Smartphones and tablets are transforming healthcare by shifting control to patients, but the evolution is not without its challenges.
The Future of mHealth is our series that explores opportunities and challenges of mHealth, which aims to put widespread access to healthcare within the reach of those who need it most.
Healthcare challenges are on the rise worldwide. Chronic conditions take an ever-greater toll, and costs are on the rise. But health insurance no longer bridges the gap for many, and healthcare systems struggle to balance the need for top-notch care and innovation against shrinking budgets.
Answering the challenge, many parties in the medical industry are ramping up development of apps and software for mobile devices, which may increase speed and ease the delivery of healthcare to patients who need it most, especially in areas like preventing diseases, managing chronic conditions, and navigating the complexities of the hospital and insurance systems. The payoff could be great, but the incorporation of mobile technology into the complicated healthcare system is not without its perils.
Motivation, Education, and Prevention on the Go
According to the Centers for Disease Control and prevention, conditions such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, arthritis and cancer are the most common and costly health problems in the U.S.
Habits like smoking, a sedentary lifestyle, poor diet, high stress, or excess body weight increase risks for conditions like heart disease that threaten life and health. These diseases represent the largest concentration of healthcare spending, taking a huge toll on both well-being and wallets.
People can largely prevent or control these conditions, however, by instigating healthy changes and staying motivated to stick with them. Mobile health solutions can help consumers achieve this goal, bringing them a step closer to better health through education and motivation, and ultimately streamlining use of the healthcare system.
Apps such as MealSnap provide an instant calorie count when a user snaps a picture of their plate with a smartphone, encouraging healthy eating.
Other apps, such as FitBit and Fooducate, track exercise and calorie intake to help people stay on course with weight loss, while the government-sponsored Text4Health program is proven to help people stay tobacco-free through use of motivating and informational text messages.
Other apps help people track exercise intensity and time, use the GPS in their phones to map running and walking routes, compete against themselves and others to take more steps or perform more activity minutes, and keep a daily diary to identify and avoid triggers for conditions such as migraines and asthma.
Via
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