Scripps institute examines effectiveness of mobile devices in cutting costs

The Scripps Translational Science Institute in San Diego has launched a six-month “Wired for Health” study to evaluate the effectiveness of using mobile health devices to reduce healthcare costs.

STSI is currently enrolling 200 participants with at least one of three chronic health conditions—diabetes, high blood pressure or heart arrhythmias—selected from Scripps Health's 13,500 employees and their family members. By looking at data from Scripps Health, patients with these conditions were determined to be the biggest users of healthcare resources, said Dr. Eric Topol, director of STSI and chief academic officer of Scripps Health.

Half of those involved in the study, the experimental group, are being given a smartphone with a monitor for their specific condition that collects data on their medical situation and reports data back to them. When their values are considered abnormal, they are prompted to communicate with a nurse working with Scripps Health's third-party administrator, HealthComp.

“It's six months of intensive monitoring that these people have never had before,” Topol said. He says the monitoring from the healthcare professionals is very “Big Brother,” but predicts that level of connectivity and coaching will help patients reduce emergency room visits and clinical appointments.

The control group of patients is also being offered participation in HealthComp's disease management program, which includes individualized nurse education and training related to the patient's condition. Those in the control group, however, are not connected through the wireless mobile device or Web portal.

“The data will enable us to assess whether patients who actively track their health conditions through mobile devices and interact with their healthcare team through a Web portal will have more success managing their health conditions and, as a result, spend fewer healthcare dollars,” Cinnamon Bloss, leader of the team of STSI researchers, said in a news release.

The study is funded by Scripps Health and through device and service donations from Qualcomm Life, HealthComp, Accenture, Withings, AliveCor and Sanofi Diabetes. Results are expected to be reported early next year.

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