Royal Philips has announced that its eCareCoordinator and eCareCompanion telehealth applications have received 510(k) clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A part of Philips Hospital to Home's suite of telehealth programs, these applications are focused on patient care within the home.They are the first clinical applications to be available through a cloud-based digital health platform.

eCareCoordinator supports population health management by providing clinicians with a daily review of their patients, allowing them to prioritize and adjust care plans or intervene as needed. It further gives them real-time access to both objective health data like vital signs, blood pressure, and weight a well as subjective responses collected via health questionnaires and other communications.

The eCareCompanion application serves as a patient portal, driving patient engagement and self-management. The personalized application is accessed via a tablet, and allows patients to answer questions about their health and enter requested measurements. It enables them to stay connected with their care teams. Its ability to connect with medical devices such as a weight scale, oximeter, blood pressure meter, and medicine dispenser, offers a deeper insight into a patient's health. The application also proactively reminds them of pre-assigned health tasks like taking medications, to encourage adherence and better outcomes.

"The FDA clearance of the Philips eCareCoordinator and eCareCompanion applications marks the first major step in realizing our vision for a digital health platform that seamlessly integrates data to transform the way we deliver patient care," said Mr Jeroen Tas, CEO, Philips Healthcare Informatics Solutions and Services.

He added, "These applications address both clinician and patient needs, providing clinicians with better access and analysis around patient data while empowering patients to manage their own health with direct access to care teams. The deeper insights into patient conditions will help enable more efficient and cost-effective care for improved outcomes."