The past decade has seen mobile devices become ubiquitous across a range of professions, and the world of medicine is no exception to this. In fact, the emergence of Mobile Health (usually shortened to mHealth) technology has enabled medical professionals around the world to deliver a better standard of care to their patients.
What is mHealth?
The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines mHealth as “medical and public health practice supported by mobile devices, such as mobile phones, patient monitoring devices, personal digital assistances and other wireless devices.” This technology leverages many smartphone functionalities such as SMS messaging, applications, web browsing, and Bluetooth connectivity to deliver a diverse range of services.
The Rapid Rise of mHealth Technologies
The mHealth industry has shown impressive growth over the past few years. Constant innovation and increasing global connectivity have contributed to the widespread adaptation of this technology among medical professionals and patients alike. In fact, experts predict that this market will reach a global value of $60 billion by the year 2020.
How Are Healthcare Professionals Using Mobile Technology?
80% of healthcare professionals say that they employ mobile devices daily as part of their work and 93% of these state that access to health apps allows them to provide a better quality of care to their patients. There are many ways that this technology could be used as part of healthcare delivery; some examples of tasks that can be aided by mHealth tech include patient monitoring, clinical decision-making, and training.
Discover More About The Use of Mobile Devices in Healthcare
If you would like to find out more about the growing use of smartphone technology in healthcare provision, then you should check out the below infographic from Home Healthcare Adaptations. This helpful guide looks into the factors contributing to the rise of the mHealth market and lays out the pros and cons of this technology.
Michael Leavy is the Managing Director of Home Healthcare Adaptations, an Irish provider of household adaptations for the elderly. The company aims to promote independent living within the home by installing modifications such as stairlifts, wheelchair ramps and walk-in showers.
