Carlos Slim Health Institute and West Wireless Health Institute Partner on Wireless Health Initiatives in U.S., Mexico and Throughout Latin America

Collaboration Demonstrates Huge Potential for Innovative Global Partnerships to Accelerate Wireless Health

SAN DIEGO, June 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Carlos Slim Health Institute (CSHI) and the West Wireless Health Institute (WWHI) today announced they will partner on the advancement of wireless health solutions in the U.S., Mexico and throughout Latin America. The collaboration will focus on the development of innovative technologies that will help lower health care costs and address unmet medical needs, particularly for the most at-risk populations. The partnership is the first in the world between two nonprofit health institutes that each envision a shift in the current paradigm of care by designing, developing and implementing cost-effective wireless health solutions.

The Carlos Slim Health Institute, founded in 2007 by Mr. Carlos Slim, is a nonprofit organization that invests in making health care accessible and affordable in Mexico and Latin America. Headquartered in Mexico City, it has among its main goals to demonstrate the success of innovative projects that use the latest technologies with a patient-centered approach in terms of feasibility, sustainability and cost-effectiveness; to translate them into a public policy; and ultimately improve people's health.

"It is exciting to collaborate with the West Wireless Health Institute as they exemplify the same focus, values and commitment to help bring low cost, innovative health care solutions to people around the world as the Carlos Slim Health Institute," said Dr. Roberto Tapia, president and CEO, CSHI. "Today's announcement is the beginning of what we expect to be an extremely productive partnership, and we look forward to working closely on wireless health projects that will have an impact in Mexico and beyond."

WWHI, founded in March 2009 with a $45 million gift from the Gary and Mary West Foundation, is one of the world's first medical research organizations dedicated to lowering health care costs by innovating, validating, advocating for, investing in and commercializing wireless health solutions. The nonprofit Institute is headquartered in San Diego, California, the global hub for wireless life science research and development.

"The Carlos Slim Health Institute has established itself as one of the world's most significant organizations dedicated to improving access to quality health care, and we are proud to join forces with the mission to lower the cost of care," said Dr. Joseph Smith, chief medical and science officer, WWHI. "Together, our engineering and clinical research teams will develop and validate new solutions that showcase the tremendous potential for this emerging industry and will help address our collective goals on a global scale."

For more information about the CSHI, visit www.salud.carlosslim.org. For more information on WWHI, visit www.westwirelesshealth.org.

ABOUT THE CARLOS SLIM HEALTH INSTITUTE

The Carlos Slim Health Institute was founded in 2007 by the initiative of Mr. Carlos Slim Helu for the development and funding of programs aimed at helping to solve the principal health problems in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Institute approaches this mission with an innovative, human spirit and a clear concern for the neediest populations.

The Institute's actions are based on the idea that a disruptive innovation is possible if three major shifts occur in the health system. The current medical model is curative with a focus on attention; innovation occurs when the model is preventive with a focus on promotion. Health services are hospital-based and at specific times, innovation occurs when health services become non-spatial and tackle the barriers of a hospital or a specific location, setting a continuous flow of bidirectional communication. In turn, innovation is achieved by establishing a patient-centered approach rather than around the health system. Thus, the Institute designs integrated health models in which patients are encouraged to take an active role in managing their health, and implements them in Mexico and Latin America.

The Institute also provides support to other nonprofit organizations that implement activities that are aligned with the mission and vision of the Institute, promoting people's welfare by favoring their physical health, a proper household as well as natural and community environments.

Ultimately, the Institute encourages health knowledge through grants for students and professionals, awards for leading applied-sciences researchers and institutions, and through the generation of innovative and reliable information for national decision makers. The Carlos Slim Health Institute works day after day with a single goal: help people live longer and better.

ABOUT THE WEST WIRELESS HEALTH INSTITUTE

The West Wireless Health Institute (www.westwirelesshealth.org) is one of the first medical research organizations in the world supporting the exploration and application of wireless technologies to advance infrastructure independent health care. Based in San Diego, California, the nonprofit Institute is fostering an unprecedented convergence of medicine, engineering, science, technology and health care economics. Its mission is to lower health care costs by accelerating the availability of wireless health solutions.

SOURCE West Wireless Health Institute