Ultra low power (ULP) RF specialist Nordic Semiconductor ASA (OSE: NOD) today announces that British medical services startup, Isansys Lifecare Limited, has announced the world's first commercially-available, clinical-grade, wireless cardiac monitor to support low cost continuous ECG heart monitoring. This means cardiac patients can be monitored continuously and thus any problems detected when they are usually easier to treat, while avoiding life-threatening and costly emergency room-re-admissions.

Evolving role of the PHR and international health

Cardiac patients are often told to carry a photocopy of their latest EKG (or ECG) when they travel. This way, if they happen to suffer chest discomfort and if they end up in an emergency room, they can quickly provide a copy of their latest EKG so that clinicians can compare that EKG to the current EKG.

Given that more and more patients are now using a digital personal health record or PHR, will this mean that we can simply keep digital copies of studies like an EKG or chest X-ray on web-based PHRs? What if you end up in a remote hospital that lacks Internet access? What if the ER doesn’t allow you to sit in front of a computer to retrieve your medical records?

Paper is nice, but what happens if you lose that piece of paper? Future travelers will probably always carry a laptop, tablet, netbook, or some other mobile computing device (maybe even an iPad) so that they can keep copies of their latest vital medical records on these mobile devices.

Google Health and Microsoft Health Vault

Today, I was speaking with someone about the importance of carrying around an old EKG (or ECG if you prefer) whenever traveling. If you end up in an ER with chest pain or syncope, it will be very beneficial to have an old EKG with you (unless your problem is swallow syncope).

Digital copies may suffice, but I would suggest paper redundancy in the case of an EKG. Most modern hospitals have Internet-connected computers, but I don't know that they'd let you log in to your Google Health or Microsoft Health Vault to access your old EKG. Maybe they would (they should if they don't).

So do you have a copy of your old EKG? Is it on Google Health or Microsoft Health Vault? Hopefully you also have a copy in your wallet. Make sure to keep an updated PHR (personal health record).