Songpa-gu Recruiting Participants for 'Mobile Healthcare Project'

Songpa-gu Public Health Center Launches ICT-Based Health Management Service... Recruiting 200 Participants Until April
Lifestyle Checkups and Regular Examinations Including Exercise and Diet Until November
Customized Consultations Provided

Songpa-gu (Mayor Seo Gang-seok) announced that it will recruit 200 participants for the non-face-to-face health management service, the ‘Mobile Healthcare Project,’ until April.

The medical utilization rate for chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia is rapidly increasing every year in South Korea, and Songpa-gu is no exception. At this time, individual efforts to prevent diseases are crucial to reduce the social costs burdened by aging.

The district’s ‘Mobile Healthcare’ service analyzes accumulated personal health information based on ICT, such as mobile apps and activity trackers (smart bands), by experts to provide customized consultations. It is convenient for busy modern people as they can diagnose their lifestyle habits or communicate through the app without visiting the public health center.

After completing participant recruitment in April, the district will start providing the service for six months from May. Anyone aged 19 or older who is a resident or worker in the area can apply, but those currently taking medication for chronic diseases are excluded. Priority will be given to those with health risk factors such as blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, waist circumference, triglycerides, and HDL cholesterol.

Participants will visit the public health center a total of three times. At the first examination, they set health goals and start recording activities using the received smart device and dedicated app. During the mid-term (week 12) and final (week 24) examinations, face-to-face consultations will compare examination results with accumulated activity data to check changes in health status.

Useful health information is sent weekly through the app. Additionally, interactive Q&A with various public health experts such as nutritionists, exercise specialists, and nurses is available, and those classified as the ‘health management group’ will receive intensive counseling every month. Excellent participants who engage in missions such as meal and exercise diaries will also be rewarded with prizes.

A district official stated, “Numerous health personnel will carefully monitor the activities, meals, exercise, and health indicators of 200 participants over 24 weeks. Non-active participants will be encouraged through direct calls, and post-service management will be supported even after the service ends.”

Since the pilot project in 2016, the district has provided ‘Mobile Healthcare’ to about 1,500 people until last year. Over the past several years, it has proven excellent project effects by being selected as a leading public health center and receiving awards for outstanding cases.

Seo Gang-seok, Mayor of Songpa-gu, said, “This project was promoted to provide personalized public services using advanced technology and to cultivate the health management capabilities of the local community,” adding, “We will continue to do our best to protect residents’ health through various health promotion projects.”