At the Primhe conference at the University of Warwick, UK, iPLATO announced the launch of a mobile stress service. “Triggered through a web-interface or through text message it offers users top 20 tips on dealing with stress.”

iPATO is a UK company that develops programs that use cell phones and the Internet to complement healthcare — among other industries.

Here are some of their services and their application to healthcare.

• Patient Care Messaging: Sends a text message to the patient’s mobile phone combined with an ability to cancel or confirm appointments via reply text.
• Mobile Clinical Access: Allows healthcare professionals to access medical records during patient consultation.
• Compliance Messaging: Uses text messaging to ensure patients take their medicines. Can also be used to advise asthmatics of pollen counts, etc.

In the US, calling to confirm appointments is usually the responsibility of the doctor’s office staff. This company has thought of a way to expand this basic service.

4/29/07 13:30 JR