Telehealth firm Coviu, in partnership with medical devices distributor Propell Health, has developed an integrated telehealth and remote patient monitoring application for the management of COVID-19 patients.

WHAT IT DOES

According to a media release, the app is able to display health data from bluetooth-enabled medical devices, such as pulse oximeters, blood pressure monitors, and digital thermometers, in video teleconsultations. Clinicians are able to receive real-time measurements while holding a video call with a patient. 

WHY IT MATTERS

Coviu and Propell Health came up with the solution as Australia is dealing with a new deadly surge of COVID-19 cases that has overwhelmed its health system once more. With a reported 700,000 new weekly cases, hospitalisations and deaths have been pushed to a record, forcing the state of Victoria to declare code brown early this week.

As the peak of cases may be weeks away, according to the Australian Medical Association, healthcare professionals are relying on remote patient monitoring to manage and treat patients. "[I]t’s important that we maintain a high level of RPM to ascertain and capture serious cases early to prevent home deaths," said Dr Silvia Pfeiffer, co-founder and CEO of Coviu.

Coviu maintained that its latest solution is designed to help GPs and nurses "do their jobs in a  time-efficient manner" while keeping them safe from infection. Medical practitioners accessing health data through telehealth and RPM can "more easily identify and prioritise the most at-risk patients, enabling urgent and personalised interventions".  

"By taking a holistic approach to healthcare using RPM technology, the healthcare sector can activate timely interventions, reduce readmissions and better allocate resources according to a patient’s risk. By leaning on integrated solutions, a patient can feel as continuously monitored in the comfort of their home as they would be if they were admitted to hospital," Dr Pfeiffer said.

THE LARGER TREND

Coviu recently partnered with health monitoring platform The Clinician to create an integrated remote patient monitoring dashboard for patient management. With the platform, clinicians can enrol their patients who then can report their own health parameters. It displays all monitored patients on a dashboard and alerts staff if a patient's vital signs have gone beyond normal reading. 

The company is also developing a digital toolkit for telehealth wound care with funding from the federal government. It will enable practitioners to remotely analyse and monitor wounds through AI-powered mobile imaging. The toolkit is targeted to be released on its platform in 2026.

ON THE RECORD

"With new strains of COVID-19 emerging, we’ll need new approaches to dealing with the healthcare crisis. The ability to use telehealth with access to integrated medical devices and technology in the patient’s hands has amazing potential to alleviate the pressure placed on hospitals and the healthcare system while ensuring patients are adequately monitored and supported in real-time," said Propell Health founder and CEO Craig Simmonds.