A mobile health system from Telefónica is being given a tough real-world test by four diabetic people who are climbing to the base camp of Mount Everest. Each member of the expedition, which is being led by climber and astronaut Josu Feijoo, will carry a glucometer and a tablet device with an m-health application. Internet connectivity for the tablet will be provided via WiFi from a satellite terminal.
During the adventure, the climbers will be monitored online by their regular doctors and nutritionists. The cloud-based service, which is already commercially available in Spain, uses a multi-channel platform (voice, IVR, messaging and web) for doctors and nutritionists to be able to track each patient from their health centre.
The application installed in each climber’s tablet will automatically receive the data from their personal glucometer, which will then be uploaded. Doctors will be able to view values and trends, enabling them to manage meal times and blood sugar levels by sending alerts and insulin dosage recommendations.
It’s believed to be the first expedition by insulin-controlled diabetic patients that’s been enabled through m-health.
The trek, which has support from Spain’s Youth Sport Foundation (the Fundación Deporte Joven), is part of an annual initiative by Josu Feijoo - also a diabetic - to show insulin-dependent young people that they do not have any limitations. The climbers in this first project are Elena Eggers, Beatriz Gª Berche, Pablo Pérez Martínez and Roberto Martínez.
[Expedition blog]