Kela Medical Launches the First Interoperable Personal Health Card (pHR)

WHITBY, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - May 13, 2011) - Today, Kela Medical Inc., ("Kela") launched the pHR card, a revolutionary technology developed to provide individuals and their healthcare providers with better access to individuals' healthcare records while at the same time providing them with the protective security they want and deserve.

The system uses patented technology to provide economical solutions for physicians and patients to create, access, and maintain electronic medical records. It is the first smartcard system of its kind with the capacity to manage medical reports, structured health data, and diagnostic imaging.

"At Kela, we are providing patients with access to their records that will help them better understand any medical condition they are experiencing. This access will provide accurate, reliable and complete insight into their personal health history and put healthcare into their own hands," said Arjun Kumar, CEO of Kela Medical.

In 2000, unnecessary testing, adverse drug reactions and medical errors cost approximately $136 billion and resulted in 241,000 deaths in the USA. With similar numbers in Canada, it is a hard picture to ignore.

"Kela has developed a made-in-Ontario solution for portable health records. The world is moving to card-based medical records, and the pHR Card has the potential to lead that change globally," said The Honourable Glen Murray, Minister of Research and Innovation. "By helping to reduce costs, speed up treatment times and reduce errors, the pHR Card is a shining example of innovation in action. Through partnerships like these, we are improving the lives of Ontarians by supporting the innovation economy of the future."

The pHR card is safe and reliable. All files have has complete encryption, ensuring that confidential information remains secure. The card will be complementary and compatible with any new eHealth initiatives launched by government. With a strong background in the healthcare field and with strong support from the community and government, Kela successfully launched the pHR card today at their corporate offices in Whitby, Ontario.

"Providing high quality access to healthcare is always a top priority. As the need for greater access and increased protection grows, technologies such as the pHR card are a necessary and welcomed innovation to our town. We are pleased Kela Medical has chosen Whitby as the home for their new offices," said Whitby Mayor, Pat Perkins.

"Through collaborative efforts with government agencies, we were able to consistently improve our technology to ensure that we could bring a product that would increase access, allow for consolidation and protect consumers," said Dr Ramesh Zacharias President, "at Kela, we are pleased that we can provide one record for one patient."

Kela Medical Inc. harnesses the power of innovation and technology to pioneer leading-edge solutions, and demonstrate the value of a fully accessible personal health record to individuals, physicians, and practitioners of the healthcare industry. Our team is comprised of leaders in both healthcare and technology. Kela Medical Inc. is based in Ontario, Canada but provides services worldwide.