Establish a health care alliance online

Yesterday (June 7), a group of health and healthcare companies and high-tech corporations formed the Continua Health Alliance (Continua Health Alliance), to establish a uniform system for Health care products and services and online health care.

This alliance will help patients, caregivers and health service providers be more proactive in addressing current health problems.

The founding members of this alliance include BodyMedia, Cisco Systems, GE Healthcare, IBM, Intel Corporation, Kaiser Permanente, Medtronic, Motorola, Nonin, Omron Healthcare, Panasonic (Matsushita Electric), Partners HealthCare, Polar Electro, Royal Philips. Electronics, RMD Networks, Samsung Electronics, Sharp, The Tunstall Group, Welch Allyn and Zensys.

Continua Health Alliance's efforts will focus on three main areas: chronic disease care, elderly health and medical needs monitoring and health care initiative. Network-ready medical devices and health care services, people with diabetes or other chronic diseases can share information about body sugar levels and other necessary information with doctors online.

People will be able to take care of their parents remotely and actively help them take care of their health at home. Individuals who are on a diet and doing exercise will also be able to share unlimited data about their weight and exercises with fitness counselors via the Internet.

The alliance intends to offer solutions to the health sector within the next 18 months.

For more information about Continua Health Alliance and companies involved in this alliance and how to become a member of the alliance, interested readers can visit http:///www.continuaalliance .org .

HN