Sensiotec Inc. And WellStar Health System’s Center For Health Transformation Announce Formal Agreement On Virtual Medical Assistant®

(Click here for details)
Sensiotec’s Virtual Medical Assistant®

ATLANTA, GA--(Marketwired - September 10, 2014) -

Sensiotec Inc., a leading innovator in biosensor and digital health technology, and WellStar Health System, the largest not-for-profit health system in Georgia, today jointly announced an agreement aimed at accelerating the commercial adoption of the world’s first FDA-approved, contact-free monitoring platform. Virtual Medical Assistant® (VMA) represents a revolutionary approach to patient supervision by providing truly non-contact, continuous, remote monitoring of heart and respiratory rates, torso and limb movement and bed occupancy without electrodes or tape. As the fifth most integrated U.S. healthcare delivery network, WellStar and its Center for Health Transformation (CHT) provide a unique opportunity to demonstrate the clinical value of VMA.

VMA is a scalable, high value, low cost, location-agnostic, continuous surveillance solution that captures large data sets over long periods of time to identify trends that can provide predictive insight into the clinical status of a patient and support early intervention to diagnose and treat incipient health threats.

From a thin sensor panel that simply slides under a mattress, bed or chair, VMA sends continuous vital signs and motion data through its fully integrated patient monitoring platform to any number of nurses’ stations, tablets or smartphones; and identifies whether a patient is experiencing deteriorating heart and respiratory readings, is a fall risk or requires ulcer prevention management. Built-in patient management tools allow a caregiver to establish norms for each patient and set customized visual and audible alerts. With no uncomfortable electrodes attached to the skin, VMA offers convenience and comfort. With no patient cooperation required, VMA solves the problem of patient compliance. At the same time, it provides clinical documentation, increases labor productivity, reduces costs, and, in some cases, will even help increase hospital revenue.

Re-envisioned in 2012 by WellStar’s leadership, CHT endeavors to leverage the collaborative efforts of healthcare systems, educational institutions and business organizations, combining their collective expertise to solve the most vexing problems facing today’s healthcare establishments. The first of its kind in WellStar’s history, CHT’s new business partnership with Sensiotec stemmed from the organization’s evaluation of 60 technology companies -- all of which competed for the opportunity to team with WellStar. CHT chose to partner with Sensiotec based on the VMA’s potential to improve clinical outcomes and reduce costs across the care continuum, whether a patient is in the hospital, in long-term care or at home.

CHT will test VMA in diverse clinical settings and applications, such as sleep labs, pediatric units, post-hospital discharge home care, cardiac rehab home care and nursing home resident monitoring.

“Center for Health Transformation was founded to increase collaboration in healthcare while increasing access and lowering cost,” stated Steven Fraime, Project Manager for Center for Health Transformation. “Virtual Medical Assistant is an innovative way to tackle a challenge that many healthcare providers face. With accurate, non-contact sensors, VMA could be deployed into countless settings, providing valuable and even life-saving patient information.”

“On behalf of everyone at Sensiotec, I’m very pleased to welcome WellStar and CHT to our Company’s growing network of enthusiastic VMA supporters,” added Robert Arkin, CEO and founder of Sensiotec. “Given that Sensiotec and WellStar share the same passion for leveraging the power of advanced technology to create sustainable, high quality healthcare delivery systems in our nation and globally, we fully expect that this new partnership will serve to provide important validation for our technology platform, greatly accelerate its commerical adoption and propel our Company’s promising growth.”

NOTE TO PRESS: Sensiotec officials will be participating in “The Hive” at TEDMED 2014 this week in Washington, D.C. To arrange one-on-one interviews with an executive in attendance, please contact Kathy Addison at Hanover|Elite at 407-585-1080 or via email at sensiotec@hanoverelite.com.

About WellStar Health System
Recognized as the fifth most integrated healthcare delivery system in the country, WellStar Health System is the largest not-for-profit health system in Georgia and serves a population of more than 1.4 million residents in five counties. The vision of WellStar is to deliver world-class healthcare. A national leader in the transformation of healthcare delivery, WellStar launched the Center for Health Transformation and the Georgia Health Collaborative that will have far-reaching effects on healthcare both locally and nationally. WellStar includes WellStar Kennestone Regional Medical Center (anchored by WellStar Kennestone Hospital) and WellStar Cobb, Douglas, Paulding and Windy Hill hospitals; the WellStar Medical Group; Urgent Care Centers; Health Parks; Pediatric Center; Health Place; Homecare; Hospice; Atherton Place; Paulding Nursing and Rehabilitation Center; and the WellStar Foundation. For more information, call 770-956-STAR or visit wellstar.org.

About Center for Health Transformation
The Center for Health Transformation (CHT) is focused on providing better health for a lower cost. Acquired by WellStar Health System in 2012, CHT is a partnership-based organization with a mission to energize a collaborative network of healthcare systems, educational institutions and business organizations to focus on developing and advancing innovative solutions designed to transform healthcare. For more information, visit centerforhealthtransformation.org.

About Sensiotec Inc.
Sensiotec, a leading innovator in biosensor and digital health technology, pioneered Virtual Medical Assistant® (VMA), the world’s first non-contact remote vital signs monitor. VMA allows healthcare providers to access real-time and trend data that can be sent to any remote device. In 2014, Sensiotec received the “Best of the Best” Top 10 Innovative Technology Companies Award and the People’s Choice Award for Breakthrough Technology from the Technology Association of Georgia. In 2013, the Georgia Institute of Technology’s Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC), named by Forbes as one of the “Top 10 Business Incubators Changing the World” recruited Sensiotec to ATDC Select, its flagship program for high potential startups. In 2013, Sensiotec received the Healthcare Heroes Award for Innovation. For more information, visit www.Sensiotec.com or follow the Company on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Sensiotec.