Norwegian operator pilots aging in place tech

By Brian Dolan
11:04 am
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Mobile operator Telenor Norway is currently testing aging in place technologies, including wireless-enabled motion sensors and pill boxes, according to a post on the operator's corporate site. The pilot system alerts patients' caregivers so they can intervene and provide assistance when needed.

Lilly Ann Stenvold, mHealth researcher at Telenor Corporate Development, has worked on telemedicine initiatives at Telenor for nearly 20 years and is now leading the mHealth pilot at Telenor in conjunction with Tromsø Telemedicine Laboratory’s Center for Research-based Innovation.

The project aims to increase efficiency and productivity: "Rather than scheduling nurses to visit homes at fixed times, a home healthcare provider can offer targeted services that would allow nurses to attend to patients when there is an actual need, for example when a person has fallen and is unable to access the telephone or a manual alarm."

While Telenor's most recent pilot is still scant on details, the operator has offered mobile health services through a number of its subsidiaries in developing markets, according to the operator:

> Telenor Pakistan offers its subscribers medical tips, legal advice, career guidance and other useful information by simply dialing 1911 on their mobile phones.

> Telenor Serbia is working with UNICEF to offer an mHealth service to the Roma population in Serbia. The mobile service offers up information on health and social services, the ability stay in touch with health care mediators, and an option to receive medical appointment reminders.

> In Bangladesh, Telenor's Grameenphone operator offers HealthLine, a 24/7 medical call center staffed by licensed physicians and available to all Grameenphone subscribers.

> Grameenphone is also working with World Health Organization (WHO), to send SMS (text) alerts to remind subscribers to vaccinate children for polio.

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