HINZ 09 Wed 11 am M-Health - Craig Jones, Vodafone

Craig began his presentation with an overview of the latest trends in mobile technology including the fact that Vodafone is adding 2.5 million new subscriptions a months. In NZ there is now more than 100% mobile phone subscription penetration.
 
NZ is unique in that 3G has 97% coverage through Vodafone and Telecom. Higher speed mobile data such as HSDPA networks are now competing with DSL broadband. This has the potential to greatly increase the use of productivity applications.
 
Question from David Hay – Looks great but data prices is an issue that needs to be addressed.
 
Craig then went on to talk about how much mobile devices have come along since the original large phones and says that now the iPhone is setting the standard of current mobile devices.
 
Next Craig gave an overview of Social Media through Web 2.0. He used Facebook as an example, with 230 million members with 15 million people updating the profiles daily.
 
The mobile internet has become a reality allowing people to access most websites through a mobile browser. There are now more than 1 billion Apple iPhone application downloads in 9 months.
 
Craig then moved the presentation on to m-Health and the opportunities for using this new technology for improving healthcare. M-Health can improve efficiency, accessibility and reduce the cost of healthcare and improved consumer engagement.
 
An example of m-Health is the iBleep and intelligent paging technology used at Auckland DHB. The iBleep offers increased functionality by sending more information than a traditional bleep system.
 
Another example is the Digital Pen technology to capture health information. Uses dot-matrix patterned forms with an electronic pen that can record the pen strokes. The pen strokes are sent to a mobile phone via Bluetooth and sent on to the patient management system.
 
A third example is the Smartinhaler for managing chronic conditions. The inhaler has a SIM card in it which allows it to send a message of the Vodafone netowkr to allow the inhaler to commicate with an online patient wellness portal. The next stage if for GPs to be able to send information back to the device.
 
T+ Medical are also using mobile phones to send glucometer readings to a patient wellness portal. The NHS are using an Identicom ID page that allows voice commications by medical staff through ther identity badge! Very useful in critical situations.
 
Mobile Surgical Services have set up a new video-conference solution used at Dunedin hospital that works over the mobile phone network.
 
Craig finished up his talk by showing how social networking websites can be used to improve health especially when linked back through the mobile network using their mobile device. He also mentioned how the developing world will likely use the mobile networks for their access to health information.
 
In the questions at the end Craig talked about how user interfaces are rapidly improving and with help with patients having difficulty using mobile devices. He also said that the software development side is taking more of a priority now that much of the infrastructure is in place.