Trends in Mobile Health Technology

The trends in mobile technology are revolutionizing the healthcare industry. A recent survey from the PwC Health Research Institute found that 86 percent of physicians are interested in accessing EHRs wirelessly, 83 percent want to use mobile technology to prescribe medication, and 60 percent want to use mobile technology to communicate with patients.

According to the Manhattan Research, about 72 percent of physicians are already using their smartphones and iPads to access clinical information and perform quick tasks. It is estimated that in coming years, more physicians are expected to use their smartphones for a better patient care, such as sharing medical information through EHRs with staff or other doctors, or receiving clinical data directly from patients. 

A few healthcare settings in the US are using mobile health technology extensively to connect with their patients and engage them in their own health. For example, at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona, physicians are using a mobile medical application to treat stroke patients in rural areas. Physicians can access and handle radiology images on their smartphones, as well as connect to their patients in seven rural hospitals.

Meanwhile, the demand for patient centric mobile apps is rising and there is a surge of healthcare apps in the market. According to a survey by PwC, one-third of patients said they would use mobile apps to track and monitor their health, and 40 percent said they would buy a device that sends their medical information directly to their physician. 

Currently, most mobile apps for healthcare come in the form of Rx reminders and alerts via text message. One increasingly popular app is Text4Baby, it delivers free weekly informational text messages to pregnant women and new moms. The Department of Health and Human Services is now evaluating the program for its effectiveness. 

The current mHealth market is based on various comprehensive software and apps which provide a mobile portal for development of a better patient experience and patient centric solutions.