Intel gets FDA OK for personal health system

By Debra Sherman

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Intel Corp, the world's biggest computer chip maker, on Thursday won clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to sell an in-home health monitoring system for patients with chronic conditions.

The system, called Health Guide, combines an in-home patient device as well as online access that enables health care professionals to monitor patients and remotely manage care.

It incorporates interactive tools for personalized care management and integrates vital sign collection, patient reminders, multimedia educational content and feedback, and communications tools such as video conferencing and e-mail.

The Health Guide system can connect to specific models of wired and wireless medical devices, including blood pressure monitors, glucose meters, pulse oximeters, peak flow meters and weight scales. It also stores and displays collected information on a touch screen and sends to a secure host server, where health care professionals can review the information.

"We're focusing on chronic conditions and that's approaching a billion patients. The system will enable those people to connect with their caregivers from home," Louis Burns, vice president and general manager of Intel's Digital Health Group, said in a telephone interview.

He declined to estimate the size of the market or growth rates but said the system will initially be marketed to insurance companies, health care providers and governments.

The company is still doing pilot studies and initial results suggest using the system will save money, Burns said.

"The feedback has been good. The clinicians like it and the elders like it," he said.