Smart, DOH launch wireless tech for health care

ILOILO CITY, Philippines  – Smart Communications Inc. and the Department of Health (DOH) yesterday piloted a program here that introduces wireless technology in healthcare delivery.

The program, dubbed Secured Health Information Network and Exchange (SHINE), was designed to interconnect some rural health units and government hospitals to address “time consuming and repetitive documentation” of patients’ medical history.

Health Undersecretary Dr. Ted Herbosa said SHINE is the answer to a “paper-based” recording and referral system that often causes delays in the treatment of patients.

“With SHINE, we can have real-time data that we can analyze and make use of in coming up with necessary recommendations. We’ll know the possible causes of delays so we can make the correct decision on how we can improve the situation. We can better make use of taxpayers’ money,” he said.

At present, patients’ medical history in rural health units are recorded manually on paper forms, which sometimes get misplaced or destroyed. 

It is also devoid of a mechanism that a rural health unit can easily identify as to which hospital can accommodate a patient that needs to be transferred for complicated condition.

Through SHINE, Smart’s chief wireless advisor Orlando Vea claimed that patients’ records would be computerized and they will be accessible in healthcare facilities equipped with the system.

“SHINE will lessen the workloads of health professionals because the patients’ records are recorded in computers. It also makes the referral of patients faster and more efficient,” Vea added.

Smart’s Strategic Business Development consultant Ramon Duremdes pointed out that the confidentiality and security of patients’ records are strictly protected in the project.

“Security and privacy were on top of our mind when we conceptualized this project. The application and data base server run on redundant servers located in the world-class, highly secure Vitro data center, operated by e-PLDT. We follow global standards,” Duremdes said.

SHINE is an “electronic medical records and electronic inter-facility health referral system” that was developed and powered by Smart. The system can be accessed through GPRS or 3G-enabled mobile phone that can run Java applications and/or computers connected to the Internet.

The system involves the “electronic registration of patients, recording of consultations, filling up and sending of referral acknowledgment and feedback forms, searching for health care specialists or facilities, setting of appointments as well as the sending of short messaging system (SMS) notification and reminders to patients.”

Under the project, Smart will supply with computers and mobile phones some 13 rural health units, 10 health centers, five district hospitals and two tertiary hospitals here, which will be interconnected through the SHINE system.

Vea said Smart has been training health care professionals in these facilities on how to use the new technology.

Through the project, patients can be texted by the health care providers to remind them of their appointments or scheduled follow-up checkups.

Health workers, on the other hand, need not bring huge documents when doing visitation because they can access the patients’ records on their SHINE mobile phones.

Smart, in an agreement with the Iloilo provincial, city and municipal governments, will provide free wireless broadband connectivity for six months and free use of the SHINE system for one year.

“Our dream is to make the Internet as pervasive as mobile phones and we are on our way to accomplishing this goal. The Philippines is already the Facebook capital of the world. Our ambition is to make the Philippines the world leader in the use of mobile health applications,” Vea said.