Comcast, Independence Health Group’s joint venture launches senior-focused monitoring tool

Telecom giant Comcast and Independence Health Group have teamed up on a new platform dubbed Quil Assure, which is centered around helping seniors connect to care teams and access emergency assistance. 

The new system will include ambient sensors, voice-activated tech, emergency assistants and caregiver coordination services. The tool is slated for a 2021 release but will start going through pilot test drives at the end of this year. 

The new product was born out of the joint venture between Comcast and Independence Health Group called Quil, which was announced in June 2019. Later in 2019, the joint venture launched its first product, Quil Engage, which focuses on helping patients navigate the healthcare system by lining up provider and health plan information. Eventually, the venture plans on integrating Quil Engage and Quil Assure. 

WHY IT MATTERS 

The U.S. population is aging. According to the Population Reference Bureau, the number of people over 65 is expected to double from 52 million in 2018 to 95 million in 2060. Today we are seeing the rise in technology created to help tackle the challenges that come with an aging population. 

“It’s critical that we get it right for so many reasons,” Dr. Joe Kvedar, senior advisor of virtual care at Mass General Brigham, told MobiHealthNews in September regarding aging technology. “In 2050, there will be twice as many people on the planet over 65 as there will be under 5, and it just keeps getting more and more dramatic because, luckily, we are living longer. But as we live longer, we need more healthcare services.”

THE LARGER TREND 

Remote monitoring and senior care is a hot space in digital health, as seniors appear to be receptive to new tech. Over the summer, a healthinsurance.com survey found that 60% of Medicare-eligible seniors say they have embraced more digital tools during the coronavirus pandemic. 

There also appears to be a growing trend of seniors looking to age in place. According to a Rock Health report, 77% of people over the age of 55 want to age in place, but only 50% believe they will. 

ON THE RECORD 

“Today, few solutions exist to monitor the health of our loved ones at home. Consumer health platforms fall short of delivering on the promise of engagement; wearable monitoring technologies are limiting; and caregivers are often left in the dark,” Quil CEO Carina Edwards said in a statement. “Quil is re-thinking the whole aging at home experience with an integrated platform that fits into our daily lives. Personalized education and step-by-step guidance to engage consumers and caregivers combined with in-home smart sensors to monitor health in real-time are just the beginning.”