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S. Korea to kickoff 'smart care' pilot project this year
SEOUL, Jan. 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will kickoff the world's largest "smart care" treatment project this year that can help chronically ill people receive timely and efficient medical attention, the government said Wednesday.
Smart care refers to the merging of ubiquitous healthcare (u-healthcare) and expert medical attention that offers patients on-time detailed monitoring of their physical conditions, the Ministry of Knowledge Economy said.
Extensive use of long distance medical examinations using the country's advanced information technology infrastructure will be a key to the project, the ministry said.
The system will also advise patients via on-line communications devices such as mobile phones and laptops on how best to preserve their health, what they should eat and how to manage their illnesses.
The ministry said the project, slated to begin in the second half of this year, is initially targeting 10,000 people suffering from a variety of diseases. It added the entire endeavor will run through 2012.
The project will be worth 30 billion won (US$25.9 million) with the government and public organizations footing 7.5 billion won of the total.
"The new pilot project is expected to overcome shortfalls from existing u-healthcare programs that have been cited for being too small and not as effective as anticipated," an official said.
He said that if the system is put in place, and its safety and effectiveness is proven, it could become the global standard for such services in the future.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
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