In South Korea, ‘smart hospital’ offers services through smartphones

We recently wrote about LA’s Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, which has implemented its iPad-based BabyTime scheme to connect newborns in intensive care with their mothers. Taking the idea of a tech-enabled hospital that little bit further, the Seoul National University Bundang Hospital now offers a number of core services through patients’ smartphones. Working with mobile operator SK Telecom, visitors to the hospital can begin digitally interacting with the hospital as soon as they walk through the door, through the Patient Guide app. GPS detects when they’re on the premises and uses the relevant electronic medical records and patient data to bring up information about scheduled appointments, expected waiting times and healthcare costs. Users can check in to let their doctor know they’re there and can also pay bills through the app. If no appointment has been scheduled, users can navigate to the right department through the 3D map. The hospital has also placed 15-inch tablets next to each bed, which users can log into with the contactless RFID tag on their patient wristband. The device can be used to view hospital information, personalized medical data, treatment schedules and entertainment facilities.