Device Helps Patients Heal Easier?

MINNEAPOLIS - New technology is making it easier and more comfortable to get over surgeries.

In the Twin Cities, Nightingale is the first home care agency to get the Intel Health Guide. The device is meant to be easier, especially for seniors, usually only two color-coded connections – one for a phone line and the other for power.

Initially, they'll use them to replace the paper physical therapy instructions people often lose or don't find helpful enough.
With this, each patient has their particular playlist of exercises. It guides patients fully on video and its set up to not let you forget.

There is an alarm system to let the patient know what it is time to do their exercise and the only way to turn it off is to start their exercise program.

But with seniors the largest users are of home health care. It's a computer designed with them in mind. A calendar and contact list can tell them when their next appointments are and keep clinic phone numbers. A webcam allows video chats with doctors and nurses. It can take their vitals, such as blood pressure and oxygen levels and send them in.

Initially, Nightingale will use them for physical therapy, hoping they get people to exercise on schedule and correctly so healing is faster.