S. Korea launches integrated health information management app

[Gettyimages Bank]

SEOUL -- South Korea has launched an integrated smartphone app that will work as a health information management tool. The app is capable of integrating and managing information issued by different administrative sectors. Users can share their health information with third-parties including hospitals through a simple process.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said in a statement on February 24 that "My Health Record," the integrated health information app, has been released. Users can download and manage prescriptions, health examination results and vaccination records. The app can also be used for selectively sending medical data for medical purposes.

Currently, South Koreans have to visit hospitals and organizations such as the National Health Insurance Service to get medical documents and health records. Hospitals do not issue documents remotely to protect personal information. Some documents can be received via courier mail which takes several days. The new app is part of a personalized health information platform that would be established in 2022 to innovate South Korea's medical service and help citizens improve their health.

"We need to change the paradigm of the medical service industry from the one that is centered in on service providers and patients to an illness prevention-centered one that utilizes and shares health information in order to solve social problems such as the aging society, increased cases of chronic illnesses, and the treatment gap," said Yoon Kun-ho, who heads the ministry's digital healthcare special committee.

Park Sae-jin swatchsjp@ajunews.com

S. Korea launches integrated health information management app

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