Apollo, AliveCor tie up for mobile ECG

Apollo Hospitals has joined hands with US-based AliveCor to make available the latter's mobile device for heart patients.

The device, developed and patented by AliveCor, is attached to mobile devices working on iOS and Android platforms. It helps individuals screen the incidence of heart arrhythmias (HA), associated with irregular heartbeat. The device, weighing 40-50 gm, captures the heartbeat of patients through finger impression and wirelessly records, displays, stores and transfers the heart rate and single channel electrocardiogram (ECG).

The captured data, after passing through select algorithms, is interpreted by back-end healthcare teams analysing the ECG continuously and transmitting them to patients 24 hours a day. This in a way helps patients detected with HA and also others at risk to monitor the sudden changes in heartbeat and thereby leading to early diagnosis and better disease management.

Millions of people worldwide are affected by arrhythmias, which when undetected can lead to heartstroke. One in four adults over age 40 is at risk of developing atrial fibrillation, the most common heart rythm disturbance, making them five times more likely to have a stroke, said Apollo in a statement.

Cleared by the USFDA, AliveCor Heart Monitor is being marketed online for $200 in India, while Apollo has an exclusive agreement with the company for procuring them for its patients. Apollo through its BPO services firm is delivering the interpretative services to its patients. It is initially pricing the service at Rs 1,000 a month.

Speaking to mediapersons, Apollo joint MD Sangita Reddy said, the “company was looking to make the services more affordable (in the range of Rs 50-100) through one-time plans for covering more individuals.”

AliveCor CEO Euan Thomson said the company was keen on marketing the devices through doctors and private hospitals in the country. “There is a lot of headroom for making the devices affordable and take it to masses in the country,” said Thomson. It has "invested around $20 million" for the development of the device.

US-based Vinod Khosla Ventures has a "significant" stake in AliveCor, Inc.

Apollo is also keen on servicing the interpretative services opportunity emerging out of the sale of Heart Monitor. "Our healthcare BPO platform has all the capabilities to work with doctors in the country to provide interpretative services for the product," said Sangita Reddy.