Abbott has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the use of the company’s Patient Controller app on compatible personal Apple smartphone devices, it announces.

This app approval gives patients living with neurological conditions, including chronic pain or movement disorders, the ability to manage therapy directly from their personal smartphones and eliminates the need to carry a separate programmer device, according to the company.

The digital health tool fits within the company’s broader NeuroSphere Digital Care connected care management platform, which is designed to optimize care for chronic pain and movement disorders. NeuroSphere Digital Care offers flexible virtual care options as the COVID-19 global pandemic impacts how healthcare is administered, the company explains, in a media release.

Patients Seeking Digital Health Amid COVID-19

“Patients are seeking digital options to better engage with their healthcare providers and manage their chronic conditions remotely – and this has never been more evident than in today’s pandemic where virtual care is necessary. With the continuing rise in interest and demand for these technologies, Abbott, as a pioneer in patient-centric neuromodulation technology, is advancing the field of digital health to deliver on the promise of digital care. The approval of Abbott’s Patient Controller app with personalized access to therapy is a landmark event, as we are now able to provide patients a way to access personalized therapy from a compatible and secure iOS device so that people can live their lives and seamlessly manage conditions like chronic pain and movement disorders.”

— Keith Boettiger, vice president, Neuromodulation, Abbott

“For physicians who are prescribing and implanting neuromodulation technologies, the ability to integrate therapies into one’s everyday life is key. The COVID-19 global health crisis has demanded access to virtual treatment options, especially for those individuals with chronic medical conditions that may have difficulty coming to see their physician or would prefer not to leave their own home. To ensure our patients are receiving the care they need in the appropriate setting, close follow up is critical. Physicians have the ability to remain engaged with their patients through the Apple device, allowing them to interact and treat debilitating chronic pain.”

— Alexander Escobar, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at The University of Toledo, OH

“The ability to support the changing needs of individuals living with debilitating chronic conditions, like Parkinson’s, without them having to leave their homes is vitally important in today’s world. Abbott’s NeuroSphere Digital Care solution, including the new Patient Controller app, allows patients to handle one single device and using the FaceTime application, interact with their provider teams in a convenient, easy-to-use interface — an important attribute for those with tremors or have challenges with mobility.”

— Drew Falconer, MD, Director of the Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Center, Inova Health System in Virginia

App Will Be Integrated Into Broader Platform

The Patient Controller app will be integrated into Abbott’s broader NeuroSphere Digital Care connected care management platform, which became available in May. It is compatible with Abbott’s suite of neuromodulation technologies, including the Infinity DBS System for patients with Parkinson’s disease or essential tremor, Proclaim XR SCS System for patients living with chronic pain, and Proclaim DRG Neurostimulation System for patients with chronic pain in the lower limbs caused by complex regional pain syndrome or causalgia.

[Source(s): Abbott, PR Newswire]


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