Automated Station Brings Physicals to Pharmacy

The FDA in May approved the SoloHealth Station, a health assessment kiosk, which would allow patients to monitor basic physical health without a trip to the physician’s office.

FDA approval documents list the system as a blood pressure and pulse rate measure. The kiosks provide health screenings for vision, blood pressure, weight and body mass index, a symptom checker, and an overall health assessment, all free of charge. They also include a database of local professionals for patients in need of further consultation, and prompt patients to consult a physician, according to the company.

Although the SoloHeath Station screens adults for clarity of central vision, the manufacturers noted that it does not diagnose eye health or other disease.

The health station uses interactive screen and voice instructions to lead users through a series of health prompts. Users may opt to store the data to access later via a website, or send the information to their e-mail address.

The SoloHealth Station is currently available in select test markets and retail locations, although SoloHealth hopes to expand access to pharmacy locations nationwide. The company expects to announce retail partnerships within 2 months of the FDA’s May approval.

The approval announcement follows a March FDA hearing that proposed offering OTC versions of prescription drugs for certain chronic conditions. Because the proposal would require monitoring of how well the medicines are working, the FDA suggested housing diagnostic kiosks at pharmacies that would lead patients through a series of questions to self-diagnose their conditions or to determine contraindications for given medications. The FDA model suggested pharmacist confirmation of a diagnosis and performing monitoring using diagnostic tests.