Not the first smart diaper to come along, but consumers seem unready for diapers that can flag urinary tract infections and other biomarkers usually tested by clinical laboratories
Will wonders never cease? For centuries, parents had only their own senses to determine when infants needed diaper changing. Today, however, caregivers can rely on “smart diapers” to send alerts when a diaper is soiled. Crying, smelly babies may no longer be the gold standard in diaper management. But are smart diapers practical?
The sensor array is “so cheap and simple” it “could clear the way for wearable, self-powered health monitors for use not only in ‘smart diapers’ but also to predict major health concerns like cardiac arrest and pneumonia,” a Penn State new release noted.
However, clinical laboratory managers following similar developments probably know that this is not the first scientific effort to develop a smart diaper that uses some type of sensor to detect a biomarker and issue an alert to the wearer or caregivers.
“Our team has been focused on developing devices that can capture vital information for human health,” said Huanyu “Larry” Cheng, PhD (above), the James L. Henderson, Jr. Memorial Associate Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics at Penn State in a news release. “The goal is early prediction for disease conditions and health situations, to spot problems before it is too late.” This is yet another example of how researchers are working to take more testing out of clinical laboratories and offer unique assays that can be used as wearables—whether as a diaper, a skin patch, or a smart watch. (Photo copyright: Penn State University.)
This Smart Diaper Is as Simple to Use as Paper and Pencil
The Penn State sensor array takes advantage of how paper naturally reacts to wetness and utilizes the graphite in pencil marking to interact with the water molecules and sodium chloride.
Once the water molecules are absorbed by the paper, the sodium chloride solution becomes ionized and electrons start to stream towards the graphite. This movement sets off the sensor, which is extremely sensitive to humidity. According to the study, the sensor can provide accurate readings over a wide range of humidity levels, from 5.6% to 90%.
“We wanted to develop something low-cost that people would understand how to make and use, and you can’t get more accessible than pencil and paper,” said Li Yang, PhD, a professor in the School of Artificial Intelligence at China’s Hebei University of Technology and one of the authors of the study, in the Penn State news release.
“You don’t need to have some piece of multi-million-dollar equipment for fabrication. You just need to be able to draw within the lines of a pre-drawn electrode on a treated piece of paper. It can be done simply and quickly.”
The diaper is connected to a tiny lithium battery. When the sensor recognizes an increase in humidity the battery powers transmission of the change to a smartphone via Bluetooth technology. This notification informs caregivers that it is time to change the diaper.
“That application was actually born out of personal experience,” explained Huanyu “Larry” Cheng, PhD, James L. Henderson, Jr. Memorial Associate Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics at Penn State, one of the authors of the study and father to two young children. “There’s no easy way to know how wet is wet, and that information could be really valuable for parents. The sensor can provide data in the short-term, to alert for diaper changes, but also in the long-term, to show patterns that can inform parents about the overall health of their child.”
Do Consumers Want Smart Diapers?
Research into such wearable sensors has been gaining momentum in the scientific community as a novel way to detect and deal with several medical conditions. The Penn State team hopes that devices such as their smart diaper can be used in the future to alert caregivers about the overall health of their children and clients.
“Our team has been focused on developing devices that can capture vital information for human health,” Cheng said. “The goal is early prediction for disease conditions and health situations, to spot problems before it is too late.”
Previous research teams have had similar smart diaper goals.
However, these types of products have yet to gain significant popularity with consumers. Regardless, sales projections for smart diapers remain positive.
According to a MarketsandMarkets report, the smart diaper market, estimated to be $646 million (US) in 2021, is expected to surpass $1.5 billion by 2026. The demand for smart diapers, the report notes, is increasing due to:
Growing elderly populations,
Rising disposable incomes,
Increasing personal hygiene awareness,
Growing populations in emerging countries, and
Expanding preference for advanced technology when it comes to health.
So, it’s uncertain if consumers are now ready for a device in their baby’s diaper telling them it’s time for a change. Regardless, researchers will likely continue developing tools that combine new diagnostics with existing products to help people better understand and monitor their health and the health of their loved ones.
Meanwhile, clinical laboratory managers and pathologists can remain on the alert for future published studies and press releases announcing new wearable items containing sensors, such as smart diapers. The unanswered question is whether both consumers and healthcare professionals will consider these novel inventions useful devices in the care of young and old alike.
Clinical laboratories should prepare to receive test orders from these mini-medical centers, based on consumer demand for quick, inexpensive, local healthcare
Is the era of clinical laboratory testing offered in retail stores soon to arrive? Dark Daily as long as 10 years ago predicted that walk-in clinics featuring a nurse or nurse practitioner who could diagnose and prescribe for a limited number of health conditions—which had a remedy that could be purchased at the pharmacy in the retail store—would be the door-openers to locating more sophisticated clinical services in retail settings.
Since then, we’ve covered many such openings—including free standing urgent care clinics opening in urban settings to service the consumer demands of busy patients—which have impacted clinical laboratories and anatomic pathology groups in predictable ways.
The premise of the collaboration was based around the belief that consumers would welcome the opportunity and benefits of receiving basic healthcare services in a facility located next to a pharmacy. The Walgreens/MedExpress agreement, however, also indicates that two of the largest healthcare organizations in the world believe consumers would also be interested in visiting physicians who provided more sophisticated medical services, including critical care, in retail settings.
To date, Walgreens has opened MedExpress clinics in 15 locations in six states, including: Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. More such clinics are expected to open this year as part of the collaboration.
“MedExpress is a resource for busy families and employers that need timely access to affordable, high-quality healthcare close to home and work,” Fred Hinz (above), VP of Operations at MedExpress told Drug Store News. “Being connected to Walgreens will enable our patients to receive quality care and purchase any other items they need, all in one trip.” It also will likely result in increased orders for clinical laboratory testing from retail locations. (Photo copyright: Grand Island Independent.)
Future Health System Delivers Critical Care from Retail Locations
Motivated by consumer demand for convenient, high-quality healthcare, the urgent care market in the United States continues to grow. This trend will eventually influence clinical laboratories and anatomic pathology groups seeking to service these providers. It will be a dynamic market as new participants and mergers compete for leverage in this profitable business.
“This is just part of developing an overall higher-performing local health system,” Forbes reported UnitedHealth CEO David Wichmann telling analysts during the company’s earning call last month. “It’d just be one component that may be nested inside a local care delivery market with ambulatory surgical capacities and house calls and things of that nature. This is the future health system that we see delivering considerable value to people.”
The speedy growth in the number of and profitability of urgent care centers is another confirmation that this healthcare trend has legs. And experts believe the growth will continue and accelerate.
A recent report by market research and consulting firm MarketsandMarkets (MnM) predicts the global urgent care market should reach $25.93 billion (US) by the year 2023. The current value of the industry is $20 billion. The growth rate for the industry is expected to be 5.3% with North America being the region accounting for the highest amount of that growth.
The MnM report attributes the rise in the urgent care market to many factors, including:
Growing investments in urgent care;
Strategic developments between urgent care providers and hospitals;
Access to affordable care;
Convenience of shorter wait times; and,
Increase in the geriatric population.
The report projects that the biggest hurdle facing the urgent care industry will be the lack of a skilled workforce.
Urgent Care a Growth Industry According to Experts
There are currently more than 7,500 urgent care facilities in the United States, according to an Urgent Care Association (UCA) white paper.
According to the UCA, the top six urgent care organizations in the US each have more than 100 locations. Those companies include:
A 2017 UCA benchmarking report states that only 3% of patients who are seen at an urgent care facility were diverted to an emergency room in 2016. The top diagnosis codes for visits during that year were:
A report by Becker’s Hospital Review states that urgent care visits account for 19% of all healthcare visits in the US.
Urgent Care Centers Badly Needed and Highly Profitable
Last year, strategy consulting firm Health Systems Advisors (HSA) commissioned a study regarding the current and future need for urgent care centers. According to Becker’s Hospital Review, the HSA study stated that:
“With the recent rise of urgent care development, there is an estimated 22% unmet need for urgent care in markets where urgent care sites could be financially viable;
“The unmet demand is so large that approximately 1,600 new urgent care sites can be supported generating nearly $3.5 billion in revenue; and,
“For health systems seeking to grow, the urgent care channel presents a unique opportunity to grow their revenue, influence patients’ downstream choices, and create a better experience for individuals desiring more convenience and better access.”
And data collected by FAIR Health indicates that, between 2007 and 2016, insurance claims for urgent care visits grew by a whopping 1,725%! Claims for emergency room visits increased by 229% during the same time period. FAIR Health is a non-profit organization that examines insurance claims for medical services for the purpose of bringing transparency to healthcare costs and insurance information.
Opportunities for Clinical Laboratories to Support Physicians
Clinical laboratories and pathology groups should pay attention to the burgeoning trend in urgent care, as those facilities order medical tests that will require processing, reading, and analyzing.
Exploring opportunities to serve urgent care centers offers clinical laboratories potential revenue streams and opportunities to serve the physicians practices and medical communities they support.
