Missouri-based Hicuity Health, a provider of high-acuity telemedicine services, is expanding its monitoring services to serve smart device providers and their end-users, including a deal with Murata Vios.

Combined with the recent announcement of its virtual sitter services, the smart device monitoring introduction extends the company’s remote patient monitoring expertise to an expanded set of care partners, patients and care environments.

Hicuity Health’s initial device monitoring service launch involves close collaboration with Murata Vios, a developer of medical IoT monitoring devices. Minnesota-based Murata Vios was formerly known as Vios Medical before its acquisition by Murata Manufacturing in 2017.

The Vios VMS monitoring system, a wireless, FDA-cleared monitoring platform, measures a patient’s heart rate, pulse rate, seven-lead ECG, SPO₂, posture, and activity, and makes the data available in real time.

Hicuity Health monitors the vital sign data and delivers clinical care oversight, engaging bedside clinicians or specialists in response to potential patient deterioration. Murata selected Hicuity Health to provide the clinical care components that pair with Murata’s VMS platform to deliver a customisable offering to clinicians and care providers in a broad range of remote patient management environments, including skilled nursing facilities that are Murata Vios clients.

Hicuity Health sees the relationship with Murata as an example of the value to smart device manufacturers, service providers and patients of integrated, clinically differentiated services in a range of care environments. The monitoring service, which integrates full-time monitoring with a range of smart devices, enables continuous patient observation and early identification of proactive, clinically appropriate patient intervention opportunities.

“We appreciate the confidence that Murata has placed in us and are proud to expand our clinical monitoring expertise to involve new partnerships, utilise new devices and serve patients and providers in a broad range of care environments,” said Lou Silverman, CEO of Hicuity Health. “We are excited to work with innovative technology companies such as Murata Vios to bring to market comprehensive, integrated monitoring that meets the specific needs of a variety of care partners and efficiently improve the care that is available to patients.”

Amit Patel, CEO of Murata Vios, added: “By working with Hicuity Health to integrate its extensive monitoring expertise with the Vios monitoring system, we can expand the successful use of our patient monitoring technologies and support an innovative, comprehensive solution. Through this collaboration, we are able to further optimise the management of patient monitoring throughout the continuum of care.”

Hicuity Health’s proprietary HUB workflow management technology platform enables seamless care delivery and informs patient management across nine clinical care centres that serve more than 100 hospital partners in 27 states across the USA. The company cares for more than 100,000 patients per year.

Murata Vios, a subsidiary of Japanese firm Murata Manufacturing, is developing and commercialising a way to detect the early signs of clinical deterioration in traditionally unmonitored patient populations.