For those of you who may not be aware, Best Buy made real headlines in 2018 when it purchased GreatCall, a company that created health products for seniors and the aging. We all know Best Buy for devices like televisions, video games, computers and speakers—but technology for the aging—really?
Best Buy Health has made a real commitment to helping the elderly. The company appointed Asheesh Saksensa to spearhead the venture and he’s got big plans for this recognizable brand’s new foray into smart home health.
Ultimately, Best Buy is looking to bring healthcare technology into the home. We have all read about the futuristic trend of robots helping the elderly navigate around their homes as well as “tele-health” and checking in with doctors and nurses through computers and tablets. However, Best Buy wants to focus on seniors through its acquisition of GreatCall to take it a step beyond just call buttons and cell phones, helping those who are both adept at technology and, well, not-so-adept.
Best Buy is currently making plans to create smart technology for home healthcare that is customizable; after all, no one particular person or health problem is necessarily the same. Everyone wants to stay at home for a variety of reasons and everyone has a different collection of aging-related situations and concerns.
Amazon has begun tapping this important marketplace and it was only time until a company like Best Buy threw its hat in the ring. More than likely, you will see others do the same as the need for smart home healthcare increases due to demand and lack of home health care attendants. Perhaps they will create tablets that can directly connect to doctors and nurses or develop software technology for devices to take a patient’s vitals and send to a database.
Regardless, it’s clear that Best Buy is on the up and up, as they say, when it comes to finding smart solutions for an aging population. It will be exciting and fascinating to see how this technology develops and who else will also be creating it.