Meet with us at VIVE 2024!

Add Your Heading Text Here

RPM Dashboard
Article

Addressing the limits of connected health — and breaking them

8 min read

How did the connected health movement begin and what are the roadblocks to access and adoption? We talked to a Health Economist about the history and future of the technology that is revolutionizing healthcare.

Inventing, producing, and marketing connected health devices requires attention to consumer trends, regulatory developments, international markets, and a variety of other fields. However, devoting resources and centering product philosophy to uplifting people who might otherwise be left out of the connected health world is paramount as there is no complete ecosystem without their participation. But when we mention people being left out of the connected health ecosystem, who are we referencing? Some might typically point to older members of the population, but this would not accurately describe everyone who stands to lose by not being part of the connected health revolution.

Health economist and author Jane Sarasohn-Kahn has spent decades researching the healthcare industry and its associated technology and limits to wider adoption. Sarasohn-Kahn touches upon various events that have led to connected health and the limits that have prevented more participation in the ecosystem, and Withings Co-founder and current President Éric Carreel responds with how he is working to address roadblocks and inviting more stakeholders into the connected health fold.

The curious case of recessions driving innovation

Addressing the limits on connected health requires a bird’s-eye view of the landscape, and Sarasohn-Kahn does so by saying COVID19 has accelerated “do-it-yourself” (DIY) care, partly evidenced by spending on out-of-pocket costs increasing by a third during the pandemic. However, according to Sarasohn-Kahn, this DIY health trend didn’t start in 2020, but far earlier. She cites the Great Recession of 2007 as a turning point towards wider adoption of connected health.

“In recessions, people are broke. We end up depending on ourselves to make life, rather than going to restaurants, doctors, etc. So, how do we avoid spending money outside of the house? We take it inside the house,” says Sarasohn-Kahn.

And a lack of money is key in the story of the Great Recession. Inflation may have contracted and recovered within 18 months, but The Great Recession’s financial effects extended well beyond as one in five U.S. workers were laid off and never received a full-time job again. In addition, from 2006 to 2016, middle income earners’ wages grew at a slower rate than low and high earners. Digital gigwork began to fill in the employment holes with Airbnb and TaskRabbit in 2008 and Uber in 2010, and all of these events together made for either no healthcare coverage or increasingly expensive plans and doctor visits.

The decrease in the number of jobs that provided healthcare meant more self-reliance with regard to personal health. Again, Sarasohn-Kahn explains the wider psychological effect on this wider national decrease in income-disparities for American workers. “We go through these recessions, feel broke or limited, and we make up for it with more self-care, with the home emerging as a health hub.” This idea of health at home was especially pronounced three years after the Great Recession as the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act (the ACA) was not signed until the end of March of 2010 before states were mandated to expand American citizens’ access to healthcare.

The rise of the quantified self

However, the DIY home-health phenomenon wasn’t just due to financial insecurity and job loss. The increase in connected health intersected with Apple’s iPhone release the same year of the recession’s beginning, 2007, and this convergence led to wider adoption of connected health beyond the original enthusiasts known as the Quantified-Self (QS) community who would previously go to Radio Shack to buy components and “make” their own contraptions to capture health metrics. 2008 was also the year Withings was founded by engineers, including Carreel, who were looking to revolutionize the world’s relationship with health. Then in 2009, Withings engineers developed and brought to market the world’s first connected scale.

In terms of access, America was headed towards the beginnings of connected health, but the journey towards wider adoption had not been one of linear progress but a mix of deep and painful economic realities and technological advancements.

Connected health roadblocks: high-speed internet, health literacy, and data privacy and control

This most recent economic downturn is not only different with respect to its origin in the pandemic, but also the force by which it has pushed people towards the home as a health hub. Fear of visiting the doctor or actual pauses in annual physicals and other routine care have been a feature of the pandemic as well as the explosion in telemedicine. Therefore, data collection has been pushed even further to digital; but have the limits to greater access been lowered?

Ideally connected health can enable better outcomes by decreasing barriers to meaningful data for both patients and providers, but what are the limits on connected health from expanding into the future or even being accessible to people now? Sarasohn-Kahn states that one of the biggest blocks is access to broadband or high-speed internet, something the Federal Communications Commission says is not being rolled out at the rate needed for America. With almost 15% of American households without an internet subscription (or double that rate for low-income earners), access to connected health is not tenable in the absence of reliable broadband.

Sarasohn-Kahn continues by saying that health “literacy” is another major challenge, and this can be divided into four categories:

  • General reading literacy
  • Digital literacy
  • Health plan literacy
  • Medical literacy, as in understanding how to use a prescription drug regimen, etc

Regarding general literacy, the U.S. Department of Education reported in 2019 that 43 million adults (16–65) in America lack basic literacy, or more specifically, are unable to complete simple forms, consume relatively short texts, or find the meaning of sentences. Two-thirds of those adults were born in the U.S..

General illiteracy leads to additional illiteracy in the other three categories without explicit and external help from community and healthcare sources. The added weight of poverty being closely associated with illiteracy is another strike in terms of families and individuals being able to allocate personal funds for connected devices, and this can leave a large segment of the population out of the connected health ecosystem even in the presence of Wi-Fi access.

This realization led Sarasohn-Kahn to assert that access to broadband is a social determinant of health; without it, and especially learned in the COVID-19 public health crisis and #StayHome era, people could not work from home, attend school or college at a distance, seek jobs, or communicate with loved ones living elsewhere.

Data privacy and control is another limit to connected health that Sarasohn-Kahn lists. Though many of us may be vacillating back and forth between the acceptance that most of our data has been compromised at one point and the idea that we still retain some morsel of anonymity regarding our personal health information, scientists have polled segments of the population across the world and find that a majority of people would be fine sharing their health data for scientific research and even disclosing analytics for financial reward.

Forward-thinking health companies are responding to these limits on connected health by developing devices that operate with cellular service. Take Withings Health Solutions, the new B2B arm of Withings to provide digital health programs, providers, and patients the tools they need to address the limits of connected health as outlined above:

  1. Broadband access — Health Solutions provides digital health programs with smart devices including scales and blood pressure monitors that require no Wi-Fi or internet connection. Instead, devices connect through cell service thereby making a more inclusive environment for people living in rural areas, low-income households, and others who might lack access to broadband services. In addition, devices can be mailed directly to patients thereby overcoming potential issues in transportation.
  2. Literacy — The Withings devices from Health Solutions require minimal installation usually entailing one step to complete setup. However, healthcare professionals can opt to be part of the program so patients receive external help that any literacy might otherwise be impeded by. Technology is scary for a lot of people, and making it as easy to use as possible reduces barriers in literacy.
  3. Data privacy and control —Devices sold in the Withings Health Solutions range can be set up in a HIPAA compliant environment. In addition, Withings is a European company that follows GDPR rules which ensures users’ data is not abused. Finally, because patient data is oriented towards improving care, the sharing of analytics between patient and doctor follows positive inclinations based on polling conducted across segments of the population.
  4. Cost — Health Solutions promotes preventative care, which by itself is a cost-saving measure, and investments in daily measurements that Health Solutions devices provide ultimately save money by reducing instances of more serious events.

When asked about the work Withings has done to create a more robust connected health ecosystem, Carreel sums up the above by saying, “Our mission has always been to provide empowering tools for patient-centered care. To achieve better long-term health outcomes, Health Solutions is laser-focused on helping save time and money by bridging the gap with accurate data and a system that improves patient management. Reducing barriers, increasing literacy, and respecting others’ data are all key to delivering on the promise of connected health.”

Jane Sarasohn-Kahn is a health economist, advisor, and consultant that has spent three decades advising healthcare stakeholders including public sector entities, NGOs, and life science and tech companies. Jane is also the author of Health Citizenship: How a virus opened up hearts and minds, a book that explores the four pillars of ‘health citizenship’: access to healthcare, data rights, institutional trust, and love for fellow health citizens. You can keep up with Jane and her work at HealthPopuli or follow her on LinkedIn. Please note that Sarasohn-Kahn’s participation in this conversation is not an endorsement of Withings or its associated programs and/or technology.

Health Solutions is the new B2B arm of Withings which provides HIPAA-certified and GDPR-compliant devices for programs and providers to view patient analytics and implement informed care. Data points including weight, heart rate, ECG readings, blood pressure, body temperature, and more can be collected through Withings medical-grade device ecosystem.* Drop shipment of connected devices and dedicated support channels for care managers are available, and cellular capability combined with long battery life ensure that patients remain engaged in programs.

*Certain measurements are country-specific regarding availability.

Learn more about data security at Withings.

Don’t miss out,  subscribe to get the latest content updates.  

Related Content

WP_Query Object ( [query] => Array ( [post_type] => post [post_status] => publish [orderby] => date [order] => DESC [ignore_sticky_posts] => 1 [post__not_in] => Array ( [0] => 363 ) [cat] => 18 [posts_per_page] => 3 ) [query_vars] => Array ( [post_type] => post [post_status] => publish [orderby] => date [order] => DESC [ignore_sticky_posts] => 1 [post__not_in] => Array ( [0] => 363 ) [cat] => 18 [posts_per_page] => 3 [error] => [m] => [p] => 0 [post_parent] => [subpost] => [subpost_id] => [attachment] => [attachment_id] => 0 [name] => [pagename] => [page_id] => 0 [second] => [minute] => [hour] => [day] => 0 [monthnum] => 0 [year] => 0 [w] => 0 [category_name] => articles [tag] => [tag_id] => [author] => [author_name] => [feed] => [tb] => [paged] => 0 [meta_key] => [meta_value] => [preview] => [s] => [sentence] => [title] => [fields] => [menu_order] => => [category__in] => Array ( ) [category__not_in] => Array ( ) [category__and] => Array ( ) [post__in] => Array ( ) [post_name__in] => Array ( ) [tag__in] => Array ( ) [tag__not_in] => Array ( ) [tag__and] => Array ( ) [tag_slug__in] => Array ( ) [tag_slug__and] => Array ( ) [post_parent__in] => Array ( ) [post_parent__not_in] => Array ( ) [author__in] => Array ( ) [author__not_in] => Array ( ) [search_columns] => Array ( ) [suppress_filters] => [cache_results] => 1 [update_post_term_cache] => 1 [update_menu_item_cache] => [lazy_load_term_meta] => 1 [update_post_meta_cache] => 1 [nopaging] => [comments_per_page] => 50 [no_found_rows] => ) [tax_query] => WP_Tax_Query Object ( [queries] => Array ( [0] => Array ( [taxonomy] => category [terms] => Array ( [0] => 18 ) [field] => term_id [operator] => IN [include_children] => 1 ) ) [relation] => AND [table_aliases:protected] => Array ( [0] => wp_term_relationships ) [queried_terms] => Array ( [category] => Array ( [terms] => Array ( [0] => 18 ) [field] => term_id ) ) [primary_table] => wp_posts [primary_id_column] => ID ) [meta_query] => WP_Meta_Query Object ( [queries] => Array ( ) [relation] => [meta_table] => [meta_id_column] => [primary_table] => [primary_id_column] => [table_aliases:protected] => Array ( ) [clauses:protected] => Array ( ) [has_or_relation:protected] => ) [date_query] => [request] => SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS wp_posts.ID FROM wp_posts LEFT JOIN wp_term_relationships ON (wp_posts.ID = wp_term_relationships.object_id) WHERE 1=1 AND wp_posts.ID NOT IN (363) AND ( wp_term_relationships.term_taxonomy_id IN (18) ) AND wp_posts.post_type = 'post' AND ((wp_posts.post_status = 'publish')) GROUP BY wp_posts.ID ORDER BY wp_posts.post_date DESC LIMIT 0, 3 [posts] => Array ( [0] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 1188 [post_author] => 8 [post_date] => 2024-04-16 08:12:38 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-04-16 08:12:38 [post_content] =>

Calls have been growing louder to more effectively address the related problems of diabetes-related foot ulcers (DFUs) and amputations, two of the most serious consequences of diabetes-related peripheral neuropathy (DPN). Health associations like the American Diabetes Association® (ADA), patient advocacy groups, patients, and providers all see the need to improve the detection of DPN, earlier intervention, and more effective treatments to combat an amputation problem that disproportionately impacts communities of color and lower economic status.

 

Unfortunately, there is not a large body of research related to the question of simple compliance with the ADA’s standard of an annual foot exam for people with diabetes. However, a study published in Clinical Nursing Research journal in 2017 indicated only 16% of patient charts reviewed in a specialty clinic met the ADA’s standard for an annual foot exam. Clinicians regularly report seeing patients who present with serious DFUs who have never had a proper foot examination.

 

With the goal of promoting patient education on diabetes-related foot health, earlier detection of neuropathy, and regular diabetes-related foot exams, Withings has partnered with the ADA’s Project Power to put smart scales in the homes of approximately 2,305 participants in 849 cities with particularly high-risk and vulnerable communities. Project Power’s goal is to reduce diabetes risk factors and improve diabetes health literacy, self-care behaviors, and glycemic management. The program is conducted with a combination of in-person and remote sessions that focus on topics such as nutrition, exercise, emotional health, heart health, glucose monitoring, and foot health.

 

Sherry Hill, program director for Project Power, commented, “We are excited to be working with Withings to bring the Project Power participant experience to the next level. By bringing smart scale technology into our participants’ homes, we hope to provide personalized solutions to achieve healthier living goals to reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes and help prevent or delay its complications.”

 

For Withings, Project Power is one of the many examples of how its sophisticated health technology is being used to better connect patients and their health coaches with appropriate care from a clinician. By flagging potential issues earlier and setting up regular monitoring, patient health outcomes can be improved. Through early interventions, lifestyle changes have a better chance of slowing complications.


Learn more about Project Power.

Interested in partnering with us?

Contact Us [post_title] => The ADA and Withings Join Forces to Reduce Diabetes Risk and Complications [post_excerpt] => Peer-reviewed studies have shown that only a fraction of people with diabetes comply with the American Diabetes Association (ADA) standard of annual foot exams. The ADA is now using Withings smart scales in its signature Project Power program to promote regular foot exams and better foot health for people at high-risk for diabetes [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => ada-and-withings-diabetic-foot-health [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-04-16 08:12:39 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-04-16 08:12:39 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://withingshealthsolutions.com/?p=1188 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [1] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 1183 [post_author] => 1 [post_date] => 2024-04-16 08:11:42 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-04-16 08:11:42 [post_content] =>

In an interview with Harvard Medical School’s Harvard Health, Dr. Khosro Farhad, a neuropathy expert at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital, noted that small-fiber neuropathy is generally underdiagnosed because routine neurological exams and tests cannot accurately discriminate between large-fiber and small-fiber neuropathy. 

 

In a literature review of diabetic peripheral neuropathy diagnostic and screening technologies in the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology, Kelley Newlin Lew et al pointed out that the body of research backs up the assertion that distal symmetrical peripheral neuropathy  - including both small- and large-fiber neuropathy - is underdiagnosed in primary care (1).

 

The article points out: 

Small- and large-nerve fiber DSPN (distal symmetrical peripheral neuropathy) may present exclusively or together while each subtype may increase risk for foot ulceration due to reduced sensory function, and thereby heightened risk for lower extremity amputations. According to the ADA, the clinical history and physical examination often are sufficient for diagnosis of DSPN. Yet, up to 50% of individuals with DSPN may be asymptomatic.

 

Small-fiber DSPN typically precedes large-fiber neuropathy. Small-fiber DSPN impairs functional integrity of the small thinly myelinated Aδ and unmyelinated C fibers. These small, peripheral nerve fibers prominently convey pain to the central nervous system. In DSPN, they may stimulate profound pain. Small-fiber DSPN may also adversely affect local autonomic (eg, decreased sweating, dry skin, impaired vasomotion) and thermoreceptor (cold, warm sensations) functions.

 

Often, pain and other symptoms and signs first manifest in the feet and progress proximally to the lower extremities and, in some cases, to the hands with a stocking and glove pattern. However, some with small-fiber DSPN may not experience pain. A proportion of patients with small-fiber neuropathy may present with little evidence of the disease, which may delay DSPN diagnosis.

 

 

The primary care practitioner’s toolbox for diagnosing diabetic peripheral neuropathy has been very limited to date, with tools such as temperature and pin-prick sensation, 128-Hz tuning fork, and 10-g monofilament that are neither quantifiable nor reproducible and are prone to human error. Further, since the ADA Standards of Care only call for annual foot exams for people with a diagnosis of diabetes, a large number of patients with pre-diabetes accompanied by the onset of small fiber neuropathy, miss the chance for an early diagnosis (2,3).

 

Withings is focused intently on this deficit in detection technologies in primary care and other frontline environments. As Newlin Lew points out in the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology article, the Sudoscan® Electrochemical Skin Conductance (ESC) technology being used in our Body Pro 2 device, and that has been used in clinical settings for nearly a decade, could play an important role in improving detection and monitoring:   

 

When considered with respect to past and more recent research, Sudoscan has substantial evidence revealing it may potentially identify early DSPN (although this is not its main use) and monitor DSPN progression over time. Sudoscan also has adequate reproducibility and repeatability. Sudoscan is approved by the FDA and may be reimbursed through proper billing. Sudoscan is thus a POCD [point of care device] worthy of clinical adoption to detect and monitor DSPN in clinical settings.

 

  1. Newlin Lew K, Arnold T, Cantelmo C, Jacque F, Posada-Quintero H, Luthra P, Chon KH. Diabetes Distal Peripheral Neuropathy: Subtypes and Diagnostic and Screening Technologies. Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology. 2022 Mar;16(2):295-320. doi: 10.1177/19322968211035375. Epub 2022 Jan 7. PMID: 34994241; PMCID: PMC8861801. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8861801/
  2. Williams SM, Eleftheriadou A, Alam U, Cuthbertson DJ, Wilding JPH. Cardiac Autonomic Neuropathy in Obesity, the Metabolic Syndrome and Prediabetes: A Narrative Review. Diabetes Ther. 2019 Dec;10(6):1995-2021. doi: 10.1007/s13300-019-00693-0. Epub 2019 Sep 24. Erratum in: Diabetes Ther. 2019 Oct 4;: PMID: 31552598; PMCID: PMC6848658. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6848658/
  3.  Burgess J, Frank B, Marshall A, Khalil RS, Ponirakis G, Petropoulos IN, Cuthbertson DJ, Malik RA, Alam U. Early Detection of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy: A Focus on Small Nerve Fibres. Diagnostics (Basel). 2021 Jan 24;11(2):165. doi: 10.3390/diagnostics11020165. PMID: 33498918; PMCID: PMC7911433. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7911433/

Interested in partnering with us?

Contact Us [post_title] => Small Fiber Neuropathy - The Under-Diagnosed Peripheral Neuropathy [post_excerpt] => In an interview with Harvard Medical School’s Harvard Health, Dr. Khosro Farhad, a neuropathy expert at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital, noted that small-fiber neuropathy is generally underdiagnosed because routine neurological exams and tests cannot accurately discriminate between large-fiber and small-fiber neuropathy. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => small-fiber-neuropathy-the-under-diagnosed-peripheral-neuropathy [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-04-16 08:17:26 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-04-16 08:17:26 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://withingshealthsolutions.com/?p=1183 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [2] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 1184 [post_author] => 1 [post_date] => 2024-04-16 08:09:33 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-04-16 08:09:33 [post_content] =>

Electrochemical Skin Conductance (ESC) is a physiological parameter that measures the reactivity of sweat glands and small nerve fibers in the skin to electrical stimuli. Elevated blood sugar levels can harm blood vessels, inhibiting their ability to supply oxygen and essential nutrients to these small nerves, leading to their deterioration. This effect is amplified because the nerve fibers that supply sweat glands are long, thin and unmyelinated, they are easily damaged. When the sweat glands and small nerve fibers lose functionality, it is a sign of starting peripheral neuropathy.


Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) affects the majority of patients with diabetes, but it is difficult to diagnose in its early stages because up to half of those affected are asymptomatic (no pain and good feet sensation). These undetected signs and lack of care can lead to Diabetic Foot Ulcer (DFU) and in the worst case to amputation(1). Though late stage DPN cannot be reversed, early detection can help to slow the progression through exercise, HbA1c control, addressing certain vitamin deficiencies, and other lifestyle changes. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, early detection and treatment of DPN and resulting foot ulcers has the potential to prevent up to 85% of amputations (2,3).


Many studies have demonstrated the link between sudomotor function and the risk for DPN paving the way for the use of the Sudoscan within DPN characterization (4,5,6,7). ESC has now a 15+ year track record of R&D and a body of peer-reviewed research in more than 200 scientific publications. Because of this vast array of clinical evidence,Withings decided to integrate the ESC measurement into its scales leading to the Body Pro 2 device. To measure ESC, patients simply step on the Body Pro 2 scale (8). Electrodes in the scale emit a small painless current to the feet, and the device measures the resulting chloride conductance in the sweat glands. Within 60 seconds, patients and their providers receive their ESC score (and other biomarkers). Low conductance, and thus a low ESC score, indicates sudomotor dysfunction with a known threshold to stratify patients. 


With a persistent DFU and amputation problem impacting millions of people with diabetes, it is clear that current clinical methods and patient compliance are insufficient to markedly reduce incidences. Even for patients who have their annual foot exam, the conventional monofilament test results in a misdiagnosis nearly half the time (9). Skin biopsies are conclusive, but invasive, painful, and especially problematic for patients who have a high risk of infection and whose wounds heal slowly. By contrast, our ESC technology provides a rapid, operator-independent, and reproducible method that can replace monofilament and balance the drawbacks of invasive biopsy.


While preventing DFUs is a complex problem requiring multi-faceted solutions, we are already working with leading providers in the U.S., Europe and Asia to enable easier and more reliable diagnosis and monitoring of DPN using the ESC technology in Body Pro 2. Importantly, we believe that the quantifiable, reproducible, rapid and non-invasive methodology has far more potential for scaling in proportion to the size of the DFU problem, and can better serve the requirements of a highly diverse patient population. 

  1.  Armstrong, D. G., Tan, T.-W., Boulton, A. J. M. & Bus, S. A. Diabetic Foot Ulcers: A Review. JAMA 330, 62–75 (2023).  https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2806655
  2.  Hunt, D. Diabetes: Foot Ulcers and Amputations. Am. Fam. Physician 80, 789–790 (2009).  https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2009/1015/p789.html
  3.  Esquenazi, A., Kwasniewski, M. Lower Limb Amputations: Epidemiology and Assessment. PM&R KnowledgeNow (2017). https://now.aapmr.org/lower-limb-amputations-epidemiology-and-assessment/
  4.  Galiero, R. et al. Peripheral Neuropathy in Diabetes Mellitus: Pathogenetic Mechanisms and Diagnostic Options. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 24, 3554 (2023). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24043554
  5.  Casellini, C. M., Parson, H. K., Richardson, M. S., Nevoret, M. L. & Vinik, A. I. Sudoscan, a noninvasive tool for detecting diabetic small fiber neuropathy and autonomic dysfunction. Diabetes Technol. Ther. 15, 948–953 (2013). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3817891/
  6.  Vinik, A. I., Nevoret, M.-L. & Casellini, C. The New Age of Sudomotor Function Testing: A Sensitive and Specific Biomarker for Diagnosis, Estimation of Severity, Monitoring Progression, and Regression in Response to Intervention. Front. Endocrinol. 6, 94 (2015). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4463960/
  7. Novak, P. Electrochemical skin conductance: a systematic review. Clin. Auton. Res. Off. J. Clin. Auton. Res. Soc. 29, 17–29 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10286-017-0467-x
  8.  Riveline, J.-P. et al. Validation of the Body Scan®, a new device to detect small fiber neuropathy by assessment of the sudomotor function: agreement with the Sudoscan®. Front. Neurol. 14, (2023). https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2023.1256984
  9.  Dube, S. et al. Effectiveness of Semmes Weinstein 10 gm monofilament in diabetic peripheral neuropathy taking nerve conduction and autonomic function study as reference tests. J. Fam. Med. Prim. Care 11, 6204–6208 (2022). https://doi.org/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_195_22

Interested in partnering with us?

Contact Us [post_title] => Understanding our ESC Technology for Detecting and Monitoring DPN [post_excerpt] => Electrochemical Skin Conductance (ESC) is a physiological parameter that measures the reactivity of sweat glands and small nerve fibers in the skin to electrical stimuli. Elevated blood sugar levels can harm blood vessels, inhibiting their ability to supply oxygen and essential nutrients to these small nerves, leading to their deterioration. This effect is amplified because the nerve fibers that supply sweat glands are long, thin and unmyelinated, they are easily damaged. When the sweat glands and small nerve fibers lose functionality, it is a sign of starting peripheral neuropathy. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => understanding-our-esc-technology-for-detecting-and-monitoring-dpn [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-04-16 08:15:45 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-04-16 08:15:45 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://withingshealthsolutions.com/?p=1184 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) ) [post_count] => 3 [current_post] => -1 [before_loop] => 1 [in_the_loop] => [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 1188 [post_author] => 8 [post_date] => 2024-04-16 08:12:38 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-04-16 08:12:38 [post_content] =>

Calls have been growing louder to more effectively address the related problems of diabetes-related foot ulcers (DFUs) and amputations, two of the most serious consequences of diabetes-related peripheral neuropathy (DPN). Health associations like the American Diabetes Association® (ADA), patient advocacy groups, patients, and providers all see the need to improve the detection of DPN, earlier intervention, and more effective treatments to combat an amputation problem that disproportionately impacts communities of color and lower economic status.

 

Unfortunately, there is not a large body of research related to the question of simple compliance with the ADA’s standard of an annual foot exam for people with diabetes. However, a study published in Clinical Nursing Research journal in 2017 indicated only 16% of patient charts reviewed in a specialty clinic met the ADA’s standard for an annual foot exam. Clinicians regularly report seeing patients who present with serious DFUs who have never had a proper foot examination.

 

With the goal of promoting patient education on diabetes-related foot health, earlier detection of neuropathy, and regular diabetes-related foot exams, Withings has partnered with the ADA’s Project Power to put smart scales in the homes of approximately 2,305 participants in 849 cities with particularly high-risk and vulnerable communities. Project Power’s goal is to reduce diabetes risk factors and improve diabetes health literacy, self-care behaviors, and glycemic management. The program is conducted with a combination of in-person and remote sessions that focus on topics such as nutrition, exercise, emotional health, heart health, glucose monitoring, and foot health.

 

Sherry Hill, program director for Project Power, commented, “We are excited to be working with Withings to bring the Project Power participant experience to the next level. By bringing smart scale technology into our participants’ homes, we hope to provide personalized solutions to achieve healthier living goals to reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes and help prevent or delay its complications.”

 

For Withings, Project Power is one of the many examples of how its sophisticated health technology is being used to better connect patients and their health coaches with appropriate care from a clinician. By flagging potential issues earlier and setting up regular monitoring, patient health outcomes can be improved. Through early interventions, lifestyle changes have a better chance of slowing complications.


Learn more about Project Power.

Interested in partnering with us?

Contact Us [post_title] => The ADA and Withings Join Forces to Reduce Diabetes Risk and Complications [post_excerpt] => Peer-reviewed studies have shown that only a fraction of people with diabetes comply with the American Diabetes Association (ADA) standard of annual foot exams. The ADA is now using Withings smart scales in its signature Project Power program to promote regular foot exams and better foot health for people at high-risk for diabetes [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => ada-and-withings-diabetic-foot-health [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-04-16 08:12:39 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-04-16 08:12:39 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://withingshealthsolutions.com/?p=1188 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [comment_count] => 0 [current_comment] => -1 [found_posts] => 22 [max_num_pages] => 8 [max_num_comment_pages] => 0 [is_single] => [is_preview] => [is_page] => [is_archive] => 1 [is_date] => [is_year] => [is_month] => [is_day] => [is_time] => [is_author] => [is_category] => 1 [is_tag] => [is_tax] => [is_search] => [is_feed] => [is_comment_feed] => [is_trackback] => [is_home] => [is_privacy_policy] => [is_404] => [is_embed] => [is_paged] => [is_admin] => [is_attachment] => [is_singular] => [is_robots] => [is_favicon] => [is_posts_page] => [is_post_type_archive] => [query_vars_hash:WP_Query:private] => e98c08aa9ad5ca45ada385d64d060b8d [query_vars_changed:WP_Query:private] => [thumbnails_cached] => [allow_query_attachment_by_filename:protected] => [stopwords:WP_Query:private] => [compat_fields:WP_Query:private] => Array ( [0] => query_vars_hash [1] => query_vars_changed ) [compat_methods:WP_Query:private] => Array ( [0] => init_query_flags [1] => parse_tax_query ) )
Article

The ADA and Withings Join Forces to Reduce Diabetes Risk and Complications

Read More
Article

Small Fiber Neuropathy – The Under-Diagnosed Peripheral Neuropathy

Read More
Article

Understanding our ESC Technology for Detecting and Monitoring DPN

Read More

Interested in partnering with Withings Health Solutions?

Contact Us

References

About withings health solutions
For developers
For researchers
© 2023 Withings All rights reserved. Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Cookie Policy
Linkedin