CCmHI released landscaping report on mHealth in China
mobile + health = boosting China’s healthcare bandwidth
In Beijing, on November 17, 2015, the China Center for mHealth Innovation (CCmHI) released a landscaping report on mobile health (mHealth) in China as an early step in helping Chinese policy makers navigate the mHealth space.
The research team, together with 6 panelists from government, academia, industry, medical practitioners and media, as well as attendees from relevant fields, gathered at Peking University Health Science Center to discuss and exchange thoughts on the report and the future development of mHealth in China.
“The goal is to provide an overview of how mHealth is deployed and contributing to the Chinese health system, particularly from an academic point of view,” said Professor Anushka Patel, Chief Scientist of The George Institute for Global Health.
CCmHI, established at the end of 2014, is a joint collaboration between The George Institute for Global Health, a not-for-profit medical and healthcare research organization, and Qualcomm® Wireless Reach™. It was designed and created to support the development of community healthcare and contribute to mHealth innovation in China.
As the first study conducted by CCmHI, researchers examined and reviewed the scientific literature in China in relation to mHealth, as well as government and industry sector involvement, and the legal and regulatory framework.
“As mHealth technology evolves rapidly day after day, this broad overview is to be annually updated thus to subsequently provide a more in-depth understanding of both the promise and reality of the mHealth landscape in China,” said Professor Anushka Patel.
China has experienced 4 major rounds of health system reforms since the 1980s and achieved extraordinary results including improving average life expectancy from 68 years in 1990 to 75.2 in 2014. However, challenges from health equity and health system, as well as the ever-growing burden of chronic diseases, still remain.
“Challenges also bring opportunities, especially in an era when people are connected with each other via internet and mobile infrastructure and capabilities are expanding fast,” said Professor Zhi-Jie Zheng, Executive Director of The George Institute, China.
“The whole society welcome this new era, and people are expecting to enjoy the benefits brought by the innovative approaches like mHealth, especially those living in resource-limited areas. But if we want the full potential of mHealth to be achieved, the barriers and deficiencies of the current system need to be addressed first.”
“A strategic approach supported by scientific evidence is urgently needed to fulfil the role of mHealth in strengthening the healthcare system in China and bring real impact to people’s health.”
“We hope that the analyses and recommendations the report provided can help strengthen the formulation of policies and practices by Chinese governmental officials and bring about expanded use of mHealth strategies.”