HypeLabs, a software-only mesh networking provider, announces the launch of CovidApp (CovidApp.org), an easy-to-use selective quarantine white label solution that has been proven to prevent the continuous spread of the novel coronavirus. The system is ready for immediate deployment and will be free to all states and countries that wish to use it.
CovidApp is a private and anonymous contact tracing system that detects physical proximities between smartphones and works in conjunction with hospitals and governments to inform users, even those without an internet connection, about their likelihood of a COVID-19 exposure if they have crossed paths with someone who has already contracted the virus. This software uses random ID numbers that do not require any database or private information of any individual.
Smartphones that have the app installed will be capable of exchanging Bluetooth and Wi-Fi signals when the devices are within range of one another, even without internet or mobile data. Records of those encounters will be stored in the device for up to 14 days and subsequently sent to a central server.
If someone has tested positive for COVID-19, others that were in proximity contact with that person will be alerted to be tested or to initiate a preventive quarantine immediately. Web portals for both health and government officials allow authorized officials to distribute information to the end-users, from important announcements to health recommendations for containment of the virus. Only authorized medical personnel can interact with the health web portal and update the health status of tested citizens.
“It is important to emphasize that no one will ever see the users’ private information,” said Carlos Lei, co-founder and CEO of HypeLabs. “Only the Unique Device ID is visible to government authorities. CovidApp can help cities and countries turn their economies back on as soon as possible.”
CovidApp has already been tested and deployed in some countries in Latin America such as Colombia, the first nation to adopt the system showing the lowest numbers of infected patients in the region and is managing the flattening of the curve.
In addition to helping virologists gather important data to prevent future pandemics, contact tracing can be used as a general private analytics tool to improve transportation systems and help to design a more efficient flow of entire cities.
With the continued spread of COVID-19, it’s more important than ever for healthcare organizations to continue implementing ways to keep employees and patients safe, while improving patient care and keeping patient data secure. Many healthcare organizations are turning to KVM (keyboard, video and mouse) solutions to help with the increasing need for smarter and safer healthcare solutions.
A few examples:
Remote IT admins – IT admins can access critical servers when working remotely. Remote desktops only allow one connection to one server at a time, but a KVM provides a Windows explorer view of ANY server connected to that KVM.
Remote lab automation – Employees can stay safely away from contaminated areas using a KVM over IP device to access devices in lab areas.
Remote nurse station monitoring – video extenders and KVM extenders allow nurses to obtain real-time patient data from a remote station without being physically inside the room with the patient. This allows for a controlled, clean and secure environment.
Command and control through security and surveillance – Security employees can monitor all entry ways, control opening/closing and locking or unlocking doors from a distance.
Trends in Smart Healthcare
A few trends driving the need for these solutions include:
IoMT and Connected, Integrated Smart Healthcare Systems
The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) is a connected infrastructure of medical devices, software applications and health systems and services. Integrating different healthcare delivery systems into one mechanism has created the concept of smart healthcare. Not only has this pushed the focus from just caring for the sick to promoting the general health and well-being of people, but it has driven technological advances that connect various health IT systems for ease of control and communication.
Smart technologies, such as virtual health, wearables, sensors and biometrics are already driving this transition to new healthcare delivery models that focus on streamlining processes and making use of cutting-edge digital innovations and information systems. Such developments, including those in artificial intelligence, cognitive technology and robotics are accelerating automation, while telehealth, digital medicine and remote monitoring are already part of larger connected, integrated smart healthcare systems.
Increasing Demand for High-Precision Medical Imaging
Reliable video has always been an important component to healthcare IT, predominantly related to the exponential growth in picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) used to securely store and digitally transmit electronic images and clinical reports. As the volume of digital medical images grows, and data analytics of those images becomes more prevalent, the demand for video at the highest possible resolutions for the most detailed images continues to increase.
The seamless and stable transmission of high-resolution video has become a prerequisite that medical imaging systems are expected to handle (up to 4K), and delivery must be low latency across long distances with no signal degradation. In addition to high-precision audio video signal extension devices, other infrastructure equipment, such as KVM switches, must be able to support the required resolutions and refresh rates.
Digitization Driving Demand for Increased Security
The move toward patient-centered healthcare models and medical information systems is requiring unprecedented levels of security and data protection. Alongside the digitization of healthcare records of electronic medical records (EMRs) is the push for paperless hospitals and the increasing government regulations surrounding data management and patient privacy. Secure KVM switches that are commonly seen in government and military environments are now enabling medical staff to easily switch between sensitive patient data and non-private applications on the hospital network.
Healthcare Use Cases
Medical Imaging: Live Surgery, Remote Monitoring and MRI Diagnostics
A hospital decides to implement a state-of-the-art medical imaging transmission system to enable doctors to perform surgeries and real-time diagnoses more effectively. The solution needs to transmit content, such as live surgery video from the doctors’ head-mounted cameras, patient vitals, medical records, MRI equipment and a picture archiving and communication system (PACS), accessible from various locations inside the hospital.
The challenges:
Medical imaging needs to be instantly accessible from various locations throughout the hospital.
Requires clear and stable video images for monitoring.
Compatibility with a wide range of medical equipment in a hospital environment.
A tailored solution for medical-grade applications with easy-to-use media distribution management software.
The solution: Integrating seamless switching will deliver instant and stable video over long distances over a single cable, while converting various resolutions to ensure top quality. Additionally, adding HDBaseT KVM extenders will allow MRI equipment to be accessed and operated with zero latency while uncompressed video with pixel-to-pixel quality is reliably delivered to the operator’s room for real-time diagnosis.
Coronavirus has forced practices nationwide to undertake dramatic changes in how they practice medicine. But whatever the means we use to deliver care, there is still nothing as dramatic as saving a life.
Although I had been thinking about and planning to use telehealth for about a year, the sudden arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic left me with no choice. I recognized that there was no way to safeguard my patients or staff if I kept my office open.
I still had some reservations. Would patients use telehealth technology? Would they accept it? Most importantly, would telehealth allow me to deliver the same quality as an in-person office visit?
The answers came quickly and clearly. With healow TeleVisits from eClinicalWorks, getting started was simple and easy for my staff. Patients were thrilled to have a way to receive care without having to risk exposure to the coronavirus by traveling to my office. We transformed our more than 20 daily in-office visits to more than 20 televisits in just 10 days.
Saving a patient’s life via telehealth
And my remaining doubts about the efficacy and quality of remote care were erased in a single encounter.
I was meeting with a new patient who was complaining about vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. When I asked him to show me what the vomit looked like, he placed a jar containing black vomit in front of the camera.
I immediately knew that he was suffering internal bleeding and instructed him to get to a hospital. His wife ended the call and took him to the ER, where he was admitted. The bleeding was stopped and he received a transfusion.
Five days later, we had a follow-up televisit. He was in good spirits and told me that his life had been saved because of that first televisit.
Updox, a telehealth platform, experienced a significant spike in demand throughout March, onboarding more than 10,000 new customer users to its HIPAA-compliant telehealth solution in just two weeks. Today, the company facilitates more than 45,000 telehealth visits per day between patients and their doctors, with that number increasing rapidly.
More than 300 million Americans are currently under orders to shelter-in-place as public health officials and providers work to contain and mitigate the coronavirus. Updox experienced a sharp increase in the demand for telehealth from mid-March, when more states began issuing stay-at-home orders and physicians needed a safe and secure way to connect with their patients.
Unlike some first-generation telehealth solutions, Updox allows patients to connect with their own physicians instead of someone unfamiliar to them. Likewise, rather than competing with physicians, the Updox platform supports practices to maintain revenue, protect staff and deliver care safely to their patients. Studies show that patients prefer receiving treatment from their own physicians, with whom they’ve developed strong, trusted relationships. In fact, according to a recent survey by Sharecare, 60% of Americans noted they would want to “access care with their primary physician if they experienced COVID-19 symptoms.”
The Mount Sinai Health System has partnered with Sana Labs to launch Project Florence, a personalized learning platform to enhance the skills of nurses treating COVID-19 patients in New York City. The group, facilitated by the New York Academy of Sciences, is also making the platform available for free to hospitals around the world to improve medical response and care during the pandemic.
The virtual training platform, available through Sana Labs, provides a curriculum developed by Mount Sinai that includes the latest on industry resources and policies from organizations including the American Association of Critical Care Nurses.
After users complete an AI-powered adaptive assessment that measures their knowledge, the platform recommends personalized content in real time to address individual skills gaps. It can be accessed from any internet-connected device including phones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers. The project was officially launched at the Mount Sinai Health System on Monday, April 13.
“The profound shortage of intensive care nurses and respiratory therapists will be one of the most significant hurdles facing U.S. hospitals treating critically ill COVID-19 patients,” said Jane Maksoud, RN, MPA, senior vice president and chief human resources officer, Mount Sinai Health System. “Project Florence will be a great benefit to staff preparing to care for critically ill patients. We are grateful for the partnership we have developed with Sana Labs and the work we have done together to assist our nurses on the front line.”
A projected 4.8 million Americans will be hospitalized for COVID-19, according to the American Hospital Association. Of those hospitalized, an estimated 40 percent or nearly 2 million patients will require admittance to the ICU. While there are currently about 550,000 critical care nurses in the United States, tens of thousands of nurses will be in demand in the coming months.
“I’m very excited to bring this innovative approach to Mount Sinai hospitals to help advance the skill set of our nurses,” said Diane Adams, MS, Chief Learning Officer of Mount Sinai Health System. “Not only are we advancing the essential skills of our staff, but we are also meeting the needs of our community during a particularly critical time across New York City, the United States, and the rest of the world.”
As hospitals shift priorities from other departments to ICUs, the two-day curriculum is tailored to each individual and suitable for nurses, as well as other medical professionals who are called to assist and may require an update on their understanding of ICU equipment and procedures.
By Derek Jones, vice president of enterprise strategy, Deputy.
Derek Jones
The recent COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted one aspect of our healthcare system: the global healthcare industry was not prepared to face a crisis. The lack of preparedness has significantly disrupted the healthcare supply chain: sharp surge of demand, lack of protective equipment, shortage of medical supplies and employees protesting against unsafe work conditions have all contributed to a slowdown of the healthcare industry.
Meanwhile, the coronavirus outbreak has been rapidly progressing — more than 175 countries have reported cases of COVID-19, with more than 735,000 cases and 35,000 deaths, as of March 30.
Discussed below are the steps that healthcare facility managers should take to keep things running as smoothly as possible.
Getting ready to face a crisis
It is also essential you find the time to meet up with your staff to educate them on all the aspects of the crisis. The common end-goals for everyone should be the same: reduce fatality rate, minimize disease transmission and ensure the healthcare system is operational.
Preparing your healthcare facility
Plan ahead for your facility’s supply of personal protective equipment to be ready to deal with any shortages.
Get in touch with all your suppliers and work out a flexible mechanism to re-supply in case of shortages.
Use visual cues and alerts at entrances and strategic locations within your facility to provide instructions on hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, and cough etiquette.
Prepare a properly sanitized containment area to welcome any infected patient or personel.
Handling patients queries
Brainstorm different alternatives to the traditional face to face visits to limit the transmission of diseases in your facility.
Encourage patients to use alternate advice lines, such as online portals and self-assessment tools.
Assign the appropriate staff to handle queries you’ll be receiving via your alternate advice lines.
Set up protocols to determine which patients can be managed remotely and which ones will need to come to your facility.
Keep a schedule of the number of patients in your facility and advise your patients when to come in at a less crowded time.
By David Gregg, M.D., chief medical officer, StayWell.
David Gregg
Technology can be harmful to our health, especially our emotional health. Those are the latest findings from Cigna’s recent study highlighting the epidemic of social isolation. The report details the impact technology has on younger adults, communities, and even workplaces. While health care continues to focus on the latest tech advances, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, providers are seeing a steady increase in social isolation linked to technology.
With an ever-expanding inventory of digital health tools at our fingertips, we need to balance the benefits that these advances offer, with a human-centered, personal touch to improve the health and well-being of individuals.
Digital health has made significant strides in improving the health of patients, expanding a network of apps, digital platforms, wearables, and plug-ins – creating greater connectivity among patients, providers, payers, and employers, while capturing meaningful health data.
As technology advances we’re seeing innovative ways to use this data to reveal trends, detect health issues much earlier, trigger alerts, and personalize health care. But the digital health universe still cannot capture a full picture of a patient’s entire health. For that we still need a human approach.
Social media is a double-edged sword, bringing us all together as never before, but causing greater isolation and diminishing the richness of person-to-person interaction. Digital health technology poses a similar dilemma — we can link patients to care systems as never before and generate new avenues to share timely data, but can we maintain the valuable patient-care team relationship and avoid overwhelming care teams with too many data sources and administrative tasks?
More data is good, but is it the right data and are we applying it to deliver optimal care and improve health? Advanced technology is good, but is it producing efficiency and enabling care teams to do what they do best – take care of patients?
Digital health is a balancing act – we want to leverage high-tech while we preserve high-touch. For example, to maintain focus on the patient, health coaches are playing a more prominent role in the delivery of care. Health systems and employers are turning to health coaches to serve as a high-touch health champion to drive engagement and support treatment adherence. Health coaches serve as the human bridge between patients, care teams, and health plans. Coaches help make sense out of the wealth of digital health data.
There are several regulatory compliance requirements that healthcare organizations must follow. Even so, it’s the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) that gets the most recognition. If your organization is involved in the healthcare industry, you should ensure that it complies with the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) as well.
These two compliance requirements are somehow interrelated. However, HITECH is meant to enhance information technology in the healthcare industry while protecting the security and privacy concerns regarding ePHI. HITECH significantly modified HIPAA and the Social Security Act. Therefore, it can be difficult to understand how these regulatory compliance frameworks complement each other.
How HITECH And HIPAA Are Similar
HITECH and HIPAA compliance is overseen by the Health and Human Services Department (HHS). Typically, healthcare organizations tend to focus on HIPAA compliance since it is the backbone of the Privacy Rule that sets national standards regarding PHI and medical record protection. The Privacy Rule was adopted in 2000. Since then, HHS has only made one modification. That was in 2002 when the Privacy Rule was modified to become one of the initial information privacy and security regulations.
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) is mandated to promote the quality of healthcare by advancing health IT. ONC is also tasked with the role of securing ePHI and establishing procedures for electronic health records (EHRs) to promote privacy.
Therefore, while HITECH and HIPAA complement each other, they are dissimilar. HITECH focuses on information technology as well as the preservation of electronic information, whereas HIPAA dwells on protecting privacy as well as expanding beyond information systems.
How HITECH And HIPAA Differ
Although HITECH and HIPAA have many similarities, the two regulations also differ on various vital details. HITECH was meant to expand HIPAA. Even so, the latter remains focused on addressing privacy and breach notification issues to protect against identity theft and fraud. On the other hand, HITECH differs from HIPAA because it established restructured criminal and civil compliance penalties. Furthermore, HITECH extended HIPAA’s breach notification requirement beyond covered organizations also to include business associates.
From an IT perspective, compliance managers ought to focus on the significance of robust encryption. In case malicious actors breach the ePHI, effective encryption will mitigate rule violations. Therefore, if the encryption makes the information unreadable, the organization won’t be fined. Nonetheless, proving effective encryption means complying with the NIST Federal Information Process Standard. Therefore, healthcare regulatory compliance can only be realized if you fully understand your organization’s IT infrastructure.
HypeLabs, a software-only mesh networking provider, announces the launch of CovidApp (CovidApp.org), an easy-to-use selective quarantine white label solution that has been proven to prevent the continuous spread of the novel coronavirus. The system is ready for immediate deployment and will be free to all states and countries that wish to use it.
Updox
The Mount Sinai Health System has partnered with Sana Labs to launch 
