The first generation device required the user to plug in different peripheral devices for each vital sign measured.
Not only did the concept prove unwieldy but low reimbursement for remote monitoring meant few expressed interest. But Peabody kept tweaking his creation, striving to put everything in one handheld place, rather than having peripheral devices that users would have to maneuver and which could lead to supply chain nightmares.
The first generation took about three years to develop; the newer version was more complex and was about five years in the making. While the sleek Vitals device that resulted enters a crowded field, it does have some features that set it apart from many other products out there, such as a built-in video feature and ease of use for patients, Kvedar said.
Vitals has multiple uses, though one of its most common could be to prevent patients with certain illnesses from deteriorating to the point where they require hospitalization. In a similar vein, hospitals might also use the system to prevent at-risk patients being discharged from being readmitted. Medicare penalizes hospitals for readmissions that occur within a month after discharge.
Consider a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a lung condition that makes breathing difficult, using the Vitals device. The patient may have been recently hospitalized or his or her health care provider may just want to monitor progress. The district is distributing 6, laptops to high school students and has placed an order for more. It announced this week a plan to purchase enough digital devices to have one for every student by the fall.
It also received a donation to purchase 1, internet hotspot devices. They money will go toward purchasing more digital devices and wireless hotspots to provide internet access. It may also go toward professional development for teachers, many of whom are moving their lessons online for the first time. Smith said the district needs help to close to the digital divide. The money will be split between K and higher education needs. The majority of the money will be distributed through a formula designed to prioritize schools serving the highest number of low-income kids and families.
None of that, though, has been directed to schools. Nothing comes close to it. Aside from the educational component, though, Clear cautioned against what could happen when private companies are given the opportunity to profit from offenders, which is what would occur if an inmate pays for entertainment.
In , for example, a Center for Public Integrity investigation found that private companies often charge steep fees to inmates for basic services, such as providing toiletries or sending money. Those companies pass on a cut of the revenue to prison systems.
The state then collects a cent cut, according to the state's contract with the company. Kristin Casper , a public affairs officer with the Indiana Public Defender Council, said she's concerned about offenders facing added fees for tablets. She wants to see a fee structure before the state agrees to a contract — and she wants to make sure existing free services don't begin costing money when tablets are introduced.
Her agency represents the state's public defenders and their clients, many of whom end up serving prison time. If offenders lose in this — and find themselves paying extra to call their families, for example — it could affect their relationships outside of prison.
To ensure inmates aren't taken advantage of, it's up to IDOC to closely monitor bids from vendors and to thoroughly understand their business models, said Bryce Peterson , a researcher with the Washington, D. When a vendor has a monopoly over a service or item, Peterson said, controls are needed to ensure costs are appropriate because there's no free market at work.
Vendor applications are due by April IDOC hopes to see some implementation by the end of the year, Wilson said. Call IndyStar reporter Ryan Martin at Follow him on Facebook and on Twitter: ryanmartin. Receive news alerts and updates Sign up for newsletters on the topics that matter most to you. See More. Get a personalized reading experience. Not a subscriber yet?
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