TAIPEI (Press Release). The first “anywhere, anytime” mobile WiMAX medical care will be launched by Taiwanese telecommunications operator Chunghwa Telecom, according to a press release by WiMAX equipment vendor Nortel.

The “Mobile Healthcare Services” in Taiwan will support emergency medical assistance and patient care services wherever it is required outside of a medical facility. With the assistance of super-fast, high-bandwidth wireless communications powered by WiMAX, healthcare personnel in the field will be able to connect to critical medical resources, exchange important files and arrange treatment, saving crucial minutes in the early treatment of patients.

The network is to be launched at the Taipei Medical University Hospital, Tri-Service General Hospital and Taipei City-Wan Fang Hospital. The Mobile Healthcare Services project is part of the M-Taiwan initiative supported by Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs (MoEA). The Taiwan government has emphasised the importance of mobile access throughout the country, placing Taiwan at the forefront of mobile broadband development. Financial, insurance, security, delivery, distribution and other related medical services also will be launched at a later stage.

“The incorporation of wireless technology into healthcare services is an important milestone for residents in Taiwan,” said Y.K. Tsai, leader, Nortel Taiwan. “Nortel worked closely with Chunghwa Telecom to understand the industry’s needs before designing a network that would reduce the complexity of services and enhance the quality of the medical care provided. Supporting this project, which is an integral part of the M-Taiwan initiative, also underlines Nortel’s commitment to the development of WiMAX in Taiwan.”

The Mobile Healthcare Services include remote outpatient registration known as Mobile Nurse, and Treatment Assistant, which allows doctors virtual access to a patient’s medical records. Wireless Care Genie, using Bluetooth-enabled mobile devices, remotely monitors the condition of long-term sufferers of chronic diseases. Health Care Guru is a virtual heath care information centre. These innovative healthcare services will allow medical personnel immediate access to high-quality diagnostic images and audio-visual information for specific treatments, information searches or medical diagnoses.

The Mobile Healthcare Services will be demonstrated by Chunghwa Telecom and Nortel at the 2007 Taipei Summit – Asia-Pacific WiMAX Conference and Exhibition being held on May 14 to 15 in Singapore. The demonstration will show how WiMAX technology can support remote medical care applications using wireless broadband connectivity built on IEEE 802.16e standard.