Something is revolutionizing the health world. It’s not doctors. It’s not new procedures. It’s mHealth.
mHealth is described somewhat poetically as “the ability to move freely within an undefined space (as opposed to the ability to move freely in a defined space) while still maintaining connectivity,” by a Web site called scientiaadvisorsblog.com as posted by Michael Tapella.
Tapella suggests that mHealth should be thought of more as a “utility for users,” rather than as a form of technology. That’s because mHealth provides better care for patients by not doing something – making them go to their doctors’ offices for treatment. mHealth enables patients to stay home and still be cared for by their doctors almost as if they were physically in the office.
Even though more and more people are being diagnosed with diabetes and other chronic illnesses as the population ages, this new technology is helping patients to live – and be – better by allowing them to monitor their health much more closely.
By using the mobile health products and services offered by mHealth, the wireless industry is dramatically reforming healthcare by improving access and quality of care while decreasing costs, according to a press release at marketwatch.com.
The press release reports that there are more wireless devices (322.9 million) than Americans (315.5 million), according to CTIA-The Wireless Association's semi-annual survey. In fact, mHealth products and services are slated to top $400 million by 2016, according to a story at eweek.com.
Global Partners Inc. is projecting that 60 million people will benefit from using tools like remote patient monitoring devices by 2013 to prolong and improve their health, according to marketwatch.com.
And here’s an even bigger benefit. The U.S. currently spends more than any other industrialized country in the world on healthcare, approximately $2.2 trillion every year, but the press release suggests that mHealth solutions could help save as much as $21.1 billion per year, according to the press release.
The point of mHealth? To allow doctors to mointor their patients remotely, which is helping patients to save time and money by cutting down on in-office doctor's appointments, the press release says. If problems come up – someone’s heartbeat is irregular, blood pressure is dropping, or blood sugar levels are too low – the mHealth monitoring devices notify a doctor immediately so intervention can be planned, either sending the patient to the emergency room, or prescribing medication.
“In a field in which every second counts, doctors can improve care by receiving real-time delivery of medical tests and other vital information,” the press release says. Whether it’s a monitor giving patient information remotely to a physician, or a physician on the run able to access xrays and other tests wirelessly, or simply reminding patients by text message to check their glucose level, mHealth is helping to make healthcare more efficient and less costly.
Remote monitoring is especially important because it allows medical professionals to detect health problems such as cardiac arrhythmias right away.
And do it yourself? mHealth provides access to that as well. The press release notes that there are more than 17,000 mobile apps available for consumers to track weight-loss, exercise and fitness progress or to help manage chronic diseases, with some apps helping diabetics record their daily blood sugar levels and steps to take if the levels entered are near the danger level.
Even new and expectant mothers are benefiting from mHealth, by receiving weekly text messages via text4baby. Led by National Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition, text4baby has sent more than health tips to more than 250,000 medically underserved people.
Deborah DiSesa Hirsch is an award-winning health and technology writer who has worked for newspapers, magazines and IBM in her 20-year career. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.Edited by
Rich Steeves
