Check COVID-19 Hospitalization Risk with This App

[Asia Economy, Reporter Yang Nakgyu] A military doctor has developed his fourth application designed to assess the need for hospitalization due to COVID-19.

According to the Armed Forces Medical Command (AFMC) on May 22, Captain Heo Junyoung, a neurologist, has developed the "COVID-19 Checkup" app, a prognosis prediction platform based on artificial intelligence and big data. This marks Captain Heo's fourth COVID-19-related app development.

The Checkup app is a web application that provides users with an assessment of their need for hospitalization and prognosis in the event of a COVID-19 diagnosis, based on their basic information, symptoms, and medical history. Captain Heo utilized data from 300 confirmed COVID-19 patients to build a big data set and created an AI-powered statistical model, enabling the app to predict not only the patient’s current condition but also their prognosis. The app is divided into versions for patients and medical staff. Information and symptoms entered by the patient are transmitted to medical professionals, who can monitor and manage the patient's condition remotely, regardless of whether hospitalization is required.

Professor Park Yoorang from Yonsei University College of Medicine’s Department of Biomedical Systems Informatics participated in the app’s development, supporting medical data analysis and statistical work. The AFMC explained that they expect the Checkup app to enable more effective allocation of medical resources and appropriate medical support in developing countries with limited healthcare services.

On May 1, Dr. Garrett Mehl, head of Digital Health at the World Health Organization (WHO), stated, "The Checkup app developed in Korea will aid the global response to COVID-19."

Previously, the Checkup app was listed as a "solution" for COVID-19 in the DHA (Digital Health Atlas) project led by the WHO. The DHA project identifies and shares digital solutions from around the world that support healthcare through technology. The Checkup app can be accessed by entering "DOCL.org" into a web browser. It is currently being used at the Armed Forces Capital Hospital, and its adoption is under consideration at Sinchon Severance Hospital.

Captain Heo first developed the COVID-19 Checkup app (Ver1), which verifies symptoms, on March 2. As of the article’s publication date, the app had surpassed 250,000 visits, with more than half of the users accessing it from overseas. He has also developed a "Severity Classification" app for medical staff and the "Woori Health Keeper" app, which allows users to record and share their health status with designated individuals by entering their own symptoms.

Captain Heo stated, "I hope that people struggling with COVID-19 can receive at least some help through the app," and added, "I am sincerely grateful to my fellow and senior and junior military doctors who supported the app’s development."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.