200 Million mHealth Applications In Use

CIO magazine has reported that there are about 200 million mHealth applications in use today and the number is expected to rise in 2012. Moreover, the magazine said 70 percent of people polled worldwide are interested in having access to at least one mHealth application and they're willing to pay for it.

In India, a country with the largest number of AIDS cases, mHealth technology such as text messaging has been playing a major role in increasing awareness among the population about safe sex and family planning. For example, Cycletel provides SMS services about the standard days method for preventing unplanned pregnancy.

Elsewhere, other mHealth initiatives are exploring the use of mobile technologies to improve public health. Designed to assist health programs in developing countries by improving communication and education, eMOCHA coordinates wireless devices with local server-based clinical training and patient care support services. Freedom HIV/AIDS is a social initiative that increases awareness among mobile users through mobile games.

As Mobile Health or mHealth evolves and gains traction, Accenture, the global management consulting firm, has released a study about the future of this healthcare technology. Meanwhile, some mHealth applications are already gaining popularity and generating results around the world.

Representing a broad spectrum of products and services, mHealth, according to Accenture, can help meet two important goals: provide high-quality care and reduce costs. Moreover, the increasing need to treat chronic diseases among a rapidly aging population and the shortcomings of episodic treatment and event-driven cost reimbursement are positioning mHealth into mainstream healthcare.

Accenture asserts that mHealth solutions will evolve at different rates and through different paths into two distinct categories: stand-alone products and services and comprehensive solutions. According to Accenture, stand-alone solutions and devices are focused on specific functions, diseases or data collection. For example, glucose monitors for diabetics or ingestible "smart pills" that track medication compliance. In contrast, comprehensive mHealth solutions have broader healthcare delivery applications and will include an extensive network to support and provide end-to-end services that encompass patient education, diagnostic services, as well as ongoing disease management and treatment.

As with any new technology, mHealth adoption faces such challenges as evolving business models, incompatible technology standards and prohibitive regulatory restrictions. However, Accenture says all these challenges can be addressed with concerted efforts."Networks of mHealth providers that are flexible, well-funded and clear about the added value they deliver in improving care will be most able to gain regulatory approval and market traction to overcome these barriers," says Accenture in its report.

Source: Hospital & Healthcare Management