Nokia is venturing into healthcare, announcing Tuesday a collaboration with HUS/Helsinki University Hospital and the University of Helsinki's Faculty of Medicine on devising innovative solutions for outpatient care.
The first project of the partnership will launch this quarter. Nokia Technologies will work with HUS on remote patient monitoring solutions, specifically for the latter's department of neurology. More than 14,000 patients visit the department each year, and both parties hope to improve patient outcomes through the collaboration.
"At HUS, we see tremendous value in collaborating with innovative companies like Nokia to help the development of research-based knowledge into technologies that can drive more effective, personalized care for our patients," said Dr. Nina Forss, head of the department of neurology, in a statement.
Nokia Technologies is the tech and licensing arm of the telecommunications company. It was formed in 2014 and concentrates on digital media, digital health, brand licensing and patent licensing. Last month, it closed the $191 million acquisition of French digital startup Withings, which brought with it a suite of health devices, including activity trackers, a wireless blood pressure monitor and an advanced sleep system.
Recently, a number of companies have made moves on the patient-monitoring front. Philips ($PHG) has teamed up with Validic to integrate patient-generated data from devices and apps into its HealthSuite platform. Validic also partnered with Omnicom to integrate data from wearables and apps for health systems and hospitals. Meanwhile, England's National Health Service pledged to offer free remote monitoring devices next year in a bid to help reduce patient deaths and hospitalizations by helping people manage their conditions at home.
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