The mobile consumer is a leading platform for health benefits today. Their mission was to simplify healthcare and empower individuals to make informed health decisions. It is one of many reasons why forward-thinking corporations choose to partner. Here's how mHealth could help improve your overall health.
Using mHealth is a way to manage chronic diseases
Mobile devices are becoming more popular for managing chronic diseases. Mobile health applications provide real-time data and insights that can aid health care providers in making decisions regarding patients' health. These apps are available in increasing numbers and aim to improve patient awareness, track their health parameters, promote self-management, and increase patient engagement. You can find these apps in the following categories: apps to monitor diet and activity, apps to quit smoking, and apps to help with behavioral health.
A systematic review of mHealth interventions found that they can be positive for chronic diseases. The review involved four RCTs to evaluate the effectiveness in mHealth interventions for patients living with diabetes, asthma, chronic pain. Despite the mixed results, the authors pointed out that mHealth apps can improve patient-provider relations, improve patient education, and improve feedback about patient progress.
Using the PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a systematic review of RCTs involving mHealth interventions in adults. We developed our research question by using the PICOS (participants, comparisons, outcomes, and study design) approach. The PICOS methodology allowed us to identify the variables we want to examine and then formulate our research question.
When evaluating the effectiveness of mHealth interventions for chronic disease management, there are many important factors to be aware of. Consider, for example, the type of mHealth app used and the training method used. Pre-set feedback in mHealth apps can be helpful for asthmatics and patients with chronic pain. Furthermore, we should consider the duration of the follow-ups after the intervention.
mHealth as a substitute to in-person doctor visits
Telemedicine or mHealth is a new model for health care delivery. It leverages the power, speed and convenience of the internet and mobile devices for remote patient care. Nearly eighty per cent of U.S. adults currently own a Smartphone, and the global average is around the same. This emerging technology could prove to a valuable addition in the health care system, especially for underserved communities.
Although mHealth offers greater convenience than in-person visits there are certain limitations. Telemedicine visits are typically shorter than in-person visits. Telemedicine encounters may last for less than one minute. However, the study doesn't provide any information on why encounters last less time than a minute. Moreover, the study does not look at the impact of mHealth on hospitalization rates.
In addition, telemedicine poses many malpractice risks. Doctors cannot evaluate the severity of a patient’s illness if they are unable to see them face-to face. In addition, doctors can't determine whether a condition is cured based on a video or image alone.
Telemedicine can also be used if in-person care is not available. Rural residents without access to doctors may be able to benefit from mHealth and telemedicine.