Find out how new developments in technology are transforming the delivery of healthcare across the world.
In today’s smartphone-driven world, more and more professions are finding ways to ease and streamline their workload with mobile technology. Healthcare is no exception to this, and the past few years have seen the rise of the mHealth industry which has brought about the release of a wide range of mobile apps designed to improve the delivery of medical care.
What is mHealth?
The mHealth Alliance defines mHealth as “mobile-based or mobile-enhanced solutions that deliver health. The ubiquity of mobile devices in the developed or developing world presents the opportunity to improve health outcomes through the delivery of innovative medical and health services with information and communication technologies to the farthest reaches of the globe.”
10 Applications of mHealth in Modern Healthcare
App developers and medical professionals are working hand-in-hand to identify new and exciting ways to use mobile technology as part of healthcare delivery. These apps and functionalities aim to supplement and enhance the standard of care. Some examples of how mHealth tech has been applied include:
- Emergency response systems
- Chronic disease management
- Support for chronic care management such as diabetes, insomnia and cancer
- Health epidemic surveillance
- The provision of training, CPD and support to medical professionals
- Patient appointment and medication reminders
- Community mobilisation programmes
- The remote monitoring of patients
- Public health education campaigns
- Access to information for health care professionals at point of care
Is Mobile Health Here to Stay?
From 2015 and 2018, the number of health apps available for download almost doubled. This activity is unlikely to slow down any time soon and experts have projected that the market will reach a jaw-dropping global value of $60 billion by the year 2020.
mHealth Goes Global
As of January 2019, roughly 1 billion people around the world had a phone – representing a global penetration rate of 67%. With the global smartphone penetration rate expected to keep rising, it presents a fantastic opportunity for mHealth technology to improve the delivery of healthcare to people in even the most isolated places around the world.
How Are Healthcare Workers Using Mobile Technology?
“Just as the iPad has become the chosen form factor for clinicians today. I can definitely see a day when computing devices are more integrated into the clothing or body of the clinician.”
– Dr John Halamka, CIO, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Approximately 80% of doctors say that they make use of their mobile devices in their day-to-day work. So how are medical professionals using this technology in their daily practice?
- Medical education and training
- Time management
- Health record maintenance
- Clinical decision-making
- Patient monitoring
- Information management
- Communications
Why is mHealth the Future?
Frees Up Resources
Through mHealth-based education campaigns and dedicated apps, people are more empowered to maintain and improve their health. This frees up valuable resources and space in healthcare facilities for those patients who are in greater need of attention from busy medical professionals.
Going Paperless
Cloud-based paperless storage solutions enable healthcare professionals to easily access and store patients’ electronic health records. This will speed up administrative processes as records do not have to be transferred. It will also allow professionals to easily and quickly share information,
Improved Patient Monitoring
Many mobile health apps are created with the purpose of enhancing patient-doctor communication. It will make it easier for patients to talk to a doctor at any time, and this improved connectivity will prove to be especially significant for those who live in remote spots.
Learn More About the Use of Mobile Devices in Healthcare
If you are curious about the mobile health industry and are keen to learn more, then why not take a look at this infographic guide which comes courtesy of the team at Home Healthcare Adaptations. This handy guide looks into explores the rising use of smartphone technology in healthcare provision and lays out some of the pros and cons associated with this technology.
Scroll down to the infographic below to learn more.
