Do you know this big trend? The smart health device reviews

It’s a reality ! The emergence of connected objects is unavoidable.But what is digital in the field of health?What about the smart health device reviews?

In 2020, there will be 38.5 billion Internet connected objects in the world; that’s 285% growth compared to 2015, which had about 13.4 billion smart accessories . Let us add that this growing market will, according to IDC studies, weigh nearly $ 1.7 billion in 2020, taking into account an average annual increase of 17.5%!

From remote diagnostics to remote monitoring of a chronic illness, to electronic health records or medical simulation, this sector represents real opportunities to improve the efficiency and quality of the health system, in a difficult budgetary context. In this sense, connected objects in health are interesting tools, useful for the care of patients, can both support and strengthen the patient-doctor relationship, improve patient adherence to prevention advice, hygiene and protocols for care, or to collect data with high added value.

Indeed, connected objects and digital have extended a technological revolution and uses to all sectors of the economy such as housing, mobility, industry, education … but also the health sector! The number of connected devices dedicated to health is expected to reach 161 million by 2020, against 46 million in 2015, according to the latest publications of Business Insider.

In the end, doctors, like all health professionals and industrialists in the sector, can not ignore this emerging world, nor want to stay away.

PANORAMA OF PATENTS

Strong activity of patent applications (11,367 patent families) relating to connected objects for health

Connected health objects are now a reality and innovation on the subject is in full swing. Indeed the number of patent applications published since the last ten years has continued to grow.

A patent mapping of connected objects for the health sector was conducted in order to understand the dynamics of innovation and to identify the “key” players at the global level in research and development on this topic.

The graph below shows the temporal activity of patent applications published between 1997 and November 2017. Since 1997, we have seen a steady increase in the number of published patent applications. This strong activity results in the publication of 11367 patent families in total!

A larger increase in patent applications has been reported over the last four years, with 43% of patent applications being published on the subject between 2014 and November 2017.

The chart reflects both the steady pace at which technology is evolving and the desire of stakeholders to maintain their competitive advantage by protecting their inventions.

Thematic R & D is mainly located in the United States (62% of published patent applications), and in China (14%).

The patents are mainly extended in the United States (69%), via the PCT procedure WO [Patent Cooperation Treaty] (43%), via the European procedure (30%), in China (28%), in Japan (19% ) and Canada (12%).

The countries targeted by the extensions confirm the places where the most important markets are, where the companies hope to obtain a competitive advantage (manufacture, import and marketing) by the patent protection face-to-face the other actors. Extension options may also be guided by the location of the places of production of the direct competitors of the applicants.

Among a ranking of the top 25 global depositors in the field, 72% of these are US depositors.

The top 5 global applicants, Medtronic, Philips, Boston Scientific (Cardiac Pacemakers Inc.) and Abbott Diabetes Care, account for approximately 13% of total patent applications in this area.

THE DIGITAL HEALTH MARKET

Introduction on the medicine of tomorrowUnlike various industrial sectors that cease to exist to make room for more efficient ones, the field of health can not “disappear” and must be transformed. Thus, the predictive analysis of its evolution by 2020 shows particularly striking trends:

– The patient becomes a part of the care, holding a large amount of information on his health, his activity, his well-being, etc. and has high expectations in terms of the quality of care, even if it means paying for it. In particular, the “quantified self” develops and the beneficiary becomes a consumer, having the option or not to use the data in his possession;

– the home becomes the place where a large part of the care takes place, thanks to the ubiquity of communication systems allowing the doctor-patient relationship to be maintained at a distance. The hospital becomes a specialty and acute care environment, is valued on the basis of its added value for a population and new reimbursement patterns are emerging;

– Wearable portable devices structure the health system by collecting various information from many sensors, beyond the initial applications in the field of sport and certain medical specialties. This new clinician / patient collaboration makes it possible to implement preventive approaches, replacing the traditional vision of health;

– health data are considered as priority infrastructures mobilizing significant funding and allowing patients, clinicians and competent authorities to use “big data” to transform the diagnosis and treatment of various pathologies. Pharmaceutical companies are increasingly collaborating with patients and health systems in a spirit of risk sharing and alignment of objectives;

– new legal regulations appear taking into account the specifies of convergence between the engineering sciences, the information and communication technologies, as well as the sciences for the living, thus implying new modes of evaluation (ex : in real life, over time, etc.) the quality, safety, efficiency and medical-economic gain of new products;

– R & D and commercialization models evolve by favoring international public / private or private / private collaborations and resulting in additional, often digital, offers positively perceived by patients, practitioners, payers and other actors in the care chain, in particular support of traditional molecules and medical devices;

– Medical training is changing to integrate new pedagogical and digital tools to secure learning, increase teaching capacity and create value.

In view of these trends, health spending is expected to reach € 7,360 billion by 2020, up from € 5,920 billion in 2015, or 10.5% of global GDP. Cardiovascular diseases, cancer and respiratory diseases should account for 50% of spending by 2020

In this context, North America, Western Europe and Japan are among the most developed markets in which outpatient, city and hospital care account for most of the expenditure and are therefore particularly affected by new trends.

A gradual digitization of practices and products in the field of health

The place of digital technology in the medical field is now echoing recent regulatory, economic, societal, technical, scientific and medical developments. In particular, we are seeing a rapprochement of digital and health players in order to be able to respond to new challenges in the field and offer applications focused on patients or professionals.

In particular, these new uses have revealed spaces produced in the areas of health and well-being ranging from the management of health data, to the intelligence of the hospital, to connected objects, to digital applications or to other segments on the border of the hospital worlds and the city. In this rapidly changing industry, sensors, portable devices and digital technologies are beginning to replace the traditional check-up, ranging from monitoring vital measurements to nutrition / nutrition or sleep.

In this environment, different strategies have been highlighted in order to deploy innovative digital technologies in the field of health. It is first of all essential, because of the major role played by the uses within this industry, to take into account the view of the various stakeholders and, more importantly, to consider the entire chain of care. Then, it is necessary to focus on tangible gains (time, resources, quality, medical service) to characterize the interest of a technology and go beyond the simple pilot. It is also necessary, in the deployment of these new solutions, not only to digitize the product, but also the commercial approach by positioning itself on new digital tools. Moreover, one must be ambitious and not let regulatory uncertainty take precedence over proposed uses and services, where many pharmaceutical groups tend to “Dilute” the value of a digital solution through the lens of regulatory affairs. Finally, and extremely importantly, it is necessary to understand the difference, in order to reconcile, between the pharmaceutical and digital product development calendar. While in one case, we will seek to quickly stop a project having too much risk of failure, in the other we will rotate and advance iteratively.

An important medical, social and economic opportunity

Although it is now obvious for industry players the need to implement a digital strategy, the place that digital health will play tomorrow in their value proposition or in the organization of the healthcare system varies. one structure to another. While some see this trend as health products bringing immediate medical or financial gain (and thus can be valued as a medical device or a traditional medicine), others see the value of it in one educational program and others only see it as a marketing addition to existing or developing products. In particular, the degree of evidence regarding the interest of digital health and connected objects in health has largely evolved and now allows the emergence of key applications.

Thus, the assertion of the interest of connected objects in health to the general public and health professionals can support a growth of 24.8% per year to exceed the 161 million units sold in 2020. Barriers are however still present in terms of accuracy and ease of use of current connected devices, as well as cybersecurity of equipment. On this last point in particular, at the dawn of major IT attacks on health infrastructures, it is now accepted that the development of digital health and IoT in health must go hand in hand with that of cyberdefense (ex: even pushing clinicians to seek the advice of the IT department before implementing a new connected object in their activity).

Since the 2010s, cybersecurity of connected medical devices has therefore been recognized as a priority (with, for example, the introduction of the S.1656 law on the cybersecurity of medical devices in the United States in 2017, concerning additional constraints before the access to the market and an obligation to provide free security updates). For example, according to data published by the SANS Institute, it is estimated that more than 380 US actors in the health sector (insurance, institutions, manufacturers, etc.) have been attacked on their networks or connected devices between September 2012 and October 2013 with an average cost of € 1.69 million per intrusion. This is also an area of ​​interest for connected medical device stakeholders.

Actors from different sectors, potential partners for collaboration

The industry now brings together historical players in the healthcare sector, having developed connectivity functionalities to traditional products (for example, Medtronic with cardiology implant tracking or GE Healthcare in the equipment sector). These sensors come from the world of computing and telecommunications (such as Cisco Systems, IBM or Microsoft), the sector of connectivity solutions in different industries (eg Qualcomm, Honeywell, etc.) or positioned on the general public ( like Philips or Stanley Black & Decker). These companies are surrounded by an ecosystem of startups targeting different indications, which they woo in order to anticipate a possible acquisition if the market came to validate the value proposition proposed by these emerging players.

In view of these opportunities, the different segments of digital health are in full structuring. For example, health represents 40% of investments in the field of connected objects, including € 3.8 billion invested in 2015 for the only segment of m-health, associated with 187 merger / acquisition deals. Large groups are now anticipating tomorrow’s trends and developing specific strategies.

TECHNOLOGY OFFERS

The smart health devices market is more than ever in the quest for ever more efficient and intelligent innovations. The environmental and social issues related to this sector are very strong and therefore require continuous research in terms of innovation. Here are some technologies from its portfolio related to the field of connected objects in health.

.E-DENTURE – Connected dental prosthesis

INNOVATIVE

This innovation particularly concerns seniors and anyone with a cognitive impairment or handicap, adolescents and adults (due to the deleterious effect of certain treatments on the oral sphere).

The technology is a dental prosthesis connected by integration into the prosthesis itself of a microsystem composed of “active” out-of-mouth and “passive” chips in the mouth.

The prosthesis system allows the identification and localization but also the communication to a host system of a certain number of data relating to the daily hygiene, the maintenance, the bad tolerance during the oral lesions. ITS APPLICATIONS

Loss management of prostheses in EPHADHelping seniors with neurodegenerative disorders

ITS BENEFITS

Localization: radiofrequency emission on demand in case of lossIdentification of the wearer once the prosthesis is foundMonitoring: hygiene and maintenance of the prosthesis (an interview every 6 months is recommended)

.SEPTAC – Device for learning and simulation of ankle tensioning

INNOVATIVE

Septac is a device for learning and simulating the taking of blood pressure in the ankle. It consists of an artificial leg equipped with sensors and electronics, a link to a computer on which is installed a dedicated software that provides the interface with the user. The set consists of a product and service innovation.

This device is intended for medical students, hospital and medical personnel for practical and quality learning of the method for this tension.

ITS APPLICATIONS

Learning in medical schools and nursesTraining of doctors and nurses in the diagnosis of arterial diseases of the lower limbs

ITS BENEFITS

Early diagnosis of arterial diseases of the lower limbsAdaptation of treatmentsStandardized and more accurate measurements for data validation

.CANNED ROLLER – Secured by automatic locking

INNOVATIVE

It is a 4-wheel rollator, offering a seat and rod holder, combined with an innovative automatic locking system.

In addition, a footprint system allows to uniquely associate a walker and a cane, thus providing an anti-theft system to the user.

ITS APPLICATIONNew implementable feature on walkers and other walking aids

ITS BENEFITSSafer walking aid solutionAutomatic brake for more ergonomics and maneuverabilityAnti-theft function

.SMART HEALTH BRACELET FOR MONITORING PATIENT

INNOVATIVE Device measuring different physiological parameters, in particular blood pressure and skin resistance with different sensors integrated in a package wrapped around the wrist of the patient.

The technology offers a very high signal-to-noise ratio compared to competing technologies, a ratio that naturally decreases with patient movement or interference between sensors.ITS APPLICATIONPatient monitoringSports training sessions

ITS BENEFITS

Very low energy consumption allowing a great autonomySmall ergonomic bracelet that does not disturb the wearer

Smart health device and e-health guide