Mobile medicine
Telefónica has launched its global e-health Unit and healthcare sector strategy in a bid to become a major player in the industry by providing products and services based on communications technologies.
The Spanish company which owns O2 has proposed the healthcare sector should decentralise clinical processes by using integrated service networks plus remote access to services, which will "increase efficiency and modernise the sector."
Speaking at the firm's e-health workshops, chairman of Telefónica, César Alierta said: "This global unit has a cross-company character and already has local units in Spain, Europe and Latin America, composed of professionals who define the strategy and planning of services and their industrialisation, operation and support. It aims to become a standard bearer in the areas of products, pilot projects and know-how."
The global down-turn has highlighted challenges facing the social services and healthcare sector, which requires hefty investment to maintain high quality services. Governments across the globe are mulling how to safeguard the healthcare service model against a backdrop of rising service and care costs, plus greater life expectancy.
According to Telefónica, over 13 percent of the world's population will be over 65 this year, with 60 percent of them suffering from chronic or degenerative illnesses. With a shortfall of specialists in some areas, combined with administrative tasks that dominate up to half of their day and spiraling costs, there is additional pressure on public healthcare budgets.
"Given this context, containing IT costs in the healthcare sector is key, and can be achieved through digital standards (interoperability) and using business intelligence in risk management and patient-centred projects," it said.
The company believes telemedicine and remote telecare coupled with greater network integration through ICTs is a chance to give budgets more mileage, stretch resources, improve productivity and establish an efficient cooperation system between health centres and professionals.
Telefónica is currently involved in more than 80 projects in the telemedicine and telecare segment in over nine countries and joins Intel and Cisco, which are both working on e-health propositions in a bid to shape the future sector and harness a big share of the market.
