Prior to the 5th-annual Connected Health Summit, hosted by Parks Associates, Amy Cook, Director, Product Marketing, Connected Devices, ResMed sat down with the firm's analyst team to discuss new innovations in the connected health market.

Amy will participate on the Remote Patient Monitoring: Proving Outcomes and ROI panel on Thursday, August 30, at 11:15 AM. Panelists who will join him on this session include:

John Carpenter, Vice President of Channel Engagement, Nortek Security and Control
Mark Goettling, CEO, BodiMetrics
Himanshu Shah, Chief Information Officer, Care Innovations, an Intel company

What’s new in 2018 that keeps you upbeat/optimistic about the connected health market?
2018 seemed to be a momentous year in terms of some of the major players in the tech world finally turning toward the promise of digital health. Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, Apple and the upcoming health records additions to iPhone. In our world, we’ve been grateful that companies like Alphabet’s Verily – who we’ve recently partnered with to continue deepening the data and knowledge around sleep apnea – are truly invested in impacting these underlying market trends.

What’s the most effective strategy/approach you have seen that engages consumers for health & wellness behavioral changes?
The best results we’ve seen have come from combined offerings of remote patient monitoring by a provider and patient self-monitoring from their personal devices. A recent study presented at the 2018 ATS International Conference revealed that 75 percent of patients managed by their providers via ResMed’s remote monitoring platform, AirView, were compliant on their therapy, compared to an average of 50 percent for those without cloud-connected PAP therapy. That number jumps even higher when patients engage with their own health data; a study published in CHEST last year found that 87 percent of patients who engage in self-monitoring via ResMed’s myAir platform were compliant on their PAP devices.

What independent living solutions will help keep people in their homes longer?
Baby Boomers, especially, have an expectation of active and fulfilling lives for years to come, and they are embracing a wide spectrum of digital technologies to help them do so. Some consumer technology, like iPhones and iPads, offer a glimpse at what tools may be useful for people to stay in their homes longer. A video doorbell and smart thermostats may not feel like health tools, but the added conveniences can have a big impact in that arena and overall quality of life.

Health apps, too, are learning to recreate a similar value proposition as consumer electronics. Devices and apps focused on wellness and disease management are also proliferating. The next aging population is poised to be even more comfortable with higher levels of technology, and providers will have more experience working with them, proving the technologies’ value and removing barriers to adoption.

How is AI in health helping to improve the care experience?
One of the keys to AI is how we can leverage big data learnings to deliver actionable insights to providers at the moments that matters most. Only when data arrives in the right way – as information that actually improves clinical decision-making – will it move the practice of medicine forward.

How will innovations in connectivity, such as the emergence of 5G, impact the health market?
Our most important mission in developing a device is to be sure that any patient can simply plug in and use it without having to worry about technical aspects like wireless, cellular or Bluetooth networks. Given that goal, more connectivity options will always provide more solutions for patients of all kinds. Improved wireless networks like 5G, for example, allow innovators to add functionality that will ensure secure and speedy data transfers. As long as we can keep it easy for patients, we can deliver the benefits of digital health without asking them to change their behavior.

For more information on Connected Health Summit, visit: www.connectedhealthsummit.com.