The Chung-Ang University Hospital held an international symposium jointly with the University of Utah in Seoul on May 22, 2017 to promote cooperation between South Korea and the United States in the field digital health.
The conference examined the current status of the digital health system in the U.S. state of Utah and discussed its possible applications to the Korean medical reality.
a memorandum of understanding between the University of Utah and the Chung-Ang Hospital
In November 2016, Chung-Ang University Hospital signed a memorandum of understanding with the University of Utah Hospital to conduct joint research and development in the field of eHealth. The main objective is to apply online digital devices to real-world medical systems.
Professor Han Duck-hyun of Chung-Ang Hospital said in his opening speech that he was considering combining smart wearable devices in the Korean health system. In the event of an emergency, vital signs transmitted by the patient to doctors via a wearable device can thus allow the medical staff to perceive and accurately analyze a crisis.
Be inspied by Utah telemedicine to improve health services in South Korea
« We do not mean to merge telemedicine in Utah directly into Korea, but if we can learn how to use wearable devices to suit circumstances in Korea, we will be able to take advantage of the domestic medical system, » said Prof. Han.
Medical teams from the two universities agreed on the need to « commercialize telehealth & telemedicine capabilities in Korea » for the efficient use of domestic healthcare resources, said Chris Wasden, executive director of the Sorenson Center for Discovery & Innovation at (the University of Utah.
South Korea relies on telemedicine to improve access to care
According to the World Health Organization, telehealth uses computer-assisted telecommunications to support management, surveillance, and access to medical knowledge, while telemedicine uses telecommunications solely to diagnose and treat patients.
Nate Gladwell, senior director and clinical operations director of the University of Utah Health Hospitals and Clinics, specified the three primary purposes for telemedicine which is:
- To expand patient access to specialty care in places where it’s not available;
- To prepare the national health system for the future in how doctors interact with their patients;
- To ensure patients to receive the right care at the right time.
Telestroke: a program that links 26 hospitals in six states
« As of now, we have a clinical program called Telestroke where we’re connected to 26 hospitals in six states, » said the American expert, recalling that 30% of Chung-Ang hospital patientscame from more than 100 miles (170 kilometers) away. If a patient suffers a stroke and is taken to one of those hospitals, they can connect to our stroke specialists using telemedicine. »