mHealth wearables hit the baby market; India makes mHealth inroads;

News From Around the Web

> mHealth wearables aren't just for the adult consumer interested in keeping track of fitness efforts and vital signs. Wearable technology makers are now moving into the infant and toddler markets with products aimed at tracking heart rate, temperature, respiration and even body position. But given a lack of oversight on such products, critics say there are concerns about safety and potential risks given that wireless sensors can cause skin reactions. Article

> India, due to its geography, is a ripe segment for mHealth technologies, from video conferencing to device apps, as citizens are embracing smartphone technology and many don't have access to medical centers or treatment. But the healthcare landscape is changing rapidly, thanks to advancements in mHealth and government support. Article

Health Insurance News

> There's "a long, hard slog" ahead for exchanges and their carriers, Joel Ario, former director of the HHS Office of Health Insurance Exchanges, said at the second national health insurance exchange summit in the District of Columbia, as healthcare reform implementation is a marathon, not a sprint. Article

> Payers, providers and consumers should increase their focus on value as a way to address the soaring costs of healthcare and evaluate the worth of a service, according to a report from Alvarez & Marsal. "In healthcare, the concept of value can now become reality as the threshold of affordability has been reached for employers and consumers," David Gruber, M.D., managing director at the professional services firm and director of research with its healthcare industry group, said in the announcement. Article

Health IT News

> Consumers will be the most important factor in how the healthcare industry evolves and how organizations use health information technology, UnitedHealth Group President and CEO Stephen Hemsley said Monday at the American Telemedicine Association's annual meeting in Baltimore. Article

> While healthcare leaders have many technology priorities, says Jenn Riggle, VP at Weber Shandwick Worldwide and member of its healthcare practice, they need to rethink the role mHealth plays in their care management plans--and their budgets. "Let's hope CIOs can find room in their budgets for mHealth. They can't afford not to," she writes in a Hospital Impact post. Article

> As more providers adopt accountable care models--and take on the responsibility of facilitating medical data exchange--healthcare leaders are under increasing pressure to protect personal health information. In fact, two-thirds of healthcare organizations that belong to an ACO believe privacy and security risks have increased, according to a recent Ponemon Institute study. Article

And Finally... Grave discovery reveals more than just bones. Article