ResMed steps into diagnostics

SAN DIEGO – ResMed’s recent acquisition of Somnoware, a sleep management software for physicians and sleep and pulmonary function labs, adds another “critical” tool to the company’s product portfolio, says Lucile Blaise. 

Here’s what Blaise, president, Sleep & Respiratory Care, had to say about how Somnoware’s software advances ResMed’s efforts to connect the health care ecosystem, driving greater efficiencies for all providers. 

HME News: How does the Somnoware software complement ResMed's product portfolio? The company has the products, the software for billing and resupply, the app for patient engagement – now it has the software for diagnosing, ordering, setting up appointments and tracking compliance. 

Lucile Blaise: With its patient-centric platform, Somnoware is a natural complement to our ecosystem of digital solutions as it enables us to drive greater efficiencies for physicians, sleep labs and HMEs, which we hope will, ultimately, enable them to deliver better patient care. The diagnostic step of a patient’s journey to better sleep and breathing is critical. With Somnoware, we will be able to better help clinicians identify, test, set up treatment, and support patients. 

HME: Are there other pieces of the ecosystem that ResMed would like to add? 

Blaise: Our focus remains on delivering lifesaving therapy solutions and accelerating digital health solutions so that we can help as many people as possible to sleep better, breathe better and live higher-quality lives outside the hospital. In support of our mission, we regularly assess opportunities to invest in digital health solutions across the globe that improve the patient experience and drive adherence while streamlining operations for clinicians and healthcare providers. 

HME: Somnoware is used by physicians and labs. How does it help to drive efficiencies for HME providers?  

Blaise: Providing the best care throughout every step of a patient’s journey is only possible when the entire health care ecosystem is connected. Somnoware software not only streamlines diagnostic testing workflows but also the DME ordering process by connecting sleep labs and DME providers through one unified platform, making it easy for stakeholders to track actions on DME orders and, ultimately, serve more patients. From pre-diagnosis to therapy adherence, a key benefit of the solution is that patient information is automatically integrated with their electronic health record (EHR), providing the entire ecosystem of providers with up-to-date critical health information and greater visibility into their patient’s treatment pathway so they can make informed decisions to improve patient outcomes. 

HME: Can you tell me more about how the Somnoware software works with other platforms? 

Blaise: Sleep centers often rely on labor-intensive, paper-based processes, numerous testing devices, and disparate data sources to manage operations. This approach may result in a fragmented, cumbersome workflow with limited visibility. Somnoware solves this problem through a device-agnostic, web-based platform that creates a vast integration ecosystem that connects with EHRs and third-party applications to streamline diagnostic testing workflows, automate patient engagement, and enable process visibility. We intend to maintain the open and device-agnostic nature of Somnoware’s solutions so end users can keep interoperating with various devices and platforms, and place orders for treatment devices and accessories from any supplier.