Omron Healthcare
'Going for Zero' Heart Attacks and Strokes with Personal Health Technology

For Ranndy Kellogg, the CEO of Omron Healthcare, “zero is the biggest number of them all.” The explanation to this is unique, owing to Omron Healthcare’s pursuit of eliminating heart attack and stroke with its mission of Going for Zero. The company has always been interested in heart health and the ways it can reduce such conditions using personal health technology. “When we started, we knew it was not going to happen overnight. But every step we take and every reduction we make is a fantastic benefit for everybody,” adds Kellogg.

The company actively spreads awareness about different kinds of heart diseases, and the need to understand the relevance of heart health data and information. It is committed toward empowering people to do the same by equipping them with personal heart health technology and other products.

Omron Healthcare offers blood pressure monitors to measure accurate readings at various intervals. These monitors are available in two categories—connected and non-connected. The connected monitors are compatible with the Omron smartphone application—the Omron Connect app—which helps track the readings recorded through the device. Once a user installs the Omron Connect app on a phone, it starts reporting the readings captured through the monitor. Patients can easily access this information and simultaneously transfer it directly to physicians for consultation. The clinicians can also import the data received from the app into the health records of the institution. “We fit into the protocols set by the hospitals and the American Heart Association to help patients efficiently,” says Kellogg.

At a time when hypertension or high blood pressure impacts roughly 46 percent of adults in the United States, the ability to monitor readings frequently at home comes as a great benefit for patients.

Omron Healthcare works to eliminate the possibilities of heart attack and stroke withits mission of Going for Zero

These monitors are widely recommended by clinicians and healthcare providers considering the factor that monitoring blood pressure only once during a visit to the physician doesn’t provide much insight into their well-being and health. Omron Healthcare also specializes in drug-free pain management and controlling respiratory problems such as asthma. Kellogg adds, “Many people hesitate to take drugs and opt for other solutions such as electrotherapy to relieve their pain. Our over-the-counter products use electrotherapy, and we strive to relieve pain without the intake of drugs.”

Until a few years ago, if anyone needed to check their blood pressure, they had to visit a hospital or a local clinician. However, to bring this technology to everyone’s doorstep, Omron Healthcare pioneered the use of blood pressure monitoring at home using FDA cleared technologies. “Only 30-40 percent of people diagnosed with high blood pressure get their condition under control, and there are many others who need help. We hope to help them in the next few years,” elucidates Kellogg.

He recalls his encounter with a 41-year-old woman in Chicago, who suffered a stroke and was unsure about the reason behind it. She found that the culprit was undiagnosed hypertension and started keeping a check on her blood pressure variations regularly using one of Omron Healthcare’s blood pressure monitors. The monitor enables her to consult a doctor at the right time depending on fluctuations in her readings.

Omron Healthcare’s vision is to render products that are easy to use and effective for the users, and thus, the next addition to its portfolio would be the first wearable blood pressure monitor, which will miniaturize the components of an oscillometric blood pressure monitor into the size of a sleek smartwatch. This is likely to be launched later this year. The device will track a person’s daily activity, heart rate, and even sleep efficiency. Kellogg considers this a great opportunity for the company’s expansion as it gives them a platform to add more features and aids Omron Healthcare’s mission of Going for Zero.