Walgreens is tapping a Qualcomm wireless health platform to launch a mobile and web-based health care initiative aimed at spurring Walgreens' customers to take a proactive and more active role in keeping healthy.
The partnership effort, which also involves Novartis, involves Walgreens using the 2net Platform to integrate health data via medical devices and apps into its network of apps and services. Customers who use the system will be rewarded via Walgreens' Balance Rewards loyalty program.
"Qualcomm Life's 2net Platform is one of the first technology-agnostic data systems that enables end-to-end interoperability for medical devices, making information easily accessible for device companies and ultimately device users and their health care providers and caregivers," Rick Valencia, senior VP and general manager of Qualcomm Life, told Tech Times in an email interview.
Qualcomm Life is a division of Qualcomm and is targeted at helping users manage their health.
Walgreens' Balance Rewards program provides customer points through a number of health-related programs. The new system will be synced to their accounts, enabling them to earn more points and enabling pharmacists at Walgreens to access their biometric and health data.
"Technologies like Walgreens 2net-enabled applications and connected medical devices empower consumers to better manage their health, and enable health care providers to better manage their patient populations. Connectivity brings convenience, accuracy and mobility to health care and will ultimately put health care in the palm of consumer's hands," says Valencia.
The move signals the start of an era of connected technology. Qualcomm, among other companies, is investing billions of dollars in the emerging Internet-of-Things industry, with the goal of connecting all different types of devices in an attempt to make our lives easier. Examples of these kinds of devices include the smart refrigerator and the smart TV.
There has been particular interest by vendors in driving IoT innovation within health care, given the aging demographic in the U.S. and consumer demand for such tools and health care tracking.
"Health care is moving home as more and more baby boomers are aging. ~14 million seniors are being discharged from the hospital each day in the U.S., and we need solutions that can help manage these patients outside of acute care settings," says Valencia.
"That's where connected chronic care management solutions come into the picture. Through care coordination, exception-based management and remote monitoring, health care providers can better manage their at-risk patient populations and keep them out of the costly, acute-care settings."
