HCF, Telstra announce telemonitoring partnership

In what has been described as the largest telemonitoring program of its kind, private health insurer HCF has partnered with Telstra and Healthways to provide bio-metric monitoring for members suffering from chronic health issues.

 

In what has been described as the largest telemonitoring program of its kind, private health insurer HCF has partnered with Telstra and wellbeing company Healthways to provide bio-metric monitoring for members suffering from chronic health issues.

Using Telstra’s NextG network, HCF members will be able to manage their conditions using devices such as weight scales, glucometers for monitoring blood glucose levels and oximeters for measuring blood oxygen saturation levels.

The telemonitoring will be combined with telephone-based support from registered nurses.

The program is an extension of HCF’s My Health Guardian program, which currently supports more than 27,000 members who manage a chronic condition.

HCF managing director Shaun Larkin said the strategic partnership with Telstra would help many of these members to better control these conditions, using the latest digital technology and devices.

The company said the telemonitoring program was the latest in a series of enhancements to My Health Guardian. In 2012 it upgraded the service with an enhanced website and integrated iPhone and Android applications.

Healthways, which provides care management and wellbeing programs to over 45 million people worldwide, delivers the My Health Guardian program on behalf of HCF.

Healthways Australia managing director Dr Linda Swan said the partnership demonstrated that “market leadership can be achieved when innovation is combined with expertise in technology and population health management strategies.”

Gordon Schultz, a HCF member currently using the My Health Guardian service, said: “Everything about the service is great. Until I got sick I didn’t realise all of this support was there. It’s fantastic to know someone is there other than your doctor, giving advice and monitoring. It’s been a real eye-opener.”

Tags: chronic-disease, hcf, Healthway, telemonitoring, telstra,

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