Medical Devices Move into Homes

By Ann Wlazelek, The Morning Call, Allentown, Pa.

May 20–Medical devices have come a long way since the cardboard-cylinder pillboxes used during World War II. And according to Michael Rogers, resident futurist for The New York Times, the timing couldn’t be better.

Rogers said there will be a growing scarcity of caregivers as one of the largest segments of the population — the baby boomers — turns gray and needs care. “A big focus will be moving more of the maintenance and even diagnosis into people’s homes to lessen the need for human intervention,” he said. “It’s all about putting intelligence in the home.”

By intelligence, Rogers means devices that help keep the sick and elderly safe and well at home by transmitting vital information to doctors and nurses. That could include emergency call buttons, pill dispensers and computers that can perform medical tests and transmit the results to doctors.

The Veterans Administration tested such devices in an experiment a few years ago on patients with chronic lung problems. A device in the home asked a series of questions, such as how they feel on a scale of one to five, talked the patient through a breathing test, and then transmitted the answers and results to a doctor.

In Japan, among the most rapidly aging countries on Earth, Rogers said, companies are making toilets that can analyze urine and robots to help people out of bed.

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