This is a frequently cited fact. We and our client partners believe that a great deal of sickness and cost from chronic disease can be reduced through better self-monitoring by the patient and their family.

Individuals with chronic diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure should check basic vitals regularly – like blood glucose and blood pressure – to make sure they aren’t getting sicker. Often they don’t remember to, especially those with the highest risk.  We believe through involving friends, family and the patient’s care team, we can improve patient health and reduce visits to the ER.

During the ACE ’13 conference in Chicago, Galen introduced Dragonfly, a unique remote patient monitoring app.

Dragonfly builds on basic remote monitoring of patient health.  Remote patient monitoring has itself proven effective in managing chronic diseases – reducing hospital admissions, readmissions and reducing the overall cost of care.

• Family and friends – the people who are involved in the patient’s care are involved with Dragonfly. Through technology, family and friends are encouraged to reward the patient when they are doing well in monitoring their health.   If the patient is not monitoring their health, the friends and family are encouraged to reach out.

• It’s no longer a chore – the most common reason for a patient not to monitor their health is that it feels like a chore.  With Dragonfly, we are turning the task of tracking your health into a task you look forward to.

We are currently working with a small group of providers using Dragonfly today and expect to have Dragonfly available to all this winter.