Adults with diabetes who fail to get an eye exam could end up with undiagnosed diabetic retinopathy, which can lead to blindness without preventative care.
Kenyon Crowley, the deputy director of the business school’s Center for Health Information and Decision Systems, wanted to do prevent situations like that using mobile health technology.
After seeing family members suffer from preventable illnesses and spending time working at a nonprofit health clinic, Crowley said he developed a plan to improve the health care system.
“I wanted a better way of connecting people to the services that are available and appropriate for their conditions,” Crowley said.
Last month, Crowley finalized a partnership among the center, Howard Community College and the Maryland HealthTech Coalition, a group of local health care businesses. Crowley said he wants all stakeholders in the partnership to encourage people in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area to enter the mobile health technology sector, which combines health and innovation.
Mobile health technology is defined as applications on phones or other mobile devices that can monitor individuals’ health, track different health signals or motivate someone to manage their health, Crowley said.
“It supports you outside of your doctor’s office,” Crowley said.
There are several existing mobile-based efforts in the region for managing chronic illnesses, such as Vasoptic Medical Inc. The company’s engineers are working to create a diabetic monitor that allows people to record glucose levels, food intake and exercise, said CEO Jason Brooke.
“Most chronic diseases have a strong behavioral component,” Crowley said. “Those type of things could be motivated and supported.”
Another monitoring mobile health device is Jawbone’s UP, a wristband and mobile app that tracks sleeping, moving and eating patterns to better personalize health goals, said Sandeep Pulim, chief medical information officer of @Point of Care who operates out of Columbia.
The quantitative data allows an evaluation from a primary doctor, without having to send the data to a specialist for review. Some of the information gathered could allow people to manage their chronic illnesses mostly on their own, Pulim said.
Additionally, the data sent through software for evaluations can catch signals of an impending or developing health issue.
“There are certain signals that happen before an event,” Crowley said. “Using mobile tech could potentially prevent things from getting worse, cut down on emergency room visits and treatments.”
Brooke’s company plans to begin testing its apps on humans through the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore soon, Brooke said.
The partnership also plans to begin classes at the community college and this university in February, according to the Maryland HealthTech Coalition’s website.
The classes will teach mobile health design and development and health information management and operations to students and professionals.
“We are going to focus on population health and wellness rather than sick care,” Crowley said. “[Doctors] get paid for every time someone gets sick, but the incentive mechanisms are now providing imminent support from them.”
