Qualcomm working with public corporation Medical Platform Asia has distributed 200 3G-enabled blood pressure monitoring devices to patients in Iwate Prefecture, an area of Japan that is recovering from the country’s devastating 2011 earthquake.

The devices enable doctors to monitor isolated patients living in temporary housing whose chronic conditions have been exacerbated by their living conditions and the ongoing stress of coming to terms with the aftermath of the 2011 earthquake.

The project is part of a wider initiative led by Iwate Medical University to provide medical care for the earthquake and tsunami victims, particularly those living in hard-to-access areas.  The university is building a new remote care system for affected areas.

Qualcomm is working via its Wireless Reach initiative. The company says previous research by Wireless Reach and Medical Platform Asia shows that home monitoring services increase patient awareness of the importance of monitoring their own blood pressure by 50 percent as well as increasing their engagement in their own treatment by 30 percent.