Siemens Healthineers with healthy.IO develops app based urine test kits

Siemens Healthineers has teamed up with Israeli start-up Healthy.io to allow patients to test their urine at home by using a smartphone camera that scans a dipstick and sends the results to their doctor.

The alliance is the latest partnership between medtech firms and technology companies aimed at helping patients monitor their own health, as well as lowering the costs of managing chronic diseases.

Urine testing is the world’s second-most frequently conducted diagnostic test. Regular testing is needed to monitor kidney function in patients with chronic kidney disease, as well as to detect potential signs of diabetes.

Under the global partnership, Healthy.io will use urinalysis tests from Siemens Healthineers in dipkits that are sent to patients at home.

Patients urinate on the dipstick and scan it using their smartphone camera, which uses computer vision and machine learning to ensure the results can be read.

The results are then sent via an app to the patient’s medical record for a doctor to assess.

The home test kits could help doctors manage the health of diabetes patients and pregnant women that may be reluctant to travel to clinics.

A number of technology companies including Apple, Samsung Electronics and Google are working on health-related applications for wearable devices and smartphones.