SMS4Health  is the winner of the best eHealth initiative at the first edition of the Malta Communications Authority (MCA) eBusiness Awards event held recently.

SMS4Health is a completely automated service allowing doctors to send regular reminders to their patients when these are due for routine interventions like health checks or vaccinations. The service, entirely researched and developed by the SMS4Health team, has been acknowledged by MCA as being a unique and innovative local web-based solution that can be applied by businesses for businesses and society at large. It was originally shortlisted from a total of 36 nominations made for this first edition of the awards which saw 19 e-solutions being presented for the final selection.

The event, inaugurated by the Honourable Charlo’ Bonnici, saw shortlisted e-solutions at thefinal selection under the following award categories:

• The Best eGovernment Initiative
• The Best use of technology in education and training
• The Best eHealth initiative
• The Best Maltese eCommerce site
• The Best use of online media
• The Best B2B supply chain and finally,
• The Best indigenous enterprise of the year

The adjudication was conducted by an independent committee comprising representatives from industry, Government and academia. Each nominated solution was assessed against criteria on which the committee based its final judgements. Ing. Philip Micallef, Executive Chairman of the MCA stressed that from the solutions showcased during the event “innovation, creativity and success are also a reality. The least we can do is to learn from other business’s successes by showcasing these initiatives through fora such as this.”

Asked for her comments on this awarded eHealth initiative, Dr Charmaine Gauci, Director of the Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Directorate said, “A few years ago we used to need sticky notes on home refrigerators or on office whiteboards, serving as reminders. Now most of us use mobile phones to remember things to do. SMS4 health has been an innovation in Malta whereby people are reminded due dates for routine vaccinations which are very important and should be taken in time to confer immunity to vaccine against preventable diseases.” Dr Gauci who is also Consultant for Public Health Medicine at the Superintendence of Public Health at the Ministry for Health, the Elderly and Community Care continued, “Unfortunately some people visit their doctor if they are sick but we are introducing the mentality that people visit their doctor for health check-ups.

It is important that people pick up risk factors early with diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension etc, so that measures are taken to prevent further damage. 40% of our deaths are related to cardiovascular diseases. Much of these can be avoided by lifestyle change and risk-factor control. Secondary prevention includes other forms of screening – breast cancer, colorectal and cervical screening. People need to be informed and reminded when they are due. I fully support any initiatives whereby people encouraged to care for their health, attend routine checks and take preventive measures – SMS4health is a novel tool enabling us to face challenges in healthcare today.”

Dr Wilfred Galea (pictured above), managing director of SMS4Health, commented, “The Maltese medical profession now has an easy and effective health promotion and administrative tool. Being completely automated, SMS4Health takes away administrative burden, time consumption and expenses which most doctors simply cannot afford. Being internet-based, SMS4Health can be used by any medical profession around the world.  This online interactive system has combined technology with health awareness so it is addressing people, who may not be so health conscious or far too busy,  to sit up and take notice of what they should be doing next to keep tabs on their health and that of their family.”

For more information send an email at admin@sms4health or call on 21453973/79453972.