PADUCAH - Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear visited Paducah on Tuesday to unveil a new piece of medical technology he says will encourage positive change in the lives of Americans with diabetes.
It is called a Wireless Glucometer. Verizon Wireless and the Paducah-based Genesis Health Technologies teamed up to create the device, which makes it possible for a patient to take a blood glucose test anywhere. That data is then transmitted to a person's physician who can help monitor that person's glucose levels.
Gov. Beshear sat down with representatives from both groups to demonstrate how it works. Their test run showed the blood test only takes about one minute.
Leaders from both groups anticipate this device to be life-changing.
"Having the largest 4G network, it provides this type of device to work safe and secure in real time. That's most important, to save lives and lower health care costs," said Marion Nolan, Associate Director of Verizon Wireless.
"Instead of getting a glucose reading from a log book or device every six months, they would now have access on demand for those readings," said Nathan Cross, CEO of Genesis Health Technologies.
Genesis is partnering with Healthworks to make the glucometer available to doctors and hospitals. Gov. Beshear says the potential popularity of the device could mean Genesis may expand their operation and that would create new jobs.