Electromed’s SmartVest can now be managed using a smartphone or tablet application called the SmartVest Connect app, the company reported.
The app connects to the SmartVest on smartphones or tablets via Bluetooth technology, allowing patients with bronchiectasis and other chronic disorders affecting the pulmonary system — as well as their healthcare teams — to assess the therapy in real-time and adjust how it’s working to improve treatment patient adherence and outcomes.
SmartVest delivers high frequency chest wall oscillation (HFCWO) therapy using rapid pulses that squeeze the abdomen and upper body. Patients wear an inflatable vest that is attached to a machine and vibrates at a high-frequency. The mechanical stimulus induces “mini coughs” that stimulate the release of mucus trapped inside the lungs, by suction or by coughing it out. HFCWO is also commonly used for mucus clearance in people with cystic fibrosis.
Previous data showed that treatment with SmartVest reduced the number of exacerbations (flareups) requiring hospitalization over one year, while also lowering antibiotic use and stabilizing lung function.
The SmartVest Connect app, available at the App Store and Google Play, is intended to enhances patients’ connection to their SmartVest while offering additional benefits, such as personal therapy reminders and real-time therapy monitoring.
“Since launch in 2017, SmartVest Connect has enhanced treatment plans for patients with bronchiectasis and other chronic lung conditions that require ongoing airway clearance therapy,” Kathleen Skarvan, president and CEO of Electromed, said in a press release.
“Beginning today, patients can enjoy the benefits of staying connected to their HFCWO therapy right from their mobile device,” she added.
Once the app has been downloaded and an account activated, it will automatically show a person’s therapy performance. After each session, patients can easily their performance in real-time and set reminders that best fit with their lifestyle.
“As our mission is to help patients breathe easier and live better by providing effective, market-driven HFCWO solutions, this new feature will enhance our customers’ experiences and allow them to take a more active role in their therapy, monitoring performance wherever life takes them next,” Skarvan added.
Resources for people using the SmartVest System can be found here.