Siemens Healthineers is a reliable manufacturer of urinalysis analyzers, drug testing diagnostics, clinical chemistry analyzers and other innovative laboratory diagnostic solutions. The company recently announced its partnership with Israeli start-up Healthy.io to develop smartphone-based urine test kits to help patients improve their compliance with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) monitoring. According to CDC, 30 million people or 15% of US adults are estimated to have Chronic Kidney Disease.Regular monitoring is important for improved patient outcomes, and undetected CKD can lead to kidney failure.
Siemens Healthineers' urinalysis reagents will integrate into Healthy.io's smartphone-based urinalysis system to provide a home-testing option, enabling the broadest possible access to albumin-to-creatinine ratio testing. Patients can test their urine at home by using a smartphone camera that scans a dipstick and sends the result via an app to the patient's medical record for a doctor to assess. This is a convenient alternative to periodic, time-consuming urine testing that is traditionally performed in a clinician's office to monitor kidney function. Greater access to urinalysis testing can help patients comply with physician instructions for frequent urinalysis tests and improve patient outcomes overall.
According to Christoph Pedain, Executive Vice President, Point of Care Diagnostics, Siemens Healthineers, "Siemens Healthineers has been a leader in urinalysis testing for more than 75 years, enabling healthcare professionals around the world to test for chronic kidney disease and other conditions from the point of care to the central lab. This alliance expands our capabilities to improve patient experience by conducting testing in their home. Increased access to albumin-to-creatinine ratio testing-whether at home or at the physician's office-is critical to reducing the economic burden of chronic disease and improving patient outcomes."
Yonatan Adiri, founder and chief executive officer of Healthy.io said the technology, which has gained approval from US and European regulators, was like a "medical selfie" that would improve patient outcomes through more frequent testing.