The fast development of PAS brings hope for telehomecare in China

The development of PAS (personal wireless access system), which is called "Little Smart" in China, has significantly changed the Chinese telecommunications infrastructure. The small, wireless telephone system is inexpensive and highly accurate location, which has resulted in its rapid diffusion. Adapted from the PHS (personal handy-phone system), which originated in Japan, the PAS has acquired more than 10 million Chinese subscribers in the last two years. PAS provides a suitable infrastructure for the needs of home telehealth (telehomecare). In this article, the characteristics of PAS are introduced, and compared with the needs of home telehealth. We believe that the wide use of PAS provides a good opportunity for development of home telehealth in China, particularly in areas of high population density.