From Monday, the Semmelweis University's free symptom checking application, Semmelweis HELP, can also be used for adult diseases. The adult module of the website and mobile applications and its use were presented at the Monday press conference held in Budapest's Semmelweis Salon.
The details of the application were explained by Eszter Kovács, the originator and one of the developers. Cecília Müller handed over the certificate of conformity required for the use of the module, issued by the National Public Health and Pharmaceutical Center (NNGYK) as a health authority, to Béla Merkely, Rector of Semmelweis University.
The national chief medical officer recommended to everyone the application, which, according to his wording, can also be understood as a supplement to the activity taking place in the NNGYK. Interpreting prevention as their mission, Cecília Müller emphasized that it significantly relieves the burden on the healthcare system.
Although the application was created by the best medical professionals, it had to be certified by the NNGYK. The application was created by a professional committee, and the health authority evaluated it taking into account all aspects, he said. Cecília Müller mentioned avoiding complicated language and Latin expressions as an important aspect, since the application is made for ordinary people.
With up-to-date information, the application can also help against the many fake news spreading online, such as questioning the importance of vaccinations
he added.
Béla Merkely, rector of Semmelweis University (SE), said that 14 doctors worked on the adult module, and that it is now available and free of charge to everyone.
According to the rector, innovative solutions should always be supported, and in addition to its three main activities – education, research-innovation and healing – the university also considers public education to be an important task.
Last year, Semmelweis HELP also won the quality award in the Application of the Year category, a few months after its debut, it received the title of Best eHealth Development of the Year, and last year it also won the main prize in the category of health care institution of the Health Comprehension Award.
Gábor Orbán, CEO of Richter Gedeon Nyrt., advocated, among other things, a closer connection between medicine and digitalization, emphasizing the faster and more efficient treatment of health problems. In addition to helping users, the Semmelweis HELP application also makes the work of doctors easier. With the information provided by the application, you can prepare for the diagnosis in a targeted manner, and doctors can react faster and more efficiently.
Eszter Kovács, who presented the development, talked about, among other things, that the application was supplemented last year with a panel suitable for entering blood pressure, blood sugar and pulse values, and, if necessary, after entering the data and answers, the algorithm calculates the expected date of birth in the background, and the built-in ophthalmology panel serves to quickly recognize acute situations.
The system contains 778 symptoms and 740 diseases, for the latter, descriptions and treatment guides have been prepared, which users can access even without checking the symptoms under the menu item Knowledge, where educational videos, animated short films and various aids are also available, for example on the correct antipyretic, wound dressing or pain relief methods
he explained.
The application provides assistance in determining when the user should go to the emergency room, hospital, or specialist in the event of an illness or accident, and how to alleviate the symptoms at home. The development was carried out with the support of Gedeon Richter Nyrt., from university funds.
From today, the application can be downloaded for free from the AppStore and the Play Store, as well as available https://help.semmelweis.hu , according to the brochure published alongside the event.
MTI
Featured image: Dóra Horváth, one of the developers of Semmelweis University's free, symptom control application, at the press launch of Semmelweis HELP's adult module in the Semmelweis Salon in Budapest on October 14, 2024 (Photo: MTI/Szilárd Koszticsák)
