Denmark’s National Telemedicine Action Plan To Be Built On Continua Health Alliance Design Guidelines

Personal health devices to securely collect, communicate and store personal health data using ‘Continua-ready’ technology

BEAVERTON, OR, AUGUST 14, 2012 – The Nation of Denmark, recognized as a global leader in healthcare technologies, today announced that its new national Action Plan for Telemedicine will be built on Design Guidelines created by Continua Health Alliance to ensure the seamless and secure collection, communication and storage of personal health data from patients’ homes to healthcare providers across the country. Continua Health Alliance is the international industry organization dedicated to advancing personal connected health by promoting end-to-end, plug-and-play connectivity of personal health devices and establishing industry standards for interoperability.

Specifically, the Action Plan for Telemedicine will establish reference architectures and national standards for health IT in Denmark, in areas including the secure collection, transmission and storage of personal health data from patients’ homes, sharing medical documents and images, and the management of health records, medical appointments and other related information. This reference architecture will be built on Continua’s Design Guidelines to ensure that personal health devices and services implemented in Denmark are simple, secure and convenient for patients and providers.

“Continua is honored to support Denmark’s groundbreaking national telemedicine initiative, using our Design Guidelines to make the collection and sharing of personal health data convenient and secure for consumers and health care providers,” said Clint McClellan, Continua Board President and Chairman, and Senior Director of Strategic Marketing, Qualcomm Life. “We applaud the Danish government for its pioneering vision of healthcare delivery and for recognizing the importance of creating an interoperable ecosystem for the health apps, medical devices and technology platforms upon which these telemedicine programs will be built.”

“Denmark has taken the first pioneering step in revolutionizing healthcare. This important milestone made by the Danish Government helps reduce healthcare costs and helps citizens to become more engaged in their health,” said Claus F. Nielsen, Vice Chair, Continua Health Alliance Europe and International Manager, DELTA.

This represents an important opportunity for the industry to create an ecosystem of interoperable personal health devices and systems. “By working with Continua to create the technical guidelines and standards for this historic effort, patients in any part of the nation, using any Continua-ready device or platform, will have secure, simple and convenient access to valuable health data and support from their healthcare providers, from the comfort and convenience of their home,” added Nielsen.

The Action Plan for Telemedicine is designed to create the organizational and technological framework for the deployment of connected health strategies, and offer large-scale testing to evaluate the implementation of telemedicine solutions for the future. The Plan is funded by the Danish government.

About Continua Health Alliance

Continua Health Alliance (Continua) is an international not-for-profit industry organization enabling end-to-end, plug-and-play connectivity of personal health devices and services. These services will empower information-driven health self-management and facilitate the incorporation of health and wellness into the day-to-day lives of consumers. Continua is a pioneer in establishing standards-based guidelines and security for connected health technologies such as smartphones, gateways and remote monitoring devices through its Guideline releases. The Alliance’s activities include a certification and brand support program, events and collaborations to support technology and clinical innovation, and outreach to employers, payers, governments and care providers. With nearly 220 member companies reaching across the globe, Continua is comprised of technology, medical device and healthcare industry leaders and service providers dedicated to making personal connected health a reality. For more information visit: www.continuaalliance.org.
###