Mobile's impact on healthcare consumers
Medical information is now portable, personalized, and participatory, and with the availability of information, patients are getting more involved in the healthcare process. |
These shifting practices for information sharing and communications are altering the relationship between patients and their providers. Non-traditional health resources (enabled by the internet and made universal via mobile devices) are gaining popularity, and more of the information-gathering responsibility is being placed on patients.
Developers in the mobile medical space have recognized consumers; interest in medical referencing. As developers cater to the demand for mobile medical solutions, consumers are becoming more reliant on smartphone apps for healthcare decision making. In short, the cost of healthcare is driving budget-friendly solutions that emphasize patient involvement and wellness, with many users turning to their smartphones as a means of taking charge of their personal health.
Mobile Diagnostic Tools
General diagnostic websites such as WebMD.com, MedlinePlus.gov, and MayoClinic.com have become tremendously popular in recent years. Naturally, as people begin consuming more information via mobile these medical reference sites will transition to accommodate the market.
The Mayo Clinic and WebMD released mobile versions of their reference material to provide consumers with easily accessible, action-oriented information. Another consumer reference app, Medicine Finder, helps users identify the right over-the-counter medication for particular symptoms. Instant, uncomplicated medical reference applications are helping users become more informed about their health, while helping people make real-time decisions.
Self Monitoring
Mobile healthcare applications allow people to monitor their own weight, blood pressure, pulse, and sugar levels while sending results electronically to healthcare providers. By keeping a shared log of health information, Polka Personal Health users build a mobile medical profile that offers health reminders and communicates critical health information. The users’ health profile is secure and the application is great for tracking and managing valuable health information. Also, by minimizing routine trips to the doctor, you can generate considerable cost savings.
For diabetes, it is crucial that patients monitor their blood glucose and gear their insulin intake to proper levels. To add greater control over the variables that affect blood sugar levels, patients can use the Glucose Buddy app to store and track additional information from home. The app calculates the impact of the user’s meals, activities, and other actions on blood glucose levels, thereby giving diabetics greater control.
Personalized Reminders
The sending and receiving of personalized reminders via mobile phone is a further extension of self-monitoring technologies that can greatly improve healthcare. Among the greater problems in medical treatment is the frequent occasion with which patients forget to take their prescription drugs.
Pillbox is an easy way to manage medication lists in an intuitive digital pillbox format. The app sends reminders accompanied by a visual representation of the pill to keep users on track with their medications. Pillbox and other types of virtual health assistants are reducing errors while helping doctors and patients stay in touch and monitor healthcare needs.
Electronic Medical Records
With electronic records, patients have much more information at their disposal and can easily interact with their own medical history. Again, this information is made available to others, usually primary-care physicians, at the patients’ discretion. Users with an active Google Health account and the Cloud PHR app can view their Google Health records (conditions, medications, allergies, procedures, test results etc.) in an iPhone friendly format. They can also view notices from their provider, enter new data, and add test results directly from their phone.
Since providers are already accessing patients’ health records online, the stage is set for mobile health management. A number of apps already offer personal health records (PHRs), including: Allscripts, CareTools iChart, motionPHR, and Pain Care. When implemented well, electronic medical records will shorten evaluation cycles and enhance consumers’ ability to control costs in ways that do not weaken quality.
Social Networking for Medical Care
Mobile is the ideal platform for asynchronous communication and consumers are showing an increased willingness to participate in social media healthcare discussions on their phones. By facilitating dialogue among chronic sufferers of various maladies, social networking has hinted at great potential to improve care.
Recently, consumers have been using social media tools to bring comparison shopping to the doctor’s office. As employers continue switching to health plans that require patients to pay more out of their own pockets, it’s almost a certainty that employees will become more conscious of their health expenses. No doubt this will accelerate the opportunity for apps that involve crowd-sourcing of price and quality information as a means of differentiating between healthcare options.
Consumers Can Help
The technology for consumer-driven healthcare is already available. Consumers are eager for personalized medicine and the accessibility of health information is empowering people to make the most of their health benefits. In the future, more of the information-gathering process will be completed by the consumer. The future of healthcare will involve even greater collaboration between patients and physicians, as consumers exert more influence on the marketplace, driving quality up and costs down.
Historically, patients have been an underutilized resource. Now, better use of digital and mobile technology can help people save money and lead healthier lives. As consumers become more interested in trouble shooting and formulating their own opinions about methods of procedure, it appears the healthcare system will continue to shift from a hierarchical structure towards a system with greater transparency, collaboration, and patient involvement.
Apps mentioned in this article:
WebMD Mobile |
Medicine Finder |
Polka Health |
iChart EMR |
Glucose Buddy |
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Pain Care |
Cloud PHR Pro |
motionPHR Health Record |
AllScripts Remote |
Contact Software Consortium or call 1-877-850-9393 if you would like to discuss how to leverage our top-level talent to empower your business.
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