Description
Qualcomm believes access to 3G and next-generation mobile technologies can improve people’s lives. Qualcomm’s Wireless Reach initiative is a strategic program that brings wireless technology to underserved communities globally.
On May 23, 2012, the Philippines Department of Health, Tarlac Provincial Health Office and Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM), through its Wireless Reach™ initiative, announced the expansion of the Wireless Access for Health (WAH) project, which uses 3G technology to improve health care in the Philippines and create healthier, happier communities. Local Tarlac government officials have committed to support the replication of the project across the entire province by the end of 2012.
Results at the conclusion of the pilot phase, which recorded over 12,000 patient consultations, indicate that such a system is not only feasible and improves patient care in rural health clinics, but also has a real impact for decision makers by providing them with accurate and timely health data that allows them to identify and prevent disease outbreaks across the Philippines.
Results
Since the project began in July 2009, WAH partners have established CHITS as their own electronic medical record (EMR) platform and successfully expanded implementation from four rural health units to 21 health clinics in the Tarlac Province, serving more than 1,500 patients a day. As of April 2012, more than 109,000 patient consultations have been captured by the system, resulting in improved patient and increased number of patient visits as a result of efficiencies that have reduced the time needed to search paper records to just seconds.
