Mobile health round-up: February

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eHealthNews.nz editor Rebecca McBeth

Celo global launch

Celo is focusing on global expansion in 2019 and the mobile communication platform for health is now available in Australia. At Celo’s global launch event in Auckland, chief executive Steve Vlok said identities of health professionals in Australia can be verified on the platform and the company is also in talks with some NHS trusts in the UK.

Celo also launched a new website and free version of the product. “We believe all health professionals should be able to communicate about patients safely,” Vlok said.

Canterbury DHB chief digital officer Stella Ward spoke at the launch about how the DHB worked with Celo as a start-up to develop the communication platform, in conjunction with clinicians. “Healthcare is ripe for the digital transformation that needs to happen and New Zealand companies like Celo are ready to tackle these problems for the world,” she told attendees.

Melon Health provides digital options for youth mental health pilot

A pilot mental health programme starting in Porirua in March aims to expand access to services, including through digital channels.

The free programme is for people aged 18 to 25 with mild-to-moderate mental health problems and aims to strengthen existing services as well as increase access.

Young people referred to Piki will be able to join a Melon online community, work with a coach or therapist via live chat, video or audio, and use digital resilience tools.

“People will be able to access the pilot through many methods – self-referral, contact through the government-funded mental health support line 1737, seeking help from DHBs or their GP, school referrals and many others,” says associate health minster Julie Anne Genter.

Centrality tests market potential of healthcare data app in New Zealand

CoverUS, an app that offers financial rewards to people who choose to allow access to insights from their anonymised healthcare data, will be piloted in New Zealand.

Auckland-based company Centrality is one of the largest pre-seed investors in CoverUS. The two companies are partnering for technology integrations and pilots, initially in the US and New Zealand. The collaboration will extend the app for future use in global public healthcare markets including Australia, Canada and the UK.

The CoverUS app also allows users to engage with the healthcare system directly – taking actions that provide real world data to researchers, improve their own health and cut system costs, says a press statement from the companies.

Xcertia releases updated mobile health-app guidelines for comment

Updated mobile health-application guidelines concerning privacy, security, operability, usability and content have been released for public comment by an mHealth app collaborative.

Xcertia is a non-profit organisation founded by the Health Information Management Systems Society, American Medical Association and DHX Group. 

The release was made at the HIMSS annual conference in Florida this February and comments can be submitted online until 15 May 2019.

The guidelines are intended to address concerns about quality and safety that may be discouraging health professionals from integrating mHealth apps into their practice.

BMI calculator launched by MoneyHub

A body mass index calculator has been launched by MoneyHub to give rapid results to help New Zealanders know their health situation.

The one-click BMI calculator is available on its website and is compatible with desktops, tablets and phones.

MoneyHub’s senior researcher Christopher Walsh says, “We’ve invested in developing a secure, functional and user-friendly experience which is free to use. Best of all, it works on any device and calculates immediately”.

This round-up was updated on 21 February 2019

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