Pictured above, Michael Leggett, a MedStar Health patient, uses a tablet to check into an app that helps him keep track of his daily vital signs and symptoms.
Since being diagnosed with cardio sarcoidosis, a condition that commonly results in heart failure, Michael Leggett has made it a point to stay on top of his weight, diet, and daily medications to keep himself healthy. When his primary care physician at MedStar Washington Hospital Center asked if he would be interested in participating in a study that would give him more power over monitoring his vitals and symptoms daily, he was eager to give it a try.
The MedStar Health study, in partnership with artificial intelligence company ObEN Inc., equipped Leggett with a tablet device to take home. The tablet included an app preloaded with personalized information about Leggett’s health history. For the next 90 days, he was required to check into the app daily to answer questions about his weight, salt intake, and daily medications. He was also asked about symptoms—confirming if he’s been experiencing shortness of breath, swollen ankles, or coughing. And the “person” asking these questions was a 3-D healthcare assistant avatar named Tara.
“I thought it was really progressive technology,” said the 63-year-old grandfather. “It was easy to check in every morning and answer her questions. It didn’t take long at all.”
Leggett’s answers to these questions were relayed in real time to a patient dashboard monitored by our nurses. The responses are color-coded, making it easy to quickly identify those patients experiencing serious symptoms. For example, if a patient answers “yes” to experiencing chest pains or to gaining more than three pounds in a day, those answers appear on the dashboard in bright red to alert the nurses on the other end.
“If severe symptoms like these are present, the patient’s physician and nurse are texted immediately,” says Nawar Shara, PhD, director, Department of Biostatistics and Biomedical Informatics, MedStar Health Research Institute. Dr. Shara recalls one patient in the study whose answers one day prompted an alert. She was immediately connected to her physician, who determined she needed to be admitted to the hospital right away.
“Her physician believes that had she not been admitted that day, a massive heart attack would have occurred,” Dr. Shara says. “So this study, indeed, saved her life.”
Pictured above, Michael Leggett, a MedStar Health patient, uses a tablet to check into an app that helps him keep track of his daily vital signs and symptoms.
Since being diagnosed with cardio sarcoidosis, a condition that commonly results in heart failure, Michael Leggett has made it a point to stay on top of his weight, diet, and daily medications to keep himself healthy. When his primary care physician at MedStar Washington Hospital Center asked if he would be interested in participating in a study that would give him more power over monitoring his vitals and symptoms daily, he was eager to give it a try.
The MedStar Health study, in partnership with artificial intelligence company ObEN Inc., equipped Leggett with a tablet device to take home. The tablet included an app preloaded with personalized information about Leggett’s health history. For the next 90 days, he was required to check into the app daily to answer questions about his weight, salt intake, and daily medications. He was also asked about symptoms—confirming if he’s been experiencing shortness of breath, swollen ankles, or coughing. And the “person” asking these questions was a 3-D healthcare assistant avatar named Tara.
“I thought it was really progressive technology,” said the 63-year-old grandfather. “It was easy to check in every morning and answer her questions. It didn’t take long at all.”
Leggett’s answers to these questions were relayed in real time to a patient dashboard monitored by our nurses. The responses are color-coded, making it easy to quickly identify those patients experiencing serious symptoms. For example, if a patient answers “yes” to experiencing chest pains or to gaining more than three pounds in a day, those answers appear on the dashboard in bright red to alert the nurses on the other end.
“If severe symptoms like these are present, the patient’s physician and nurse are texted immediately,” says Nawar Shara, PhD, director, Department of Biostatistics and Biomedical Informatics, MedStar Health Research Institute. Dr. Shara recalls one patient in the study whose answers one day prompted an alert. She was immediately connected to her physician, who determined she needed to be admitted to the hospital right away.
“Her physician believes that had she not been admitted that day, a massive heart attack would have occurred,” Dr. Shara says. “So this study, indeed, saved her life.”
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Thirty MedStar Health patients participated in the study, with another 30 patients enrolling in a similar study using Amazon Echo devices, instead of tablets, for daily check-ins. The average age of participants was 54 years old.
According to Dr. Shara, the study was so successful that MedStar Health is looking to expand this offering to patients with other illnesses.
“This would be particularly helpful for cancer patients who may not want to visit the hospital as often or for elderly patients who are not as mobile,” she says, adding that the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the need for more at-home methods of patient health monitoring.
Michael Leggett says his participation in the study has made him more aware of and proactive with his day-to-day health.
“If my weight fluctuates, I can pinpoint why that is and make adjustments to my diet,” says the Waldorf, Md. resident. “I find myself much more cognizant of my body now.”