As of Jan 1, 2012, Telehealth and Care Solutions (Social Alarm/NurseCall systems) from Bosch will both become part of Robert Bosch Healthcare. Bosch is the global market leader in the field of Telehealth and one of the leading Telecare providers in Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.

The new unit will employ a total of 320 associates, primarily in Palo Alto (California), La Chaux-de-Fonds (Switzerland), as well as Waiblingen and Grasbrunn near Munich (Germany). Dr. Jasper zu Putlitz, chairman of the Board of Management at Robert Bosch Healthcare GmbH explains: "Our aim is to become the leading provider of health, safety, and communication." In order to achieve this, the company considered it vital to put products and sales from both fields under the same roof. According to Dr. Marcus Kind, Head of Sales & Marketing for the Care Solutions product area: "Incorporating the Telecare product range will allow Bosch Healthcare to offer a complete portfolio of care products for chronically ill patients and the elderly."

Independent life at home
The Business Unit Care Solutions, currently part of Bosch Security Systems, offers a complete range of Social Alarm and NurseCall systems. The Social Alarm system allows people to live an independent life in their own homes while having access to assistance 24/7 at the touch of a button. With the NurseCall system, those living in retirement homes, nursing homes, and other assisted living facilities have direct access to an emergency call button that they can press if they need to alert nursing staff.

Bosch Healthcare already offers Telehealth solutions for patients suffering from chronic conditions such as congestive heart failure (CHF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or diabetes. The daily monitoring of multiple vital signs , such as blood pressure, oxygen saturation and weight, to a telemedical center ensures that any changes in a patient's condition are detected early, allowing the physician to take swift action.

The Telehealth solution of Bosch Healthcare goes beyond pure vital signs monitoring. Patients complete daily surveys about symptoms, medication compliance and their subjective health status that are based on clinical guidelines. The daily dialogue also includes educational parts on their chronic condition and coaching for behavioural change. One of the major benefits is that this leads to a reduction in face-to-face consultations and hospital stays for the patient. More than 50,000 patients, mostly in the USA, are currently benefiting from the Bosch Telehealth system.

Significant efficiency gains for the healthcare sector
"The demographic change in conjunction with rising cost pressure in the healthcare sector make it increasingly important to offer innovative approaches to an affordable and sustainably high standard of care for elderly and chronically ill people," explains Dr. zu Putlitz. Strengthening the provision of outpatient services to optimize care and medical treatment for patients in their own homes therefore is a key aspect. Dr. zu Putlitz explains: "Preventing critical episodes helps reducing the number of hospitalizations, which, in turn, brings significant efficiency gains for the healthcare sector as a whole."

Robert Bosch Healthcare, Inc. is a leading provider of innovative telehealth systems. Bosch's product spectrum ranges from patient terminals to comprehensive evaluation software allowing healthcare professionals to efficiently evaluate the data coming from the patient terminals and other connected devices. Bosch Telehealth strives to improve diagnosis and treatment through systematic patient monitoring and involvement. The result is that health professionals are able to provide a higher quality of care for patients with chronic conditions, patients lead happier and healthier lives, and the cost of healthcare is reduced for funders. Robert Bosch Healthcare, Inc. is a fully-owned subsidiary of the Bosch Group.