Japanese ICT provider Fujitsu has unveiled a new cloud-based platform that allows the secure collection, storage, and leverage of health and health-related data.

HOW IT WORKS

Based on Microsoft Azure, the new platform features automatic conversion of medical data from EMR systems to conform with current HL7 FHIR standards for easy utilisation and data exchange. 

It also allows the secure collection/aggregation of a wide range of health and health-related data, including vital data, step counts, and calorie consumption. It can convert patient-encoded personal health information to non-personally identifiable information, which hospitals and other medical institutions can use to select appropriate medications and treatment methods for patients, promoting personalised healthcare.

According to Fujitsu, the anonymous data can also be used by pharmaceutical companies to conduct "more detailed, efficient and faster validation of drugs and medical treatments including side effects, shorten [the] time required for the development of new drugs, and increase the success rate of drug development and expand the application of already approved drugs."

Additionally, the data will help life insurers automatically create insurance product plans to improve the quality of proposals and closing rates while reducing the time required to propose and generate plans. 

Meanwhile, Fujitsu's latest platform also has robust security measures that comply with the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's guidelines for the safety management of medical information systems, as well as with the guidelines of other Japanese ministries. 

WHY IT MATTERS

In a statement, Fujitsu shared that it intends to leverage its new cloud-based platform in realising an AI and IoT-enabled preventive healthcare system, as well as a digital health ecosystem where, together with medical institutions and other healthcare companies, it can "create new value" for society.

THE LARGER TREND

Fujitsu also said that its latest health data platform also serves as a launching pad for its new data portability service with Sapporo Medical University. The service will enable patients to access medical data via mobile phones and allow healthcare providers to conduct highly accurate analyses of shared medical data. It is now coming up with a mobile app for viewing medical data on iOS devices with support from Apple.

Meanwhile, Fujitsu is currrently involved in other digital health partnerships. It is working with Salesforce Japan to develop new digital solutions for insurers, leveraging EMR health data in creating optimised insurance products. The company is also collaborating with Riken to develop new-generation IT drug discovery technology using the supercomputer Fugaku and AI technologies.