Philips releases set of connected mobile health tools

Royal Philips (NYSE:PHG) today announced the launch of a series of connected personal health devices , including a health monitoring watch, scale, blood pressure monitor and thermometer, all designed to be integrated into its HealthSuite Health App.

The company touted the string of devices, saying they provided “personal, tailored support” for people attempting to develop healthier habits.

“Driving meaningful innovation to help improve people’s health and wellbeing is part of our DNA at Philips. We have a 100-year heritage in providing healthcare solutions, from oral health to cardiac care. We’re the only company with such extensive healthcare and consumer lifestyle expertise. We combine deep clinical know-how and rich data, consumer insights and advanced technology to craft solutions which help individuals along the whole of their health journey. Our personal health programs have been developed in conjunction with leading doctors, psychologists and other experts. They will allow individuals to accurately measure vital signs to understand how lifestyle choices affect their body; set goals and monitor their progress, and stay motivated,” Philips personal health solutions biz lead Jorgen Behrens said in a press release.

The devices are designed for individuals at risk of developing chronic, lifestyle related conditions. The watch is designed to continuously and automatically monitor heart rate, activity and sleep patterns as well as other biometric readings.

The blood pressure monitors, body analysis scale and ear thermometer all function as normal diagnostic devices, but connect through an app-based personalized program to the cloud for data analysis and recording.

“Our personal health programs are different because they’re built to motivate the user, showing that small steps can lead to big results. Changes don’t need to be radical. In fact, small changes sustained over time are a good way to help us reach our health goals. Measuring and tracking helps us take the small steps needed to improve our lifestyle. Our programs support you personally as you take those steps,” Philips behavior change expert Dr. Mark Aloia said in prepared remarks.

The HealthSuite Health App is a free application currently available on Apple (NSDQ:AAPL) iOS and Google (NSDQ:GOOG) Android devices.

Late last month, Philips saw shares tick up after reporting Street-topping profits for its 2nd quarter.

The company reported profits of $431 million, or 46¢ per share, on sales of $5.9 billion for the 3 months ended June 30. That amounts to a 57.3% bottom-line gain even as sales shrunk 1.9% compared to the same period in 2015. Earnings per share grew a hefty 53.3% from 2015.

The company’s personal health biz saw sales growth of 4%, down from the 17% nominal sales growth it reported during the same quarter last year. Sales shrunk by 3% for Philips diagnosis & treatment businesses while its connected care and health informatics biz reported a 2% uptick for the quarter.

The post Philips releases set of connected mobile health tools appeared first on MassDevice.

from MassDevice http://ift.tt/2aoViLy