Analysts urge more use of mobile

An American business research and consulting firm has urged the healthcare sector to adopt mobile technologies in order to improve patient care.

Frost and Sullivan said in a white paper that mobile devices can transform the healthcare experience, but the sector has been slow to adopt the new technologies. The paper was sponsored by US telecommunications company Sprint.

The paper argues that mobile devices and the infrastructure that goes with them have to be thought of as "fundamental components" in the quest for new ways of working that could improve care, control costs and meet regulatory requirements.

It says that a lack of motivation, funding and technology personnel have traditionally served as barriers to transitioning to wireless technology.

The paper outlines the four key wireless device categories for the health sector, and discusses the positives and negatives of each.

Smartphones are included as one of the key devices, and Frost and Sullivan note that doctors themselves often want to use their own devices within their hospitals.

Smartphone functionality has broadened so they can now contain mobile reference libraries, diagnostic tools, patient record keeping and monitoring worker locations. However, there are concerns over potential security vulnerabilities.

Frost and Sullivan expects tablets, such as the iPad, to see a surge in popularity in the health sector. “Tablets can satisfy the clinician’s growing demand for information and data right at the point of care” it states.

And it argues that this technology can support patients, since tablets can now “allow caregivers to share images and data directly with the patient, resulting in more interaction and engagement and, hopefully, a more satisfied healthcare customer”.

But lack of suitable water resistance and inadequate casings to prevent damage from drops have been concerns raised over the suitability of tablets in the hospital environment.

Push to talk devices have been another popular tool, and many now have capabilities including photo capture, maps, and live chats which the papers says could see them replace the traditional pager.

Machine-to-machine (M2M) are the final category of devices covered by the white paper and are typically being used for remote patient monitoring, personal wellness and assisted living.

These are said to be of great benefit to the sector as by “monitoring patients at home, physicians and hospitals can better manage their patient load, patients do not been to travel, and measurements are constant and less prone to error”.

But low awareness of their use on the part of prospective patients and the healthcare community has limited their uptake.