8 ‘plus’ Digital health tools for family

We are living in a world where elderly people are on the rise. As per WHO reports there would be millions of people suffering from heart diseases and lifestyle diseases. Day by day we are getting busier with work and balancing home affairs. In this scenario how will we handle our and our loved ones’ health problems? Imagine the traditional healthcare format where we go to the hospital, get our appointment, and wait for hours just to meet the doctor and then another couple of hours to get the blood report. If you are fortunate you will be able to meet the doctor right away or if he has gone for his rounds or surgery few more hours of waiting……Are you ready for this ride?

No right. So get set to adopt digital health tools and healthcare apps so that you can manage your health from home as much as possible and minimize hospital visits. Let me list out the set of digital tools which you can buy for yourself and apps which you can have on your phone to manage your family’s health.

The post is titled ‘8 Plus’, as currently, it is 8 tools, but then as and when I come across new tools, will add to this list

Some of these tools you would be already having. So I will list out all at the beginning of the post itself so that you can visit the ones which are relevant to you.

Digital health tools

Digital Thermomter, Digital Glucose monitor without self-pricking, Home blood pressure monitor, Personal-use ECG monitors, Sleep monitor, Digital Body Composition Monitor Weighing Scale, Smart Inhaler, Smart Toilets

Digital Thermometer

A simple digital thermometer is the combination of a thermocouple, a battery-powered, dual-slope digital voltmeter to measure the thermocouple output, and an electronic display. This provides a low-noise digital output that can resolve temperature differences as small as 0.1°C. It is easy to read and more accurate than old regular thermometers. Big brands like Hicks, Omron, Dr. Morepen digital thermometers are now available in the market.

Digital Glucose monitor without self-pricking

Continuous glucose monitoring helps diabetes keep their sugar levels in range, but then continuous pricking is something nobody likes to do. FreeStyle Libre Flash Glucose Monitoring System Glucometer makes it possible to monitor glucose without pricking. It is a one-time purchase and can be used for life. It is a 3 in one device which will allow monitoring Glucose, along with a Blood Glucose Tester and Blood Ketone Tester. The Reader stores 90 days of glucose data, so it is possible to get a complete picture of glucose levels over 3 months. It is ideal for Type 1 Diabetes patients for regular monitoring and for occasional monitoring in Type 2 patients.

Home blood pressure monitor

Digital monitors are popular for measuring blood pressure compared to aneroid units. Patients with a hearing problem can also use it since there is no need to listen to the heartbeat through the stethoscope. But then slight body movements or an irregular heart rate can affect its accuracy. It is good to check for the accuracy of the machine by taking it to the family doctor.

The latest version of digital blood pressure monitors allows to connect with their app and by wirelessly syncing via Bluetooth™, it is possible to easily upload, store and view heart history and even share the data with doctors.

Word of caution: It is always important to investigate accuracy & ease of use before purchasing a home blood pressure monitor

Personal-use ECG monitors

ECG or EKG monitors for home use can help to monitor heart rhythm and rate. It is good to have a digital tool if anyone in the family has heart conditions, including atrial fibrillation. These have typically 2-3 sensors built into them. To track the heart rhythm, one will have to hold one or two fingers against the sensors or wear the sensors on the wrist or body. Some personal-use ECG devices have built-in screens so you can see your heart rhythm on the monitor. Other devices connect to a smartphone or computer application where you can record, view, store, and share your ECG readings.

Word of caution: Personal-use ECG monitors are not as accurate as clinical ones as the personal one uses 2-3 electrodes compared to 12 electrodes in the clinical version

Sleep monitor

A wide variety of wearable sleep trackers are now available in the market. Some can be clipped to the pillow or can be placed on the bedside table. Most of these trackers measure Sleep duration, Sleep quality, Sleep phases, Environmental factors (light in the room, room temperature, etc), and Lifestyle factors (Amount of caffeine consumed, stress level, etc). For a healthy person who just wants to gain some insight into their sleep routine, tracking devices are a good option, but then if you have some sleep-related disorder or discomfort it’s advisable to meet a doctor. Word of caution: Sleep trackers don’t measure sleep directly, but they make some guesstimate based on your movement, heart rate, etc as to how much you are actually sleeping. To exactly monitor sleep patterns, brain waves need to be monitored during the stages of the sleep cycle.

Digital Body Composition Monitor Weighing Scale

If you are a person trying to lose weight, just a basic weighing scale won’t be enough. To get the most accurate measure of your progress, you need to track your body fat as well as your weight. You need to have a scale with BIA to estimate body fat percent. Scales with BIA, send a harmless electrical current up through the body to “read” the amount of fat body mass and lean body mass and thus calculate the percentage of body fat. These devices can measure up to 13-15 parameters including Body weight, BMI, Body fat rate, muscle rate, water, bone mass, BMR, visceral fat, protein rate, body age, standard weight, body fat, weight without fat, muscle mass, the amount of protein, etc. Many of them come linked to a mobile app, which makes it easier to track the weight loss journey.

Word of caution: These devices are very sensitive to hydration. So it is important to strictly note the time of day, fluid, and food intake. Even the menstrual cycle can affect the reading.

Smart Inhaler

A smart inhaler is an inhaler that is built with sensor technology that helps record data with a mobile app, via Bluetooth. The world’s first smart inhaler to receive approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was Teva’s ProAir Digihaler (albuterol sulfate), which has a use-tracking real-time sensor that syncs it to a mobile app.

In India Lupin partnered with Aptar to launch ADHERO, a Bluetooth-enabled, reusable smart inhaler device. These inhalers help remind patients to use them at the right time, and can also alert the patients if they forget to take their devices with them. The latest models in the market even sense high levels of air pollutants or pollen to warn patients of possible exacerbations.

Word of caution: Some smart inhalers require a prescription, so it is advisable to talk to a physician about using a smart inhaler

Smart Toilets

A new, low-cost, AI device that can detect and monitor a range of diseases and conditions by analyzing urine in the toilet bowl has been launched in the US. According to the founder of Olive Diagnostics, the device is the world’s first hands-free, non-invasive, AI-based optical device for 100% passive and seamless urinalysis. The hope is that it could eventually be used in the detection of other diseases, including Alzheimer’s, as well as for monitoring the user’s nutritional