Hospital taps mobile tech to connect with patients

Patients, physicians and visitors can hook up to technology that helps them take control of their health through an innovative new program at Morristown Medical Center.

Modeled after Apple's Genius Bar, the hospital's new HealtheConnect (with a spoken emphasis on the middle "e") boutique offers a one-stop information and shopping center for apps and consumer products designed for people who need help with managing diseases, conditions, fitness and general health.

Located near the hospital's main entrance, the HealtheConnect shop is staffed by a full-time specialist, Jennifer Ampofo, who can explain and demonstrate various smart-phone and mobile-device apps that serve as gateways to information and utilities that address specific health concerns.

Michael Samuelson, director of marketing and public relations for the Atlantic Health System, said the company believes the in-house service is the first hospital program of its kind in the United States. Occupying the former cashier's office, Atlantic Health spent $150,000 to open the doors to HealtheConnect.

"HealtheConnect reaffirms Atlantic Health System's mission to empower our communities to be the healthiest in the nation using all of the tools available to us, including mobile devices that our patients can use every day," said Dr. David Shulkin, president of Morristown Medical Center. "As the health-care field continues to adopt technologies to promote health and well-being, we're happy to provide this resource to help community members further integrate new applications and technologies to improve their own health management."

The HealtheConnect shop features a small showroom of consumer products such as blood-pressure monitors that connect directly to your smart phone, wireless BMI scales and activity-fitness trackers including the popular Fitbit wristbands. But the largest source of support and information may come through a new partnership with the web-based platform Happtique, which aggregates medical and fitness apps to one location with search features for specific needs and user ratings.

"They have categories for different specific conditions and based on what you want, you can download that app," Ampofo said. "For instance, my father has diabetes, so I am always looking to find different solutions or different ways to manage that. So I type in diabetes and they give me different apps that can help me. Most of them are free."

With tablets connected to large-screen televisions, and docking stations for customers to hook up and charge their own devices, Ampofo can not only demonstrate how to use Happtique, but discuss the apps available though Happtique.

Given how often apps are created or updated, the options can be daunting, particularly for patients, another important part of Ampofo's job is to collect feedback and recommendations from users and pass them along to physicians on staff.

"Every app is evaluated by physicians and health professionals (before it goes into Happtique)," Samuelson said.

Happtique can be accessed through a desktop computer, but Ampofo said the mobile apps allow users to access them anywhere at any time.

"Most of the time I recommend the apps so if you want to check something during the day, or on your lunch break, anywhere, you can do it on your phone," she said. "I'm trying to lose weight myself because I want to set a good example for people, so I use my Fitbit here at work."

Ampofo said when HealtheConnect opened last month, many of the initial visitors were physicians coming in to check it out. Now, she has a regular flow of patients and visitors who visit, some on a frequent basis.

"They've never seen anything like it. They're excited about it," she said. "They come in every day to learn more and more and see what's out there."

"It's a great setup," said Dr. Steven Maser, a hand surgeon who was impressed with his first visit to Healtheconnect. "They have a lot of devices and a knowledgeable staff."

HealtheConnect is the latest Atlantic Health initiative to engage modern technology in an effort to inform and communicate with its patients. Earlier this year, it launched Be Well, its first version of four mobile apps that allow patients (and their physicians) to access their medical records and other essential information ranging from physician contacts to waiting times at the emergency room.

More information is available to patients online at Atlantic Health Connect, formerly known as RelayHealth, by visiting http://www.atlantichealth.org/atlantic/eservices/relayhealth.

Staff Writer William Westhoven: 973-428-6627; wwesthoven@dailyrecord.com.