Philips demonstrated a commitment to addressing the growing challenges of improving the geographical and financial availability of healthcare at the Philips Innovation Experience in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
Attendees were guided through an immersive and experiential tour showcasing a variety of healthcare solutions Philips is developing and deploying around the world, including wearable and IOT health monitoring and management devices, and portable advanced diagnostic devices developed for environments in which healthcare is a challenge, such as under-resourced communities where hospitals and clinics are few and far between.
One such device is the Minicare Acute, a handheld rapid blood testing solution that can measure target molecules in blood in a matter of minutes. The Minicare can perform a wide array of diagnostic blood tests, including assessing quantities of hormones, proteins, and drugs, in a matter of minutes. The platform also has the capability to test for multiple markers in the same drop of blood, at the same time.
One potential application of the Minicare Acute is rapid detection of heart attacks, as standard blood tests to determine whether a patient has had a heart attack can take over an hour at present.
Another such device is Philips' Visiq tablet-based ultrasound system: a portable transducer-plus-tablet system that delivers similar quality to cart-based ultrasound systems, and, with a battery life of over two hours, can be operated without electricity.
The Visiq system has been in use in Philips' mobile clinic, which provides maternal and children's healthcare in under-resourced Johannesburg areas, since May.
The electronics company also showed off a selection of energy efficient LED lighting technologies, such as a power-over-Ethernet lighting system for offices and buildings that connects office lighting fixtures to a building's IT network, giving users smartphone control over office lighting and providing new insights into light usage for building managers.
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