Congestive heart failure is the leading reason for hospital admission in the United States, and recently it was shown that 26.9% of patients in the Medicare cohort are re-hospitalized within 30 days. The cost burden to the health system for these readmissions is profound and estimated to be in the range of $10 Billion per year.
With the newfound ability to monitor multiple highly relevant physiologic parameters on a continuous 24/7 basis—such as heart rhythm, fluid status and respiratory rate—there is the potential to markedly reduce the need for hospital readmissions among patients with heart failure. Corventis' remote monitoring wireless system was approved by the FDA in February 2009, which sets up the potential for a multicenter, randomized clinical trial. The trial will be spearheaded by the West Wireless Health Institute and led by Dr. Eric J. Topol, the Institute's chief medical officer. Dr. Topol is also chief academic officer at Scripps Health and holder of the Gary and Mary West Chair of Innovative Medicine.
"Congestive heart failure is one of the largest and most problematic diagnoses in medicine today, with a tremendous toll on the quality of life of patients and an enormous economic burden to the country," said Topol. "But, fortunately, heart failure is prototypic for remote wireless monitoring. Through innovative wireless sensor technologies that use smartphones and broadband communication, we have the new capability of early and rapid detection of key parameters with a simple disposable smart 'band aid' that can relay the data on a continuous basis through the Internet."
Participation in the pivotal randomized trial with WWHI and Corventis will be offered to the sites supported by the National Institutes of Health Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) National Consortium, which consists of 38 of the most prestigious academic medical centers in the United States. The trial is designed to clinically validate remote wireless monitoring technology in proactively managing heart failure patients and reducing hospital readmissions.
"Corventis understands the tremendous potential of non-invasive wireless technology and sensors to transform the way we monitor cardiac patients on a continuous and remote basis," added Topol.
"Corventis believes in evidence-based medicine, and is delighted to partner with the West Wireless Health Institute, and leading clinical centers on this important clinical research initiative," said Ed Manicka, Ph.D., president and CEO of Corventis. "Our technology is designed to deliver focused visibility into the cardiac health status of patients by combining patient-friendly wearable sensors with advanced computational algorithms, global wireless capabilities and a comprehensive web-based infrastructure."
Corventis will work closely with the Institute's clinical research and wireless engineering teams to ensure the research devices improve the existing level of care, and are safe, reliable and cost effective. Don Jones, vice president of Health and Life Sciences at Qualcomm, and the Institute's chief wireless officer, will lead the integration of wireless technology with the clinical research activity.
"This unprecedented combination of clinical research and wireless engineering represents a phenomenal change in the way we will administer and experience health care moving forward," said Jones. "This research program will develop revolutionary new methods to create more efficient and less expensive individualized health care and will enable wireless sensors and remote monitoring technologies, like those from Corventis, to become much more pervasive."
Dr. Topol will be delivering a keynote address this morning, Wednesday, June 24, at a technology and policy forum on mHealth solutions hosted by CTIA - The Wireless Association. The forum is being held at The Capitol Visitor Center at the U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C., and will give Congressional Members, Obama Administration Officials, and medical and policy experts the opportunity to discuss the mobile medical applications already being deployed, and the tremendous cost savings wireless health solutions can provide for health care reform.
For more information on the West Wireless Health Institute, please visit Institute's web site.
About the West Wireless Health Institute
The West Wireless Health Institute is one of the first medical research organizations in the world supporting the exploration and application of wireless technologies to advance human health and well-being. Along with Scripps Health and Qualcomm, the Institute is fostering an unprecedented convergence of science, medicine, engineering and technology to change the way health care is delivered. The West Wireless Health Institute is based in San Diego, CA.
About Corventis
Corventis, Inc. is a pioneer in wireless cardiovascular solutions. The company's technology enables global personalized patient care by providing clinicians with actionable diagnoses for early detection, prevention and treatment. Corventis is funded by prominent venture capital firms Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers, Mohr Davidow Ventures and DAG Ventures. Privately held, the company is located in San Jose, CA.