Hi-tech system offers health checks through your mobile (From Oxford Mail)

Hi-tech system offers health checks through your mobile

3:35pm Friday 12th March 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(0)

EXPERTS at an Oxford hospital have devised a high-tech way of reading blood pressure and helping cancer patients through a mobile phone.

The application, which can also help people who have had a stroke or suffer from diabetes, helps people self-manage their condition, and can alert a nurse for help if severe side effects are picked up.

It works by asking the user a series of questions about their treatment, and advises them what steps to take next.

The program can tell people who are undergoing chemo- therapy if the side effects they are experiencing are normal and whether they need to alter their dose.

Using wireless Bluetooth technology, it can also take glucose readings for diabetes sufferers via a small finger-prick test machine which can alert a nurse if their insulin dose is incorrect.

The eHealth system, being pioneered by the Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, will be showcased at an open day at the John Radcliffe Hospital on Thursday. Research assistant Dr Oliver Gibson said: “Using everyday mobile phone technology gives the patient the freedom to intensively monitor their condition or side effects in the comfort of their own home.

“This can reduce the amount of time spent in hospital, yet nurses and doctors caring for the patients can be alerted to changes instantly and revise their treatment plans accordingly.

“Everyone benefits.”

Visitors at the open day will be able to visit interactive stands and talk to researchers in the fields of genetics, cancer, and strokes.

They will also be invited to take part in discussions, including an evening session about research into the UK’s ageing population.

Organisers hope the day will give people a chance to see what goes on behind the scenes at the hospital.

The open day runs from 3pm to 7pm at the JR’s West Wing. Everyone is welcome.