Student develops system to help diabetics in remote communities

from: http://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http://www.kitchenercitizen.com/uploads/KitchenerCitizen_December2010FINlr-1.pdf

by VICTORIA FREEMAN

Diabetics living in Canada’s remote
communities may soon have access to high-tech
system that will offer support and education
about their disease.
A student from McMaster University in
Hamilton, who developed an idea around how to
help diabetics living in remote communities
using a cellular technology system called
DiabeTEXTs, is this year’s winner of Agfa
HealthCare’s eHealth Innovation Challenge.
The challenge was hosted at Wilfrid Laurier
University in Waterloo on November 20.
The annual challenge was created to provide
Ontario students with the opportunity to help
improve the quality of patient care, support the
continuation and growth of Canada’s health
information industry, and drive the advancement
of healthcare IT solutions.
Mak’s solution is a cost-effective information
system that addresses some of the fundamental
challenges in remote and rural First Nations
diabetic patient care.
DiabeTEXTs equips diabetes workers with
cell phones and a computer software program so
they can create text messages and send them to
multiple diabetes patients. With sponsorship it
is hoped that this can evolve into a system that
could allow patients do things such as book
appointments or allow health care workers to
update medical records using just a cell phone.
“Separated by distance and without an internet
connection readily available, there is often a
disjoint between the health care professional and
the patient. This results in patients not getting the
answers to their questions, leading to

complications of symptoms. Hopefully
DiabeTEXTs can overcome that hurdle and
provide an avenue of communication.” Mak said.
“By transforming a cell phone into a tool for
patient empowerment, perhaps this is one way to
make access to healthcare more accessible to
remote and rural communities in Ontario”.
Mak receives a $3,000 CAD scholarship and
a summer employment opportunity at Agfa
HealthCare, with all finalists also receiving a
guaranteed job interview.
Over 500 students from across Ontario, 900
per cent more than last year, registered for the
month-long competition designed to engage the
most talented Canadian minds from various
disciplines in information technology, health
sciences, and engineering faculties, from
universities and colleges.
Students are asked to submit proposals,
keeping in mind universal access, privacy, and
ease of use, pertaining to disease diagnosis,
medical treatment, and overall healthcare
management.
Past winners of have had new career and
patent opportunities from their winning
submissions.
“With over 500 students involved in this year’s
competition – it was so exciting to be selected as
the winner,” said Mak.
“The challenge has been a really educational
experience as I had the unique opportunity to
work with some of the best minds in business and
healthcare to massage my idea into a feasible
solution to help patients in Canada.”
“Hundreds of fascinating and thought
provoking ideas were presented to the committee
and choosing only one winner was the most difficult part of the event,” said Jeff Nesbitt, Vice
President of Government Relations and Strategic
Programs, Agfa HealthCare in Canada.
The top five finalists received an all-expenses
paid trip to Waterloo to present their ideas to a
panel of judges.
Finalists also engaged in personal coaching
sessions on pitching strategies with key industry
influencers including Sun Life Financial,
Research in Motion (RIM), Christie, Jet Airways,
Ontario Centres of Excellence and The Health

Technology Exchange, St. Mary’s Hospital as
well as senior software architects from Agfa
HealthCare in Canada.
Agfa is one of the world’s leading imaging and
information technology companies. It develops,
manufactures and markets analogue and digital
systems for the printing industry (Agfa
Graphics), the healthcare sector (Agfa
HealthCare) and film related products and
specific industrial applications (Agfa Materials).