HEALTHCARE AND PREVENTIVE CARE ARE LEAVING THE HOSPITAL AND DOCTOR’S OFFICE. IN THE INTERCONNECTED WORLD, THE PATIENT GOES ABOUT HIS OR HER USUAL ACTIVITIES. NEVERTHELESS, THE DOCTOR ALWAYS HAS AN EYE ON ALL VITAL SIGNS.
Keeping an Eye on the Heartbeat
As smartwatches and other consumer products find their way into healthcare, doctors and nurses will soon have more time for urgent acute cases. With optimally adapted sensor technology, they record cardiovascular functions so accurately that they replace expensive medical technology during preventive checkups.
Almost everywhere in the world, healthcare facilities are facing the same problems: overworked doctors and nurses, long waiting times in emergency rooms, rising costs, and “informed” patients who are increasingly demanding a greater say in their therapy, which further increases the workload for medical staff. Networked, »smart« medicine should help change these conditions. Many of the basic principles governing this shift are not much different from those with which we are familiar from smart city concepts or Industry 4.0: internet-of-things devices, computer-aided data analysis, and artificial intelligence ensure that standardized processes run smoothly. But there is one crucial difference: the human factor!
Everything Revolves around People
Unlike on the factory floor or in the control of traffic flow, almost all processes in »smart healthcare« revolve around people. The state of a patient’s health is the main focus. A patient should receive good treatment and feel as comfortable as possible because – as we all know now – the general well-being of a person accelerates the recovery process. At the same time, smart technology also helps relieve the workload of doctors and nursing staff. This requires above all else reliable, meaningful, and up-to-date data on the patient’s state of health. “Remote patient monitoring” shows how such computer-assisted doctor-patient communication can work.
The Doctor Checks In Remotely
The benefits are shown in a study from the Netherlands1. In this study, 1,140 heart patients received smartphone-compatible devices such as blood pressure monitors, pedometers, pulse oximeters, thermometers, and user-friendly ECG devices. So-called »smartwatches« were also used for the first time in a clinical study. Over a period of four years, the participants measured their vitals at regular intervals. The doctor was able to access the data online and assess how the health of the individual test subjects was developing. All in all, the project was rated positively by most of the participants in the end. Even if some found it a little annoying to constantly have to measure themselves, the patients agreed that they learned more about their own state of health during the course of the test – and did so in the comfort of their own homes. The doctors were able to confirm this.
»It is reassuring to know that professionals look after me, also in my own environment.«
TEST PATIENT
The Simpler, the Better
For this type of telemedicine to work, the measuring devices have to be particularly easy to use. Patients are not medical professionals who are constantly fiddling around with complex equipment; nevertheless, they need to know how to generate usable data. High-quality consumer products, such as those offered by the French manufacturer Withings, are therefore best suited. Their intuitive design encourages people to use them over a long period of time. During the study, these devices were linked to each participant’s electronic medical records, allowing doctors to check their patients’ current condition and track their progress at any time. The smartwatches take non-contact measurements via an optical sensor – without painful needles or uncomfortable electrodes.
A PPG Obtains Data from the Blood
To monitor a patient’s cardiovascular system, smart devices use photoplethysmography (PPG). This optical measurement method uses one wavelength (e.g., green) to measure the pulse rate. Another cleverly selected pair of wavelengths detects the arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2) of the blood in the arteries. A photodiode serves as a detector for all three wavelengths. The decisive factor in this case is hemoglobin, which is the blood’s logistics service provider, so to speak, and transports oxygen to the cells. The absorption behavior of this molecule changes depending on the oxygen saturation.
Large Quantities of Quality
»As photonics experts, we manufacture individual components for small niche markets, as well as large quantities for manufacturers of consumer products such as smartwatches,« says Sven Schreiber, head of sales at LASER COMPONENTS Germany. »Regardless of the delivery quantity, all of our customers can rely on the components we offer to meet their exact requirements.« Often, collaboration begins with a single standard product (e.g., a photodiode that is ordered for testing purposes). This allows a manufacturer to first determine whether our technology is suitable for their application. Together with the product engineer, we can then discuss what adjustments are necessary. »Of course, time and again compromises have to be made in the process,« Schreiber knows. »If you absolutely have to achieve the optimum in a specification, you sometimes have to make compromises elsewhere. For example, it is possible achieve a smaller formfactor by using an SMD package. We know from decades of experience what to adjust so that everything comes together in the end.« Only when we are certain that all of the customer’s expectations have been met can mass production begin in any quantity, large or small.
Today’s Customization Is Tomorrow’s Standard
Both sides benefit from this approach because often enough new standard products emerge from customizations initiated by a single customer. »Through the wishes of our customers, we see where the market is heading, and we always strive to help shape this development,« says Schreiber, explaining the company’s strategy. »No new product development should fail because of one of our components. To achieve this, we must constantly redefine the limits of what is technically possible.«
»WE TALK TO THE CUSTOMER AT EYE LEVEL AND WORK OUT THE OPTIMAL SOLUTION TOGETHER.«
RAJ CHAKRABORTY / General Manager LASER COMPONENTS Detector Group
Raj Chakraborty, general manager of the Detector Group and his team develop and manufacture a wide variety of detector types for medical devices. They always focus on the specific requirements of the application. Regardless of the size of the order, each customer receives a product that is optimally tailored to their needs.
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