Korea launches m-health project

A private and public collaboration in Korea has spurred a mobile initiative that will use 3G-enabled applications and services enabling patients and health workers to better manage diabetes.

The project, called Self Quality Care will be implemented by the Gyeonggi provincial government, Qualcomm, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), and Korea Telecom (KT).

Lee Suk-chae CEO of Korea Telecom in an official statement said the KT plans to link devices such as smartphones, tablet PCs and IPTV devices with medical treatment systems.

Under the programme, KT will gather data from diabetic patients’ Ubcare glucose metre measurements and transmit them to its u-Health Platform using the 3G Health Home Gateway.

The company will also provide web service solutions and smartphone applications that will enable patients and health workers to better manage diabetes.

The glucose meter provider, Ubcare, will work with KT on creating software that will communicate with hospital medical record databases and the u-Health Platform using internet and mobile services. The programme is part of Qualcomm’s Wireless Reach Initiative aimed at bringing wireless technology to underserved communities around the world.

The Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, a non-profit, government funded organization, will oversee the implementation and evaluation of the project.

Gyeonggi Province, through the Kwang-Myung City Community Health Center, will provide education resources as part of the project’s implementation.

Governor of Gyeonggi Province, Kim Moon-Soo, said the region will benefit tremendously from the project. “Our citizens will be able to better manage their illnesses and our government will be able to provide health care services more efficiently,” he said.

---