SK Telecom has debuted two new services that are designed for use by patients during their stay in hospital.

One service is a guide for patients, both in terms of their treatment but also to find their way around the hospital. This is delivered as an app to patients’ smartphones when they arrive at the hospital.

A second service offers patients access to general hospital information but also personal data such as health records, treatment schedule, medication as well as enabling them to request services such as cleaning or refreshment, and watch TV and the internet.

This second service is offered via a 15-inch tablet PC attached to each bed. Patients check in to the system by tapping an RFID wristband to the tablet’s screen.

The two services, which are called Patient Guide and Bedside Station, are being offered to hospitals. The first customer is Seoul National University Bundang Hospital (SNUBH).

The announcement is a collaboration with Healthconnect, a joint venture between SK Telecom and Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH).

Yook Tae-sun (pictured), senior vice president and head of new business division at SK Telecom, said, “SK Telecom has been focusing on the healthcare business to turn it into a strong growth engine. Going forward, SK Telecom will further improve its smart hospital solutions to shape them into attractive business models, seeking business opportunities in the overseas markets.”

The operator has previously talked about offering its IT platforms for hospitals in China, Indonesia or Taiwan, although it did not mention the newly-launched services.