Philips Launches New Platform to Improve Health Monitoring

Over two years following the acquisition of the medical information aggregator Capsule Technologies, Philips is introducing an innovative integrated information platform. This platform possesses the ability to establish connections among nearly all hospital devices, irrespective of their various manufacturers.

Beyond its role in aggregating disparate streams of patient data, this vendor-neutral system will serve as the cornerstone for digital surveillance initiatives. These programs aim to assist healthcare professionals in monitoring data from a multitude of hardware sources and promptly notifying care teams about early indicators of patient deterioration or critical medical concerns.

From a technical standpoint, the company characterized this development as the initiation of compatibility between two key systems: the Philips Capsule Medical Device Information Platform (MDIP) and the Philips Patient Information Center iX (PIC iX). MDIP is responsible for collecting data from a wide array of equipment, encompassing Philips’ vital sign readers and even non-Philips-manufactured infusion pumps. In contrast, PIC iX functions as a centralized patient tracking system, offering clinicians a comprehensive view of patient information.

Julia Strandberg, who heads the firm’s connected care division, stated,”Effectively what you can do is take all the disparate medical devices that are in the hospital, you take that information, and then you’re able to create a visualization and enable the usability of that data.”

Strandberg explained that Capsule had addressed the challenge of consolidating diverse datasets from various medical equipment like vital sign sensors, dialysis equipment and ventilators, seamlessly transmitting this data to the Electronic Medical Record (EMR). However, the development they announced signifies a more advanced objective. They aim to streamline the flow of information from disparate equipment, such as those found in an ICU, ensuring it doesn’t merely enter a data store, but becomes immediately accessible and clinically useful.

In 2021, Philips acquired Capsule in a substantial $635 million transaction, securing authority over its software-as-a-service solutions, which were then in use by over 2,800 healthcare companies. Prior to this, MDIP and PIC iX had primarily been functioning as distinct entities.

Strandberg likened Capsule to a system of data transport, describing it as the equivalent of data train tracks. She emphasized its role in collecting data from diverse medical device manufacturers, such as Philips and GE, and seamlessly directing it to the EMR. With the firm’s recent technological advancements, this data is now also relayed to PIC iX, which serves as a centralized hub for data visualization.

As part of PIC iX, the system can also implement various software components into Capsule’s data stream. These include clinical decision support applications and systems for monitoring the functionality of the monitors, ensuring timely maintenance when required. Additionally, it can transmit patient data to handheld mobile devices used by the nursing staff.

Strandberg suggested that the integration of this data could be taken a step further, with the combined information giving rise to valuable insights. These insights, in turn, have the potential to generate early alerts. Furthermore, she envisioned the possibility of developing predictive analytics based on this data in the future.

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