That cellphones are full-fledged computers useful for a lot more than basic communications is well known, but actual, practical applications are just coming online. To date, most have been in the transfer of market information (CellBazaar) and money (M-PESA), with a host of trials in the medical arena. But getting doctors to use new technology isn’t always easy–unless it fits right into what they are used to doing.

ClickDiagnostics, a new company spawned at MIT (and winner of the MIT Enterprise Forum’s $100K competition in the “development” field), may have accomplished that. The idea is to use cell phones in the field, particularly remote rural areas, to take pictures of people’s eyes and skin, then transmit those images to doctors for diagnosis of cataracts and skin cancer. In an initial test last winter students travelled to Bangladesh to shoot images, then tested their quality with doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital (aka MGH, aka “man’s greatest hospital”) in Boston. The doctors said they were of high enough quality to make an initial diagnosis and prescribe a treatment regimen–or point to the need for immediate hospital-related care.

In addition to the common skin disease prevalent in all developing countries, these simple cell phone images can detect the onset of HIV, Malaria, Hepatitis C, and TB. To the extent the product can be deployed in the field, it could have a huge impact on the early recognition and treatment of these debilitating and potentially deadly diseases.

With the MIT prize and some seed funding under its belt, ClickDiagnostics has its first contract to provide service in Egpyt, starting this fall.

GrameenPhone was presented with the GSM Association’s Global Mobile Award for “Best use of mobile for social and economic development” for its HealthLine telemedicine service. The award was presented to CEO Erik Aas during the GSM Association’s Annual Leadership Summit in Barcelona.

In acccepting the award, Erik Aas said:

GrameenPhone and the mobile industry represent a major part of the development of Bangladesh, and this initiative shows our commitment to the development of the country, the people and their well-being.”

The HealthLine service is an interactive teleconference between a GP caller and a licensed physician who will dispense information on lab tests and lab reports, drugs, and medical facilities.

Grameenphone Ltd. of Bangladesh has been nominated for the GSMA Best Use of Mobile for Social and Economic Development award 2007 for its HealthLine Service initiative. The HealthLine Service, implemented in cooperation with the Telemedicine Reference Center Limited, is a 24-hour Medical Call Center manned by licensed physicians and can be reached by dialing 789 from any GP number.

Doctors are on hand 24 x 7 to answer questions on medical emergencies, faciliites, drugs, and lab tests. Registered users can speak directly with a doctor about their specific condition. In a country where hospitals are few and far between, and travel is often difficult and time-consuming, this is a huge social benefit.

Registration costs Tk300 per year (about $5), and calls cost Tk15 for 3 minutes, Tk5 for every minute thereafter. (Tk60=$1.)

I discussed a fledgling telemedicine program with GrameenPhone chairman Khalid Shams while researching the book, but didn’t mention it because the program was not taking hold. It just shows you how quickly things are changing — six months later, the nascent program is well-enough developed to catch the eyes of the global GSM Association.

In 2000, GrameenPhone won the GSM in the Community award for its village-phone service, which extends telecommunications into remote rural areas. Village-phone ladies borrown money from Grameen Bank to buy phones, then lease time to villagers to pay back the loans.

The award winner will be announced at the GSMA conference in Barcelona in mid February.