Duke University Medical Center Files IPO Prospectus Highlighting Its Six Core Digital Health Innovations
The internet’s impact on various industries has been akin to a series of small-scale disruptions. However, the healthcare sector has received particular “attention.” Since the emergence of the concept of “Internet Healthcare,” controversy surrounding it has never ceased. Within the healthcare system, hospitals may have the most direct experience with these changes. As this area is often regarded as the “deep-water zone” of reform—where difficult and profound changes take place—the choice between going with the flow or charting an independent course is best informed by overseas hospitals with extensive experience. VCBeat has selected and systematically reviewed hospitals listed in the “2015–2016 Best Hospitals in America” rankings, aiming to help practitioners across China’s healthcare industry understand how overseas hospitals leverage the internet and build their business models. This article examines how Duke University Health System leverages the “Internet Plus” strategy.
Duke University Medical Center, located in North Carolina, is also commonly known as Duke University Hospital. Since its establishment in 1930, Duke University Hospital has been committed to evolving from a small local hospital into a world-renowned academic medical center. Today, it has achieved this goal. Currently, Duke University Hospital is a tertiary care institution with 924 beds and serves as the flagship affiliate hospital within the Duke University Health System, providing medical services to Durham County, Wake County, and the surrounding areas.
Typically, in an effort to keep pace with the internet era, hospitals engage in strategic maneuvering and spare no effort to develop their own internet healthcare networks, such as websites, telemedicine platforms, electronic health records (EHRs), and mobile apps. While these concepts are frequently cited, the processes behind their implementation vary significantly. So, what sets Duke apart today?
Electronic Medical Records — Duke Maestro Care
Maestro Care is the electronic health record (EHR) system previously adopted by Duke Medicine, designed to deliver high-quality healthcare services to Duke patients. Maestro Care empowers patients to recognize their role as the most vital members of the entire healthcare team. Meanwhile, it serves as a significant tool for healthcare providers, facilitating better communication with patients and enabling them to access valuable health information to better manage their conditions.
Provide patients with individual electronic medical records while retaining their medical history within the Duke Health system.
Facilitate better coordination and more efficient communication among healthcare teams.
Patients can access and obtain health information anytime, anywhere via personal computers or mobile devices.
Maestro Care is used across the entire Duke Health system, including Duke primary care and specialty clinics.
Patient Portal – Duke MyChart
On June 22, 2013, Duke University Health System began using the new online tool, Duke MyChart.
★ Payment of Medical Expenses:You can pay your bills online directly through Duke MyChart using a credit card, and patients can also view payment history, expenditure details, and more.
★View Laboratory Test Results:Most test results are released within one business day, but some may take longer as the attending physician prepares the analysis to facilitate more effective communication with the patient. Patients will receive a notification email from Duke MyChart when their test results are released.
★Schedule Examinations in Advance (Basic Health Checkups and Emergency Care):On Duke MyChart, patients can view appointment availability with specialists such as family physicians and pediatricians, allowing them to schedule appointments accordingly. Prior to the visit, Duke MyChart also sends email reminders to patients.
★Send safety information to the medical team:Send messages to your care team via Duke MyChart to help address many non-urgent medical issues; you will typically receive a response within three business days.
★Schedule Health Appointments for Your Family:Once patient authorization is obtained, physicians may access the medical records of minor children and adults lacking decision-making capacity, including test results, immunization status, and other relevant information.
★View Electronic Medical Records:The electronic medical records on Duke MyChart are sourced entirely from the patient’s electronic health record (EHR) system, including the patient’s health profile, preventive care information, past and current appointments, medications, and test results, providing convenient, on-demand access for patients.
★Request to continue dispensing medication according to the prescription:If the patient feels that the medication is working well, they can directly submit a request through Duke MyChart to continue using this prescription for treatment.
Please note that Duke MyChart is not intended for handling medical emergencies.
Of course, patients can also access Duke MyChart via the app, which is available for free download and installation on both the Apple App Store and Android marketplaces.
Meticulous “Duke-style Care” — CarePages
While coping with illness, patients inevitably rely on the care and support of family and friends. How can they maintain contact with loved ones while undergoing treatment? Upholding its “patient-centered” approach to healthcare, Duke University Hospital has introduced a specialized online tool—CarePages—to help hospitalized patients stay connected and communicate with their families.
CarePages is a free web-based application that requires a username and password for login. It is available across all hospitals within the Duke Health system, including Duke University Hospital, Duke Raleigh Hospital, and Duke Regional Hospital. It can
Record Patient Length of Stay
Provide Patient-Related Health Information
Upload photos of family or friends
Connect and converse with all your friends and family without making individual phone calls
Receiving Words of Encouragement
Interact with fellow patients to exchange support and encouragement
Strong Alliance in Telemedicine—HealthKit
HealthKit is an app released by Apple Inc. designed to collect and analyze users’ health data, encompassing seven categories of information including basic physiological metrics, fitness, personal details, nutrition, and sleep, thereby providing a comprehensive overview of individual health data to help users better monitor their health status. Apple aims to integrate data collected from all hardware and software sources through HealthKit, generating accurate analytical charts for reference by both users and physicians.
Following its collaborations with Epic Systems and the Mayo Clinic, HealthKit has gradually expanded its partnership scope, including engagements with Stanford University Hospital and Duke University Medical Center. Stanford University Hospital utilizes HealthKit to record blood glucose levels in pediatric diabetes patients, while Duke University Medical Center leverages HealthKit to track blood pressure, blood glucose, and body weight in cancer and heart disease patients to support their treatment. Taking blood glucose monitoring as an example, devices automatically transmit test results to the user’s corresponding app, which then transfers the data to HealthKit. After analysis, HealthKit uploads integrated data charts to the patient portal via the MyChart app, where both patients and physicians can review them. Furthermore, hospitals can configure alert notifications to immediately inform physicians of unstable blood pressure or other vital signs, enabling timely and accurate medical intervention.
Collaboration with InTouch Health
First, we need to understand what InTouch does.
InTouch is a company specializing in telemedicine networks and services, with a particular focus on ensuring that patients receive timely medical care regardless of time or location. Through 24/7 monitoring, InTouch ensures that such medical services are not only high-quality but also affordable. For emergency patients, the InTouch network enables prompt access to physicians. Each year, there are as many as 130,000 consultations with doctors via the InTouch platform.
▲Various Products Developed by InTouch Health
▼InTouch Viewpoint
A user-friendly software application that, once installed, enables users to receive high-quality services from remote healthcare providers via the InTouch network.
▼InTouch Lite
Optimize patient monitoring visuals with a rotating zoom lens, and enhance doctor-patient communication efficiency through directional audio modes.
▼InTouch Vita
A simple and easy-to-operate mechanical device based on the InTouch network, facilitating physician control and automatically connecting to any supported hospital for collaborative discussion of patient treatment plans.
▲InTouch Health’s Current Partner Hospitals or Medical Research Centers
Which apps have been developed?
Autism & Beyond —— Only for the Children of the Stars
Last year, Duke University Hospital launched an iOS app called Autism & Beyond. This application is designed to analyze autism spectrum disorder and other developmental conditions in children. It is intended for use with children aged 1 to 6 years, as researchers explain that “early diagnosis facilitates early intervention and treatment.”
Children undergoing testing sat on their parents’ laps while watching four short video clips specifically designed to elicit laughter or surprise. Cameras automatically assessed and analyzed the children’s emotional responses by recording their interactions with the videos.
For instance, one scene in the video features colorful bubbles floating across the screen, with the camera poised to capture the children’s joyful expressions. Additionally, parents and children are required to complete questionnaires within the app, after which they receive feedback on how to manage a confirmed autism diagnosis, the potential risks associated with childhood autism, and other related information. The app also encourages parents to maintain active communication with specialists and participate collaboratively in their child’s autism treatment.
With user consent, data collected by Autism & Beyond will be uploaded to a secure server at Duke University Medical Center for team analysis. Duke University Hospital also provides users with relevant websites such asautismandbeyondapp.organd hotline support.
The team emphasized, “Autism & Beyond is not a diagnostic tool, as one cannot determine whether a child has autism solely through a screen. It is currently in the phase of evaluating the effectiveness of data collection.”
Autism & Beyond was developed over four months through a collaborative effort among programmers, scientists, and students at Duke University Medical Center, in partnership with Apple. The team also aims to continue developing related apps targeting irritability, picky eating, and anxiety disorders.
The team has collaborated with partners in Argentina to develop a Spanish-language version for the Latin American populations in North and South America. The team at the University of Cape Town in South Africa has also expressed strong interest and is eager to participate. Currently, the team is working with Chinese colleagues to launch a Mandarin version in the Chinese market.
Vida Health Coach——Your Personal Health Coach
Vida Health Coach helps users connect with specialists via text, phone, and video. Based on user engagement, these specialists recommend personalized treatment plans, including identifying underlying causes and prescribing medications.
Weight Loss: Personalized programs and recommendations adapted to users’ daily lifestyle habits to help them lose weight
Body Shaping: Designing exercise plans for users to enhance strength and flexibility
Stress Relief: Provides users with warm tips to help alleviate stress and improve sleep quality.
Lowering Blood Pressure and Cholesterol: Providing Professional Guidance to Users Based on the Latest Research Reports and Expert Opinions
Preventing Diabetes: Improving Users' Insulin Resistance
Today, this app has partnered with several major hospitals in the United States, such as The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. This allows users to select doctors, nurses, and dietitians who best suit their needs to help them manage their conditions. However, overall, Vida Health Coach cannot fully replace hospital-based treatment.
Text | Zhou Yanxun