IBA Health wins Chinese contracts

Changning District Regional Medical Information Network, China, has awarded Shanghai People’s Health (SPH), 51% owned by IBA Healthcare, a contract to connect hospitals.

SPH has been awarded a contract to complete phase two of the Changning District e-health project, which will see SPH complete connections to a total of 16 hospitals.

IBA Health Group, owners of iSoft, says SPH was awarded a contract valued at over RMB6.4 million (£450,000) and reached preferred vendor status in a second e-health contract, valued at over RMB10 million (£670,000).

The new deal follows a contract awarded in 2006 to roll-out a private network, linking 20,000 families with doctors, through 11 hospitals and community centres in Shanghai’s Changning District.

Already the network enables patient and doctor/carer consultations across the internet and internet TV (IPTV).

IBA says SPH has also reached preferred vendor status for the delivery of an e-health infrastructure and software project to support internet-based consultations and remote delivery of care by health professionals in one of China’s largest provinces. Two districts within the unnamed Chinese province are expected to commence implementation in the first quarter of 2008.

Finally, SPH says it has also been awarded a contract to broadcast health education messages through SPH’s IPTV based Health Channel in Shanghai.

Gary Cohen, executive chairman and CEO of the IBA Health Group said: “Through the internet-based infrastructure projects we are developing, there is the potential to fundamentally change the way healthcare is delivered in China.”

Jon Hoeksma