Barbara Ngouyombo has long believed that information communications technology (ICT) can be a powerful force in healthcare. This sparked her idea for Anoigma, an online service that will provide instant access to medical records from anywhere in the world and keep track of any medical care received while travelling. "I see the world as one country," she says. "Anoigma - which means "openness" in Greek - can make that vision a reality for travellers, by giving them security, convenience and peace of mind."

Barbara is no stranger to international travel. Born and raised on Réunion Island, she began to explore how ICT could be used to improve medical care during her studies at the French engineering school, Telecom Bretagne. Later, her work as a systems engineer at the French Embassy in Japan enabled her to increase her knowledge of ICT medical solutions.

"I studied how the Japanese manage the healthcare of ageing populations using electronic data exchange. My research, along with the proven successes of ICT medical solutions in the US, suggests that there is potential for similar technologies in Europe."

A sign of the timeliness of Barbara's idea is that two technology giants, Google and Microsoft, are also entering the online medical records market. Barbara's service will set itself apart from the pack with its user-driven approach. In creating Anoigma, Barbara has consulted major healthcare providers in Asia that cater to foreign patients. The service is designed to be fully integrated into their healthcare systems. Anoigma aims to receive the full endorsement of the medical professional community and to ensure a greater reliability of data, as the information will be entered by healthcare professionals, not patients.

Healthcare on the move

Barbara is developing the Anoigma project while studying for an MSc in Technology Entrepreneurship at University College London. The subscription-based system will eliminate the need for paper based medical records when travelling. Medical information will be available both through a portable device and a secure web server. The service, which will enable people to share their records with health professionals and hospitals worldwide, is designed to be convenient to use in an emergency and easy to update.

Having conducted in-depth market research, Barbara has identified two distinct target customers for Anoigma: "In the UK there is a clear need for this service, not only among business travellers but also for the growing number of health tourists - people who travel abroad seeking cheaper healthcare. Recent figures put their number as high as 50,000 people last year and it is expected to reach 200,000 by 2010" she says. "The care of these patients is often undermined by the lack of access to accurate, up-to-date records. Anoigma is a great safety net that will be accessible to rich and poor alike."

A healthy outlook

While providing an independent and confidential service to the users, Barbara hopes to form partnerships with corporate travel agencies and collaborate with insurance companies.

She is currently working on the pilot version of her service and studying legal issues such as intellectual property. She says, "I'm seeking as much independent advice as possible to further refine my strategy and learn more about the legal aspects of running a business."

Barbara is delighted to have been chosen as a Cartier Women's Initiative Awards finalist. "I'm sure this experience will give me a fresh perspective, and the insight I need to turn my vision into a reality and make a real difference to healthcare for people on the move."

Since the competition, Barbara has gone a long way. The Awards, presence and connections at the Women's Forum brought exposure to the company. The USB prototype that would enable users to access their health records is now ready to be tested. This has facilitated her discussions with large companies to study their participation and collaboration with pilots to be held from the autumn.
Despite the recession, her fundraising efforts have also paid off. She has signed two agreements with angel investors and hopes to receive a matching government subsidy for women-owned businesses that would double the money raised.