Remote patient monitoring — the use of electronic devices to collect and record health and medical data at one location and have that data reviewed by a provider at another — has become more mainstream. RPM enables elderly patients, chronically ill and others to better manage their health remotely.
The Covid-19 pandemic has Enhanced use of RPM technology. But the real prosperity is still to come.
By 2025, Insider information There will be an estimated 70.6 million US RPM users.The global RPM systems market is expected to reach $1.7 billion by 2027, with each Research and Marketing43% of respondents were recent survey It is believed that the adoption of RPM will be on a par with inpatient monitoring within five years.
Heart rate monitors, blood glucose monitors, smartwatches, wearables, and more—all technologies now mature enough to examine and analyze key biometrics—increasingly enable individuals to take action on their own health. Proactive attitude.
Their success stems from simplicity, requiring little effort other than wearing the device. But the features are also undeniable, as they provide providers with more data to help inform and track the effectiveness of treatment plans and other health recommendations.
Still, despite all the advances in the field, the use of acoustic biomarkers for early health detection has not been at the same level — until now. That’s why sound biomarkers are a huge driver, and frankly, necessary for RPM.
The simplicity of sound biomarkers
Wearables are simple. Healthy voice biomarkers can be easier and longer-lasting – because we use our voices every day.
No band. No ring. No need to tie anything. In the near future, this technology will be embedded directly into the devices you use every day. Forget about health monitoring, it just happens in the background using your voice as you go about your daily activities.
Best of all, there is no need to buy new equipment. Instead, you’ll effortlessly engage with objective and private health insights that are constantly updated for you. This health insight turned out to be quite broad.
Open a new window on health
Just as your resting heart rate or blood oxygen level can provide key insights into your health and well-being, so can your voice.
Changes in an individual’s physiology can cause subtle changes in sound that are imperceptible to the human ear. Recent advances in audio signal processing and machine learning (ML) technologies make it possible to detect these changes and correlate them with symptoms of respiratory disease, depression, and other health conditions. Using information contained in a simple 30-second speech sample, providers can help patients anticipate future health concerns and prescribe or adjust treatment plans as needed.
Considering that 12% to 18% of adults over the age of 60 will develop mild cognitive impairment, and 10% to 20% of people with mild cognitive impairment will develop dementia-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s from the age of 65 Hymer’s disease. What if there was a way to remotely monitor early signs of cognitive decline in these patient populations? Just might have.
Hearing loss is the most common chronic health condition affecting older adults. It is also a risk factor for dementia. Research is now underway using hearing aids to collect speech samples that can analyze measurable aspects of speech affected by mild cognitive impairment. Ultimately, identifying these changes could lead to the early detection of debilitating and life-threatening diseases such as dementia or Alzheimer’s.
The benefits of acoustic biomarkers go beyond being an early warning system. For example, for chronic or mental health conditions, providers can remotely monitor a patient’s status and progress between appointments, cross-referencing objective data obtained through voice samples and notes or tests taken during any appointment. At the same time, patients have a low-effort way to learn about their health, better enabling them to seek help when they need it and keep them engaged in care.
But it’s not just health systems, payers, providers and pharmaceutical companies that will see the benefits of increased voice biometric monitoring.
Greater general impact of sound biomarkers
Speech biomarkers are the primary biomarkers. They are ubiquitous and arguably the least invasive. Anyone with a smartphone, health app or wearable device can take advantage of this technology. This can pay dividends across multiple industries and transform companies across industries into healthcare companies.
Take the automotive industry for example. Cars are already equipped with advanced technology, including audio.However, as early as 2026, automakers will Need to install monitoring system Stop drunk drivers in new cars. A system using acoustic biomarker technology can do this. When deployed with other biomarkers and driving data, they can detect the level of driver impairment — whether it’s alcoholism or fatigue — and park or shut down the vehicle safely to prevent dangerous or even fatal driving accidents .
Similar safety measures can be used by the entire transportation industry or by manufacturing or construction companies that use heavy machinery. Acoustic biomarkers can be used to determine how alert workers are and to shut down equipment if operators appear to be overtired.
Vocal biomarkers are also potential game-changers in the gaming space. With a simple, short speech sample, gamers can be informed that they may be leaning, indicating that it may be time to step away from the action a bit.
The benefits of using acoustic biomarkers across industries are endless – they can also lead to cost savings.
Coping with rising healthcare costs
It turns out that early detection of any health condition—especially mental health—can lead to better outcomes for patients. But there are also financial factors to consider.
Health care costs have been rising for years, U.S. employers think their group plan premiums will Average growth of 4.7% to 5.2% in 2022.
One of the main drivers of rising healthcare costs is that diseases are often not detected early.According to the most recent McMillan Research ReportPeople with comorbidities—individuals with more than one medical condition, often mental health-related disorders and physical health-related disorders—cost the health care system six times as much as those with chronic physical conditions alone.
Vocal biomarkers could alleviate this economic burden as early detectors of underlying psychological and chronic health problems. By spotting trending health insights earlier, people can seek information and even treatment earlier, saving them and the health system even more healthcare costs in the future.
Take a proactive approach to healthcare
how do you feel?
Think about what your answer to this question might be. Your answer might say one thing, but subtle changes in your voice might tell a different story. Early health detection and monitoring can mean the difference between proactively addressing underlying health issues and deferring until the situation becomes more serious.
As more people take a proactive approach to their healthcare, RPM technology will become more ingrained in their daily lives. The ability to easily collect and analyze key health-related data in a personalized way before health problems will spark a desire to leverage other early detection and prevention avenues. Sound biomarkers are in high demand due to their simplicity, ease and effectiveness.
Not so long ago, acoustic biomarkers could not be processed at scale. Now, things have changed. Voice is a core component in the growing digital biomarker ecosystem – RPM would be a better fit for it.
Image credit: iNueng, Getty Images
