Spice Global, in association with Qualcomm, plans to launch mobile health or mHealh services in India by 2014.
BK Modi, founder and chairman, Spice Global, said, “Spice Global in association with Qualcomm will launch health services in India using mobile devices by next year. Also, in a couple of months, we will first start the mobile health services in Singapore.”
He further said, “When we launch mobile health services in India, we will leverage WiFi, 3G and 4G networks to provide a platform where patients can consult doctors using their mobile phones. Initially our aim is to prove mobile health services in tier 1 and tier 2 cites because people staying there are usually deprived of quality health services.”
The aim of Spice Global’s mHealth imitative in India is to provide health services on the go through mobile phones, and this is not the first time Spice has experimented with health services. In 2011, Spice had launched Jeeyo Healthy services – an interactive voice response (IVR) based education and awareness service about common ailments. The service provided medical help from experts 24X7.
This time round the services will not be IVR or SMS based. Instead it might be through an App or web page. Modi didn’t reveal any further details about the services.
Qualcomm had earlier launched a Wireless Heart Health project for the prevention and care of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in China. In this project, smartphones automatically send patient data, over China Telecom’s 3G network, for real-time analysis to a cardiac specialist in the Beijing Life Care Networks Call Center. Doctors provide real-time feedback to patients and clinic staff via SMS or a phone call.