Qualcomm and Life Care Networks partner to battle cardiovascular disease using mobile phones || via @imedicalapps

Qualcomm and Life Care Networks have partnered to launch an initiative called the Wireless Heart Health project to aid in the prevention and treatment of health conditions such as cardiovascular disease in underserved communities in China. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, are a major problem in China with close to 3 million deaths a year.

Because of the prevalence of mobile phones in China, an idea formed that would allow critical medical care to be given in areas of China that would otherwise never have access.

“With a grant from Wireless Reach, the Wireless Heart Health project is deploying a 3G-enabled cardiovascular screening and monitoring system, developed by Life Care Networks, for resource-scarce community health clinics in Shandong, Anhui and Sichuan provinces, as well as the Chongqing municipality.  Community Health Association of China is assisting in clinic selection, project implementation and impact analysis.”

The smartphones contain added sensors (such as ECG) that aid in diagnostics.

“The new 3G system includes smartphones with built-in electrocardiogram (ECG) sensors; web-based, electronic medical record software; and 3G wireless workstations located within the clinics.  Each workstation includes a computer terminal with Internet access, providing health care workers with instant access to electronic patient records, including ECG data.  The project also includes training sessions for all participating community health center clinicians.”

The Wireless Heart Health project allows smartphones to automatically send critical patient data to a cardiac specialist at a call center.  This call center contains doctors that provide feedback to patients and clinic staff over the phone or through text messages. Physicians can remotely provide service for simpler cases or suggest a specialist follow-up in-person. Finally, Qualcomm expects to make some of the ECG-enabled smartphones available for patients to rent and take home.

For further reading, please view Yahoo Finance.

 

 

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via imedicalapps.com

Qualcomm takes their wireless health technology and vision to China for wireless ECG experiment called Wireless Heart Health in western China.

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China Permits Foreign Investment WFOEs in Medical Industry | China Briefing News

China Permits Foreign Investment WFOEs in Medical Industry

Dec. 14 – In a follow up to the piece we wrote last week on China opening up its medical industries to foreign investment, here we offer readers a direct translation of the pertinent text taken from Guobanfa [2010] No. 58 issued on November 26.

Article 5: Allowing overseas capital to establish medical institutions

Opening up shall be further deepened for medical institutions and investments in medical institutions by overseas capital shall be adjusted into permitted foreign-invested projects.

Overseas medical institutions, enterprises and other economic organizations shall be allowed to set up medical institutions through the form of joint ventures or cooperative joint ventures within China with Chinese medical institutions, enterprises and other economic organizations to gradually cancel restrictions over the proportion of equity held by overseas capital.

Eligible overseas capital may establish wholly-owned medical institutions within China on a pilot basis and restrictions shall be removed gradually.

Overseas capital may make investments in both for profit medical institutions and non-profit medical institutions.

Overseas capital shall be encouraged to establish medical institutions in the central and western parts of China.

Capital from Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR and Taiwan region in establishing medical institutions in the mainland shall enjoy priority support policy in accordance with relevant provisions.

Article 6: Simplifying and standardizing examination and approval procedures for overseas capital making investments in medical institutions

The establishment of Sino-foreign joint venture medical institution and Sino-foreign cooperative joint venture medical institution shall examined and approved by health authorities and commerce authorities at the provincial level, among which the establishment of Chinese medicine hospital, Chinese and western medicine hospital and minority medicine hospital shall seek the opinions of Chinese medicine administration authorities at the provincial level.

The establishment of foreign wholly-owned medical institutions shall be examined and approved by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Commerce, among which the establishment of Chinese medicine hospitals, Chinese and western medicine hospitals and traditional Chinese medicine hospitals shall seek the opinions of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Specific measures shall be separately formulated by relevant authorities.

At present, foreign investment is only permitted (with very rare exceptions) in the form of Joint Ventures, however the circular states the equity amount in favor of the Chinese partner may now be reduced. Initial pilot schemes will be permitted for the establishment of WFOEs, while the promulgation of the application procedures is still being worked on.

Also within the circular are the provisions for more “social capital” to be made available for the reform of public hospitals. It dictates the circular is intended to “stably transform some public medical hospitals into non-public medical institutions, appropriately lower the proportion of public hospitals, promote the reasonable distribution of public hospitals and create the situation in which multiple investments are made in medical institutions,” effectively meaning the door has now opened for a class of private hospitals to be both funded from overseas to service the domestic market.

This circular paves the way for far easier access to the large medical care industry in China for foreign investors. Further information concerning this development and the implications for interested parties may be made to Richard Hoffmann, senior legal associate at Dezan Shira & Associates. The firm handles numerous clients in China’s health care and medical industry and can be contact at legal@dezshira.com.

via china-briefing.com

Big news for the opening up of Chinese markets to foreign competition. It still probably makes little sense to try to operate on the mainland without a local partner, but a major step in policy regardless.

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U.S. and China Agree to New Public/Private Healthcare Partnership | China Briefing News

U.S. and China Agree to New Public/Private Healthcare Partnership

Jan. 20 – China and the United States announced a new public/private sector joint partnership yesterday focusing on the healthcare industry. The U.S. Trade and Development Agency, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Commerce joined with China’s Ministries of Health and Commerce to announce their support for the establishment of the new organization.

“The economic and social development of any nation depends on the health and productivity of its people,” said U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “This partnership builds on a strong foundation of bilateral cooperation in this critical sector of our economies.”

The American Chamber of Commerce in China (AmCham-China) was an early proponent of this partnership on the U.S. side and applauds its establishment.

The Healthcare Partnership Program follows two highly successful, existing public/private partnerships that operate under AmCham-China’s umbrella, namely the Aviation Cooperation Program and the Energy Cooperation Program.

“The Healthcare Partnership Program is a milestone in U.S.-China cooperation in healthcare and will strengthen the contribution of U.S. companies to China’s healthcare reforms,” said AmCham-China Chairman Ted Dean. “Public/private partnerships like the Healthcare Partnership Program are important examples of how the two countries can come together for mutual benefit.”

The new public/private partnership was announced as part of Chinese President Hu Jintao’s official state visit to the United States this week. The Healthcare Partnership Program will be headquartered in AmCham-China’s Beijing office.

China Briefing broke the news of foreign investment being allowed into China’s healthcare and medical industries six weeks ago. Foreign investors may now establish WFOEs in the sector, our full overview of the applicable regulations are contained in our article “China to Allow Foreign Capital into Medical Organizations” and a translation of the regulations in this piece, “Foreign Investment WFOEs in China’s Medical Industry.”

Dezan Shira & Associates have been advising foreign manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies about establishing a presence in the China market, and obtaining the pertinent licenses, since 1992. Please contact the firm for legal and tax advice concerning investments into this industry at info@dezshira.com, or download the firm’s brochure here.

via china-briefing.com

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