Much focus is currently on remote health monitoring systems – basically providing the care giver constant access to health status data, without the need for a physical visit. Examples of conditions suitable to monitor on remote are obesity, hypertension, sleep disorders, diabetes and cardiac disorders.

The development is driven not only from an efficiency standpoint but also to enable improved possibility for preventive healthcare and to improve quality of life for the patient. Mobile technology is one integral part of these new solutions.

So far, most systems have been utilizing home land lines to transfer health status data. As in many other sectors the (medical ) equipment is getting smaller and increasingly mobile to facilitate for the patient  – not to be tied to their homes. In terms of mobile technology there are 3 main development paths on the move right now;

1. Utilizing short-range technologies like Bluetooth or Zigbee from medical device to the patient own mobile phone which transfer the health data to a central system
2. Short-range transfer to a dedicated gateway/hub with integrated mobile and/or internet communication capability for transferring to a central system  and
3. Direct integration of mobile device into the medical equipment, for example into blood pressure or glucose measurement equipment.

Of course, all solutions have pros and cons but many of the exhibiting companies at the ATA Telemedicine event pinpointed the importance of ease of use but also control of the whole data transfer to secure reliable, hazzle free operations.  Utilizing a private mobile phone (requiring configuration) as the data transfer method is not likely to be a sustainable solution in the long run, especially for critical systems and for elderly patients.  Direct integration or dedicated gateway/hub solutions is likely to be the main paths for the future remote monitoring solutions.

Having said that, the technology integration is only one piece of the puzzle. Regulatory issues, data security and privacy concerns, national differences in health systems (who is paying for what?), standardization issues are some concerns that may hinder the development. On the other hand we also see new types of service providers entering this arena offering complete end-to-end service offerings with flexible business models utilizing the possibilities of mobile communications – this will help drive this promising market!

– Telenor Connexion provides its existing, and future, customers with a sophisticated and extremely reliable platform. Our global connectivity solutions are used for our customers’ critical services such as eCall and remote health monitoring. Our new platform is solely built for, and dedicated to, reliable global M2M data traffic, says Per Simonsen, CEO, Telenor Connexion.

According to the analyst firm Berg Insight, the number of mobile M2M connections will grow at a compound annual growth rate of over 25% to reach 187 million connections by 2014. The majority of this growth will come from areas within automotive, utility and health sectors where applications are often business, or even life, critical. The reliability of connectivity is imperative for services such as eCall, where vehicles automatically alert local emergency operators in case of an accident. Remote health monitoring and alarm solutions are other examples depending on reliable and real-time wireless data connectivity. Solutions for monitoring and managing remote equipment such as wind mills, water pumps and industrial machinery are equally depending connectivity to secure optimized operations. The connectivity of these devices needs to be built on secure platforms with reliable and redundant technology in order to operate in a secure and stabile way over many years.

– The request for secure and reliable M2M connectivity solutions puts entirely new demands on mobile operators that intend to be a part of this development. As a leading provider of embedded connectivity, we are proud to progress the technological development with this new platform and the services attached. This is the result of over 10 years of experience and close collaboration with customers such as Securitas, Volvo and Daimler, says Per Simonsen.

Telenor Connexion customers have real-time access to monitor operational status and manage all their devices via an online Service Portal or an API solution directly integrated into the customers’ monitoring or operations systems. In addition to that, the customers’ solutions are monitored 24/7/365 by dedicated technical support expertise with tailored routines and processes to secure business critical applications. The platform is fully redundant and providing access to +400 mobile networks around the world.

In addition to the new technical platform, Telenor Connexion has developed a chip-based eSIM solution to be integrated in industrial environments such as machines and vehicles to further secure and enhance connectivity.

– Embedded connectivity solutions are fundamentally different from traditional mobile operators’ services and we take an end-to-end approach. By separating the M2M business with a dedicated organisation, technology and processes we can provide the next generation services and meet the new demands coming from embedded connectivity in critical applications and products, Per Simonsen concludes.

For more information, please contact:
Karin Karlung, PR and Communication, Telenor Connexion
karin.karlung@telenor.com, +46 734 417 415

Although the adaptation of wireless technologies in health home monitoring solutions is still nascent, there are strong indicators of that remote data monitoring and distant disease management solutions are vital parts of tomorrow’s health care system. Examples of common conditions that increasingly will be monitored at home are irregular heartbeats or cardiac arrhythmia, high blood pressure, the glucose levels in diabetes, and high levels of lipids or fats in the blood. M2M communications solutions makes this possible.

How can Telenor Connexion help?

Home monitoring and remote disease management solutions is of course dependent upon a secure and reliable communication solution suited for the specific usage scenario whilst using specific remote terminals. Our experience from integration of connectivity into various real-time critical solutions will help you design a cost-effective, secure and reliable solution to meet the high demands from the healthcare sector. Our global reach will enable you to standardise the connectivity solution into your product no matter where the product is produced, sold or used.