“This collaboration between giant LG Electronics and two of Alberta’s leading-edge organizations will speed up the adoption of new health technologies in Alberta and around the globe.  It builds on Alberta’s priority to encourage growth and commercialization of value-added technologies, and promises to enhance the lives of thousands of people within Alberta’s borders, and beyond,” said Doug Horner, Minister of Advanced Education and Technology.  “By giving people greater flexibility to monitor their own health, this also helps support our health labour force.”

LG Electronics’ Home Health Monitoring Solution combines newly developed sensing technology into a hand-held sensor device that patients can use anywhere to monitor, collect and transmit their physiological data wirelessly to their health care provider.  LG Electronics is partnering with Capital Health and the University of Alberta over the next three years to co-develop the product. The development includes technical validation, testing, clinical trials, and preparation to commercialize the device. The first phase of testing and trials, expected to begin in January 2008, will concentrate on patient’s vital signs, including blood pressure, pulse, and temperature. Glucose level and other blood chemistry parameter readings are planned to be included later.

Dr. Kwyro Lee, Executive Vice President of LG Electronics said, “LG Electronics is extremely pleased that through the help of the Alberta government, we are able to collaborate with Capital Health and University of Alberta to put our health monitoring device into a live health care environment. We are looking forward to working with our partners on a successful trial, leading to creating a new medical device and business opportunities that will benefit not only Alberta but the whole of North America.”

“This project has tremendous potential to enhance the effectiveness, quality and safety of the care that we provide to residents with chronic illnesses and other health conditions requiring home care services,” says Neil Wilkinson, Chair of the Capital Health Board. “We are committed to partnering with government and industry to discover innovative ways to maximize our resources while at the same time improving the monitoring of patients with heart disease, diabetes and other conditions who require care in their homes. The clinical trials will allow us to test the effectiveness of this technology and to evaluate the cost benefits of this device.”

“As a leader in telehealth technology and research commercialization, this is a natural partnership for the University of Alberta,” said University of Alberta Board of Governors Chair, Brian Heidecker. “This project builds on research already underway at the university that advances the capability of healthcare providers to assist patients throughout the province. In addition, the university’s extraordinary track record in taking research from the laboratory to the marketplace will be enormously beneficial as this project moves closer to commercialization.”