Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1092388
82 CIO / HEALTH IT Samsung releases its 1st smartwatch with blood-pressure features: 3 notes By Jackie Drees S amsung released details on its new line of fitness wearables at an event Feb. 20, including notes on the company's first wearable device that can measure blood pressure, CNET reported. Three things to know: 1. Samsung plans to release three new tools — the Galaxy Watch Active, Gal- axy Fit and Fit E sport bands — as part of its new line of fitness wearables. Samsung launched its first fitness-focused smartwatch line, which included the Samsung Gear Sport smartwatch and Gear Fit 2 Pro fitness band, in 2017. 2. The Galaxy Watch Active, which includes more health and fitness capabil- ities than the company's previous Gear Sport and Galaxy Watch products, will be able to monitor users' blood pressure through the My BP Lab App. The app, developed in partnership with UC San Francisco and set to be re- leased March 15, is designed to track blood pressure from the user's wrist. 3. The Galaxy Watch Active and Galaxy Fit will both feature optical heart rate sensors, designed to perform continuous heart-rate monitoring and calculate calories while the wearer is exercising. n 'Data error' exposes 974,000 patient records at UW Medicine By Mackenzie Garrity S eattle-based UW Medicine sent letters to 974,000 patients notifying them of a Dec. 4, 2018, data error that allowed patient information to come up in internet searches. UW Medicine became aware of the incident Dec. 26, 2018, and took imme- diate action to remove the patient files from the internet. An internal human error made the patient files accessible. Google saved some of the files be- fore UW Medicine discovered the breach, so the hospital worked with the tech giant to remove the saved versions. As of Jan. 10, all patient files were removed from Google's servers. There is no evidence the files have been misused. The files that were searchable online contained names, medical record numbers, the names of the organizations UW Medicine shared the infor- mation with, a description of information shared and reason for disclosure. The files did not contain medical records, patient financial information or Social Security numbers. In some cases, files also included the lab test names or the name of a re- search study that also included information on certain health conditions. UW Medicine's database is used to keep track of the times the hospital shares patient health information. Since the breach, UW Medicine is reviewing its internal protocols and pro- cedures to prevent further data errors. UW Medicine has also set up a call center and website to field patient questions. n Microsoft, Philips to launch augmented reality for minimally invasive surgery: 5 notes By Jackie Drees M icroso and Philips developed an aug- mented reality platform for image-guid- ed minimally invasive surgeries. Five things to know: 1. Microso released details on the HoloLens 2, an upgraded version of its mixed-reality headset, at an event in Barcelona, Spain, Feb. 24, CNBC reported. e device will feature augmented reality capabilities as well as re- al-time eye tracking and translucent holograph- ic lenses, which allow the wearer to see what they would normally see. 2. Built for the HoloLens 2, the Microsoft and Philips augmented reality concept combines live imaging and other sources of data into a 3D holographic environment under the physician's control. 3. Partnering with Microso allows Philips to expand its Azurion image-guided therapy plat- form to provide physicians with a tailored, aug- mented reality environment, Atul Gupta, MD, CMO for Philips' image guided therapy, said in a news release. "is concept allows me to see the real world su- perimposed with the live data and 3D medical imagery needed to guide our precision therapy, and importantly also lets me control Azurion with voice recognition, eye tracking and ad- vanced gestures," Dr. Gupta said. "It's all about keeping our focus on the patient." 4. Designed to allow hands-free interaction with 3D digital objects, the HoloLens 2 features built- in artificial intelligence and Microso Azure cloud services. 5. Other healthcare technology companies that have integrated Microso's previous version of HoloLens into their platforms include No- varad's augmented reality system and Exelus' telemedicine application. n