Idea Lab sees home as integral part of care setting

The Food and Drug Administration recently launched an Idea Lab as part of its initiative to enable innovators, providers and patients reimagine the home as an integral part of the health care system. The lab includes a virtual reality prototype to give users an immersive experience inside various affordable homes of people living with diabetes to illuminate their challenges in navigating their medical conditions. The FDA intends for the lab to help it and innovators understand how current medical devices fit into people’s homes, as well as to innovate new home use devices and adapt existing devices to better meet the people’s needs at home. Providers also can consider ways to educate patients and extend care options to the home. (FDA news release, 12/30/24)