Patient monitoring device maker Telli Health has partnered with US IoT operator and system provider Senet to launch the first remote patient monitoring (RPM) hardware to run on LoRaWAN connectivity, the pair have said. The new RPM device is being offered as a standalone alternative to Bluetooth (BLE) based devices that attach to smartphones. It is being pitched to patients in remote and underserved areas.
A statement suggested its potential value for “indigenous communities worldwide”. Telli Health and Senet said their new RPM device could “boost healthcare equity and inclusivity”, and also “create a foundation” for additional smart home services in the future. They claimed its LoRaWAN capability afforded a plug-and-play experience, compared to pairing BLE monitors with handsets and laptops.
The statement said: “Some patients rely on Bluetooth devices placed throughout their home, and despite having a Bluetooth hub, its protocol-limited range of 50 feet often causes lost connections and interrupted service. LoRaWAN, however, can transmit at a significantly longer distance (between three and 10 miles depending on the environment), eliminating frustrations that are common in a Bluetooth or other wirelessly connected device experience.”
Telli Health will build its own private LoRaWAN network and utilize Senet’s managed network services to offer more in-home monitoring services, it said. The statement continued: “Telli Health can deploy a LoRaWAN gateway…that will provide an estimated 10 miles of coverage and only require a dial-up modem to transmit health readings… In addition to dial-up, network backhaul can be delivered through wired ethernet, cellular or satellite communications.”
They quoted the Federal Communications Commission that 19 million people (six percent of the population) in the US lack access to fixed broadband “at threshold speeds”. A quarter of rural populations (about 14.5 million people) lack the same, with the figure rising ton one third of populations in tribal areas.
William Dos Santos at Telli Health said: “This game-changing technology is ideal for the millions of people who don’t have a reliable connection to the internet or cellular coverage, and therefore are missing out on an equitable healthcare experience… We can now better serve these communities with our award-winning RPM devices and improve healthcare equity like never before.”
Bruce Chatterley, chief executive at Senet, said: “We are proud to partner with Telli Health… to become the first LoRaWAN remote patient monitoring solution provider. Senet’s technology and expertise will play a crucial role in helping Telli Health bring innovative and reliable solutions to the healthcare industry. We are excited to be a part of this important initiative and look forward to helping improve the lives of patients through our collaboration.”
