Medux, a healthcare service provider and supplier of medical aids, launched a new digital medical device platform last year called digitalAngel. The platform is designed to improve the quality of life of those in need of care, make the care process more efficient and effective and create smarter care products across the entire supply chain.
Trailblazer Peter de Lange, digitalAngel’s Managing Director, reveals all about what is set to become the leading Internet of Things (IoT) healthcare platform.
The idea behind digitalAngel is to make ‘smart’ medical aids by fitting them with sensors and subsequently connecting them to the internet. You started out with a mattress, followed by a bed. But there are many hundreds of types of medical aids available worldwide. To what extent is that manageable?
“I view digitalAngel as a type of ecosystem that will adapt to a whole spectrum of needs over time. And the great thing is that we don’t need to come up with all of it ourselves – the subject of those needs comes up automatically in our meetings with healthcare providers. We essentially create the content of the platform together with them. But having said that, it’s true that there’s a huge risk that you will lose the plot if you lack focus. That’s why we started by conducting an international research study into the most prevalent medical conditions, which also involved exploring healthcare needs. We learned that vulnerability to bedsores is a serious concern, as is improving the quality of sleep. It’s what prompted us to start the pilot project in this area. The study has also resulted in a roadmap for the next few years. We’ve opted for a gradual rollout.”