imi health booklet

A string ofpreciouspearls inhealthcaremHealth management at your fingertips

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02 | IMI HEALTH TECHNOLOGY www.imi-health-technology.com

As a result of the challenges and requirements of a modern, efficient andcost-effective healthcare system, IMI

mHealth technology solutions have been developed. Consequently, IMI Health AG is afirst mover in an emerging and developing market that is designated mHealth.

The next few decades in Europe will be characterised by significant changes in the demographic structure of its population; especially those age groups with high birthrates in the years following World War II. Thisis creating an ageing population that is livinglonger and by definition placing greater demandson the healthcare system. The demand for preventive medical examination will arise andso will the need to create convenient and cost-effective solutions.

As people get older, the risk of serious diseases will automatically rise. The lifestylechanges through a shift from an industry-led toa service-centred society will cause diseasessuch as obesity, cardiovascular diseases andburnout syndromes.

Those people who are still integrated intowork life will have to face a high level of demandwhen it comes to surviving in a highly competitivelabour market. A significant portion of thesepeople will not be able to afford to have a majorhealth problem for two reasons: they cannotcover the costs for treatments and they cannotafford to stay away from work.

Healthcare systems are therefore forced to anticipate and find solutions for these challenges.However, it’s not only about tomorrow, becauseeven in today’s world healthcare resources arefar from an optimised allocation or utilisation.

All these factors will enhance the developmentof mobile health solutions that are convenientto handle for patients/users and the healthcarespecialist. These solutions can and should besmart enough to have an impact on individuallifestyles. They should support awareness andenable preventative measures.

When it comes to serious clarification of thehealth status of treatments, the same solutionshould be ready to support the communicationbetween patient and health specialist and grantaccess to a knowledge base of the biggest possible scale. The cloud of useful health information should provide value instantaneouslyand ubiquitously. In addition, the data containedin individual health records will enter the cloudand be safely and securely stored.

IMI mHealth technology has taken these challenges and needs into consideration andprovides robust and innovative solutions.

It is important to identify where mHealth solutions can add value to assist healthcare specialists make more effective use of their time.IMI believes it can, over time, make a considerableimpact in the monitoring the health of patients/users remotely. Fig. 1 provides a graphical illustration of what can be achieved.

The next few decadesin Europe will be characterised by significant changes inthe demographic structure of its population; especiallythose age groups with high birth ratesin the years followingWorld War II

Integrated and interactivemHealth solutionsA must for the future of healthcare…

IMI HEALTH TECHNOLOGY | 03www.imi-health-technology.com

ConceptBased on the principle that wellness and healthis individual and that any influencing factor onthe human system must be verifiable in its effect, IMI believes in the power of open, integrated systems. Open for smart approachesand applications (apps) and thus open for improvements through the input of users andevery smart brain/idea in this emerging market.

The empowerment of people to be able to takeconscious decisions about what they should eat,what they could do to improve their wellbeingand who they want to share this information

with is a ‘Health 2.0’ approach according to DrLingg, the founder of IMI Health AG.

HardwareIMI can offer mobiles or tablet PCs as all-in-one devices, separate devices as add-onsfor mobiles with blue tooth connection or provide the technology for third parties to white label their products. Sensors can be applied in different ways to take measurements.Sensors on the back of a mobile phone or atablet PC or integrated in a chest strap are already available.

Healthystatus

Quadrant 4

IMI mHealth service © by IMI Health AG, 2012

Quadrant 1

Quadrant 2 Quadrant 3

Healthystatus

reaction/treatment

outside influence

regular health checks

empowerment data availability

nutrition

physical training

preventionthrough life-style

indication for certain diseases

communication with other devices

communicationsupport

recoverysupport

basic monitoring, tracing and recording

communication

post treatment care

nutrition

physical training

remote monitoring

detection lag reaction lag

main focus of common healthcare systems

recoveringIst

occurrenceof disease

detection

The formula for IMI’s mHealth solution is:concept + hardware + software = integrated and interactive mHealth service

Fig. 1


SoftwareIMI owns mobile and server-based software thatis secure, patented and able to be connected tomost common operating systems and browsers.Data protection in this environment is mandatoryand may be provided to military standard.

IntegratedThe concept of the IMI mHealth framework is integrated to build a perfect quality controlloop that is open enough to have permanent upgrades through application providers, usersand experts from all over the world. The concept is also integrated with the holistic ideathat the human body is a complex system andeverything people do has an impact, whetherthey want to lose weight, improve their shapeor optimise nutrition.

These points are all just single aspects of people living in our so-called ‘highly developed’civilisation. But losing weight could make somepeople sick and training to hard could overburdenthe heart. This is why the IMI solution monitorsthese aspects so that people can function in abalanced way, taking care of their metabolismand cardiovascular requirements.

The loop: from measurement to data captureTo be able to test all the different impacts onthe human system, a measurement point isneeded that:• Maybe used instantly and in any environment;• Functions for all users in the same way; • Has an immediate response to every impact on

the human body.

The cardiovascular and the autonomous nervoussystems of the human body send instant signalsabout our wellbeing. IMI has found a way to interpret those signals utilising its patented algorithm. That is why IMI developed a devicethat can be integrated in every mobile phoneusing four sensors on the back that can beequally applied to the fingertips or the breast.The measurements are of one channel ECG, pulseand blood oxygen that calculates and reportsblood pressure, the status of metabolism and theautonomous nervous system with a special focuson stress levels.

After a measurement, which can be conducteddaily and takes two minutes 20 seconds, the result will be shown immediately on the deviceand, whenever connectivity to the internet is

sick

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healthy(low risk*)

healthy

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alth

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3

hypochondriactendencies (low risk*)

sick

1

unrecognisedsickness

= highest risk* andsuffering potential

2

disease undermedical care/control

= assessable risk*

actu

al h

ealt

h st

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The concept of the IMImHealth framework is integrated to build aperfect quality controlloop that is openenough to have permanent upgradesthrough applicationproviders, users andexperts from all overthe world

Fig. 2: The greatest benefit for cost savings provided by mHealth solutions can be identified in Quadrant 1. The opportunityfor pre-screening leading to prevention is now available and the health specialist should begin to consider the use of thedevices being developed. It always takes time for new ideas to be used on a daily basis, but the development of what isavailable could be greatly assisted by a realistic approach being taken by the regulators


possible, also in a personal user area online.Based on that spot check, advice can be madeupon the optimal nutrition, cardio workouts.

A special sport application is also available thatshows the optimal training guide. Well-recognisedand approved databases like Nutri-Find andWikiFood are used to build up a detailed nutritiondiary, containing recipes and other useful sourcesof information. The comparison of advice givenand what actually happened will enable thesoftware to make a gap analysis. There are already some precious ‘pearls’ with regards toapps and databases that are available in themHealth sector, dealing with specific aspects ofwellness and health.

IMI has developed a string that is now ableto integrate those developments and hence beable to provide a ‘string of pearls’ together withthe loop. Eventually, all the captured andstored data will provide valuable information,both demographically and geographically, on aglobal basis.

Appealing graphics and an easily comprehensiblemenu structure on a mobile phone and internetaccount make the IMI solution a discrete andviable companion in daily life.

SummaryThe integrated and interactive mHealthsolutions provided by IMI Health AGtechnology facilitate:• Remote monitoring;• Self-empowerment;• Secure data storage for medium and

long-term analysis;• A large range of supporting mHealth

applications;• A range of differing hardware devices;• A built-in and effective control system.

In a world in which people are livinglonger, the available medical resource,with the inherent cost, is being stretchedto breaking point. It is vital that mobilecommunications are used to monitorpeople remotely. IMI has developedtechnology to make this a reality.

Remote monitoring together with theaccurate evaluation of the collected datacreates wellness management at yourfingertips.

Fig. 4Fig. 3: The IMI mHealth Loop


Each and every European should have accessto safe and good quality healthcare. Thisapplies now more than ever, as health

budgets are squeezed at a time when Europe’spopulation is ageing.

20 years ago, for every person over 65 therewere five people of working age. Today, there areonly four. In 50 years’ time, there will be justtwo. The health workforce is also ageing andthis is estimated to lead to a shortfall of onemillion health workers by the end of this decade.

As the population grows older, the burden ofchronic conditions is likely to grow with it. Conditions such as heart disease, or Type 2 diabetes, already account for around 70% ofhealthcare costs.

These factors combined are set to add evenfurther pressure on Europe’s health systems. Thequestion arises: How do we continue to deliverhealthcare to more people with fewer resources?

The time has come to consider smart and responsible ways of investing in health systems,to improve their efficiency and sustainability,while at the same time ensuring the best possiblehealthcare for patients.

Investment in health innovation is the key toachieve this. The health sector has tremendous

The motion to maximiseEuropean Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy John Dalli heralds the importance of technologyand innovation in advancing the cause of health…

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Commissioner John Dalli and DG SANCO Director GeneralPaola Testori Coggi

The telehealth unit is demonstrated on Grants Committeemember Bob Umidi, while Grants Committee memberMary Lyons Bradley watches and learns

Left to right: Dr Megan R Mahoney; Standardised Patient,Adrienne Krug; Michael Quirk, Director, Kanbar Center forSimulation, Clinical Skills and Telemedicine Education,UCSF Teaching and Learning Center

potential for innovation, such as e-health, whichcan improve the quality of healthcare, increasethe efficiency and availability of health systemsand support patient-centred health systems.

Telemedicine is a case in point as it could improve access to diagnosis and treatment –particularly for rare conditions where expertiseis scarce. By concentrating expertise in a fewcentres connected to the whole of Europe, it ispossible to move the knowledge without havingto move the patient. This, in turn, can translateinto better access for patients, and greatercost-effectiveness for health systems.

For this reason, the EU is supporting ‘EuropeanReference Networks’ that would offer high-qualityand highly specialised expertise across Europe –


a welcome development for patients with amedical condition requiring a particular concentration of expertise in areas where medicalexpertise or technology is rare.

Furthermore, e-health applications can facilitate access for patients to the best medicalexpertise from the comfort of their own home,while having their condition continuously monitored from a distance.

By moving some routine checks from hospitalto home, telemonitoring can help reduce hospitaladmissions and thus free up the precious timeand resources of health professionals and, at thesame time, improve patients’ comfort and controlover their own health.

In a nutshell, e-health tools can help providebetter healthcare, to more people, in a more efficient and sustainable manner. Yet there remaina number of barriers to its use across the EU.

e-Health requires profound changes in healthcare as we know it, with a reduced needfor face-to-face interaction. Not every doctorfeels comfortable liaising with patients via acomputer screen, so they need real incentives toovercome this barrier. In parallel, not every patient feels comfortable being diagnosed or advised by a doctor online. Compare this withthe banking sector, where many of us manageour accounts online without thinking twice. Asimilar trend is starting to emerge in health.

There are also structural barriers, in particularthe lack of interoperability or compatibility between health systems. In other words, health systems in the EU are unable to ‘speak’to one another.

To help bridge these gaps, an EU directive hasrecently been adopted on patients’ rights incross-border healthcare, which clarifies the rightfor patients to be treated or diagnosed in an-other EU member state, and be reimbursed for it.

This directive also encourages EU memberstates to cooperate on e-health, for example toagree on a minimum set of data for patients’summaries that can be shared between healthprofessionals. Member states would work togetherto pool data on public health and medical research, notably through patients’ registries,which currently remain fragmented across Europe.

By promoting patients’ registries, we can

support research on diseases and treatmentsand, ultimately, improve our understanding ofhow to treat a given disease. Such cooperationwill help us to learn from one another and breakdown barriers to interoperability.

The EU has invested over €1bn in research andpilot projects to develop e-health not just totreat people, but also to keep them healthy, active and independent. It is important to showhow such investment can trigger efficiency gainsthat help secure the quality and sustainabilityof health systems. We need to ensure that investment pays off – not just today, but in 10,20, 30 years’ time.

This is where health technology assessment(HTA) has an important role to play. HTA helpsto ensure that e-health technologies are chosenand used in the most effective and efficient way.This means showing that e-health can be moreeffective than conventional treatment, and thatthe benefits outweigh the costs.

As part of the Europe 2020 Strategy – the EU’sblueprint to emerge stronger from the economiccrisis – we have launched a European InnovationPartnership on Active and Healthy Ageing. Thepartnership brings together public and privatesector representatives to share their knowledgeand expertise to translate innovation into concrete products and services to help peoplelive active, healthy, independent and longerlives to support more efficient and sustainablehealth systems, and boost EU competitivenessand growth.

I believe in maximising the potential for innovation in healthcare: not because innovationis trendy; not because innovation is an end initself; but because it is a means to advance thecause of European health and a means to driveforward the economy upon which we all depend.

John DalliCommissioner forHealth and Consumer PolicyEuropean CommissionEmail: [email protected]: ec.europa.eu

The health sector hastremendous potential for innovation, such as e-health,which can improve the qualityof healthcare, says Dalli

IMI HEALTH AGFelbaweg 10, 9494 Schaan, Liechtenstein

t: +423 230 3060 f: +423 230 3062

IMI MHEALTH SOLUTIONS LTDRegus, Davidson House, Forbury Square, Reading RG1 3EU

t: +44 1189 000 600 f: +44 1189 000 601

@ [email protected] w³ www.imi-health-technology.com

mHealth management at your fingertips

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imi health booklet