The creation of the China Center for mHealth Innovation (CCmHI) has been announced by Qualcomm Wireless Reach initiative and The George Institute for Global Health, a not-for-profit medical and healthcare research organization dedicated to improving global health.

Working with central and provincial governments, CCmHI will help improve community healthcare in China by developing mHealth solutions, implementing clinical evaluations, and contributing to strategies for the implementation and scale-up of effective and affordable mHealth tools.

CCmHI aims to develop and field test at least one mHealth program for chronic disease management in the first year.In particular, CCmHI aims to build Chinese capacity in digital healthcare development and evaluation, including providing opportunities for student internships and fellowships; develop and evaluate mHealth platforms; provide solutions that are effective in both urban and rural settings; assist with the integration of mHealth strategies into national and provincial policies and guidelines; support the development and expanded use of mHealth technologies globally. In addition, the organization will try to tackle the 10 leading causes of premature death and disability in China.

Initially though, CCmHI will conduct a landscape analysis of digital health policies, laws, standards, programs and research activities in China, all of which will inform CCmHI’s pilot and flagship research efforts. The aim is to develop and field test at least one mHealth program for chronic disease management in the first year, which will lead to larger scale mHealth programs in future years.

China’s Twelfth Five Year Plan (2011-2015) prioritizes the development of affordable, quality, and accessible healthcare for the entire population. CCmHI will contribute to this goal through the development of innovative mobile technology solutions designed to improve community healthcare services.