CSC, a leading international healthcare IT supplier, launched the 'Patient in your Pocket' solution using BlackBerry Smartphones at the ongoing Arab Health expo in Dubai.

It has been developed in recognition of the benefits that mobile healthcare services can deliver to healthcare providers throughout the region, said a CSC statement.

Developed in partnership with RIM (Research In Motion) this new secure mobile service will enable mobile healthcare professionals to access and update patient information at the point of care using a BlackBerry smartphone – transforming the way healthcare professionals use real time clinical data.

It combines several powerful features in one easy-to-use application, enabling healthcare professionals on the move to spend more time on front-line patient care.

“An increasing population and a slowly ageing society, combined with a growing incidence in obesity, chronic disease and long-term conditions, is creating unprecedented demand for healthcare services across the Middle East,” said Dr Harald Deutsch, vice president, CSC Healthcare EMEA.

“With all the investment being made by Middle Eastern governments in IT infrastructure and software, in order to cope with these challenges, the potential for mobility and collaborative solutions to enable the transformation of healthcare delivery is enormous,” he noted.

“As CSC is transforming healthcare by providing better information for better decisions, we have developed mobile solutions, like Patient in your Pocket, which will provide more efficient and effective methods to treat patients in their own homes,” Dr Deutsch added.

'Patient in your Pocket' allows healthcare providers to access their appointment schedule, retrieve up-to-date information about the patient’s condition and enter new data directly into the smartphone, either by dictating notes or filling in forms using a ‘digital’ pen.

This feature has been incorporated to ensure a visiting healthcare worker can do most of their record keeping whilst out on the road. Patient confidentiality is continually protected through the use of smartcard log-on and strong data encryption, Dr Deutsch explained.

"The solution also provides a layer of safety protection for healthcare professionals working alone. An activity monitoring system enables staff to register expected times for lone-working tasks with a call centre."

"An alarm is raised if those activities exceed the expected duration without contact from the healthcare worker. When this happens a healthcare worker may be in need of intervention, or they may even be under personal threat. This alarm is sent to trained operators who will assess the situation and engage the appropriate services," he added.

Dr Deutsch believes that introducing these new ways of utilising mobile technology will provide cost savings and increased safety as well as improve the delivery of care and patient satisfaction.

"With this innovation, Healthcare professionals will capture and send information as part of the patient record, whether that is narrative, structured data or images, allowing rapid advice to be accessed to benefit the patient."

"This is as important in the community as it is in clinics or in hospitals. They need to be able  manage their diary, make patient related calls, raise alerts, contact team members, plan journeys and make home visits in an efficient manner, which this new solution will enable them to do."

"This is particularly critical in Middle East, where a shortage of healthcare professionals means that their time must be utilised in the most efficient way," Dr Deutsch said.

Rory O’Neil, senior director for business marketing at RIM, said mobile technology can be incredibly helpful in improving healthcare delivery and making healthcare services more patient-centric.

"With CSC’s extensive knowledge of the healthcare market, and the power of the BlackBerry solution, Patient in your Pocket can play an important part in transforming the way healthcare professionals work and provide patient care," he added.-TradeArabia News Service