Today, mobile health consumers are one of the top health benefit platforms. They were established in 2012 and have a mission to simplify the healthcare process and empower people with informed decisions about their own health. It is one of many reasons why forward-thinking corporations choose to partner. Here's how mHealth can help you improve your health.
Using mHealth to encourage chronic disease management
The number of people using mobile devices to manage chronic diseases is on the rise. Mobile health apps provide real-time information and insights that can help health care providers make informed decisions about patients' health. These apps are becoming more common and can be used to increase patient awareness, monitor health parameters, and encourage self-management. These applications include apps that monitor and track diet, physical activity, smoking cessation, and behavioral healthcare apps.
A systematic review recently found that mHealth intervention can have a positive influence on chronic disease. The four RCTs included in the review evaluated the effectiveness and safety of mHealth intervention for patients suffering from diabetes, asthma, or chronic pain. Although the results were mixed, the authors noted that mHealth apps can improve the patient-provider relationship, increase patient education, and improve feedback on patient progress.
Utilizing the PRISMA guidelines, a systematic review was conducted of RCTs in which mHealth interventions were included in adult care. PICOS (participants. compares. outcomes. and study design) was used as our research question. In the PICOS approach, we mapped the variables we wanted to investigate and then developed 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, for example, can be very helpful for patients with asthma and chronic pain. Also, it is important to consider how long the follow-ups will be after the intervention.
mHealth as an alternative to in-person doctor appointments
Telemedicine, or mHealth, is an emerging model of health care delivery. This model uses the power and accessibility of mobile devices and the internet to offer remote patient care. It reduces costs and increases accessibility. Currently, nearly eighty percent of U.S. adults own a smartphone, and a similar percentage of adults globally do. This new technology could prove valuable to the health care system, especially in underserved areas.
Although mHealth offers greater convenience than in-person visits there are certain limitations. Telemedicine visits are typically shorter than in-person visits. Telemedicine encounters can last less than a minute. However, the study doesn't provide any information on why encounters last less time than a minute. The study doesn't even consider the impact of mHealth in hospitalization rates.
Telemedicine is also prone to malpractice. For instance, doctors can't fully assess the severity of a patient's condition if they can't see them face-to-face. Furthermore, doctors cannot judge if a condition is curable based solely on an image or video.
Telemedicine is an option if in person health care is unavailable. Telemedicine and mHealth are available to rural residents without the benefit of doctors.