IfG.CC - The Potsdam eGovernment Competence Center

While global momentum supporting mobile health (mHealth) research and development is increasing, it is imperative to assess the potential fit of mHealth programs in local settings. We describe the penetration of mobile technologies among Bolivian patients with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) to inform research on mHealth interventions for the Andean region as well as low- and middle-income countries more generally.

Methods: Five-hundred and fifty-nine NCD patients were identified from outpatient clinics affiliated with four hospitals in the cities of La Paz and El Alto.

1. How is telehealth related to mHealth?

   With the emergence of mHealth, telehealth has become a sub-category inside the definition of mHealth. Based on the fact that telehealth has been around for an extended period of time, it is going to take a longer period of time for people to not separate the two due to familiarity with the term “telehealth.” But just like most of the population referred to copies as a “Xerox” for decades, over time the term “copies” have come back to popularity. I believe that the same scenario will play out here if a better term for telehealth is not established.

2. Importance of digital economy further highlighted amid COVID-19 pandemic: Chinese premier

   

   The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of digital economy in restoring economic and social development, creating more jobs and improving people's well-being, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Friday.

   Li make the remarks in a congratulatory message to the opening ceremony of the 2020 China-ASEAN Year of Digital Economy Cooperation (DEC).

3. Uganda streamlines healthcare with mobile technology

   Uganda has received the African Development Bank's prestigious eHealth award for its M-Trac health management system, which has successfully changed the face of health service delivery in the country.

   At Uganda’s many remote health centres, putting pen to paper was the only way to alert health officials to problems such as drug shortages or outbreaks of malaria.

   The government, assisted by UNICEF and WHO, have implemented an innovative solution.

4. US-Regierung verbietet neue Gesundheits-Apps

   Medizinischer Nutzen und korrektes Funktionieren sind nachzuweisen

   Die US-Arzneimittelbehörde FDA www.fda.gov will den wuchernden Markt mit Gesundheits-Apps in den Vereinigten Staaten künftig verstärkt regulieren. Der Staat will neue Applikationen, die Funktionen von medizinischen Instrumenten nachahmen, verbieten.

5. 'Arab world should resort to mobile health'

   With the doctor-patient ratio in the Arab world standing at one to 10,000, the region should resort to mobile health, an expert said on Wednesday.

   Citing the example of Germany, where the ratio is one doctor for 600 patients, Fahed Al Oreifi, a consultant at the Saudi-Based Mobile Health Management Company Ltd., said Arab states should focus on mobile health.

   Also known as mHealth, mobile health refers to the practice of medical and public health supported by mobile devices. mHealth applications include the use of mobile devices in collecting community and clinical health data, delivery of healthcare information to practitioners, researchers, and patients, real-time monitoring of patient vital signs, and direct provision of care (via mobile telemedicine).

6. 'meHealth' for HIV in Africa

   

   What in the world is “meHealth”?

   It’s the combination of mHealth and e-health technologies and services to give personalized health support to anyone in the health system, whether patients, nurses, doctors, community health workers, administrations, or anywhere in between. In the simplest terms, meHealth is about communicating information within a health care system to improve desirable health outcomes.

7. 10 lessons learned from mHealth rollouts

   At the mHealth Summit in Washington DC this week, Patricia Mechael, PhD, MHS, Director of Strategic Application of Mobile Technology for Public Health and Development, Center for Global Health and Economic Development at the Earth Institute, Columbia University, shared her top ten lessons learned from global mobile health implementations.

8. 20% of governments don’t use mHealth services

   A new World Health Organization report released this week shows that 83 per cent of governments surveyed use at least one use of mobile phones to support health activities in their country, yet the majority of mHealth activities are limited in size and scope.

   It leaves 17 per cent without any service offerings.

   Kathy Calvin, CEO of the UN Foundation, which along with the Vodafone Foundation are partners in the report, said: “Wireless technologies have enormous potential to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of health programs as they grow beyond the pilot programs common in most of the world. This report provides the data that can help accelerate the strategic use and evaluation of mobile technologies as mHealth is taken to scale to help meet health needs.”

9. 30 Percent of Americans Would Use a Mobile Device to Monitor Their Health

   PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Health Research Institute recently carried out a nationwide survey of 2,000 consumers and 1,000 physicians. The use and preferences for remote and mobile health services and devices of the consumers were noted.

   PricewaterhouseCoopers presented the findings of the survey at the mHealth Initiative 2nd International mHealth Conference. The new report, titled “Healthcare Unwired,” looks into the changing nature of healthcare with wireless technology, remote monitoring and mobile devices.

10. 4G mHealth: Possibilities & Pipe Dreams

    In the world of mobile technology, 4G (fourth generation) cellular is the latest and greatest thing. It seems like every other television commercial boasts the multimedia and data rich transmission capabilities that 4G bandwidth can provide consumers. The healthcare industry has also been peppered with messaging touting the transformative power 4G technologies can have on the delivery of medicine. The possibilities of 4G in the healthcare industry, particularly in the area of mHealth, are inspiring. I recently wrote about the potential of 4G in a recent white paper titled Mobilizing Healthcare In The ARRA Age.

11. 500m mHealth users predicted by 2015

    Smartphone applications will enable the mHealth industry to reach 500m Smartphone users by 2015, a new report by tesearch2guidance claims.

    The report, ‘Global Mobile Health Market Report 2010-2015’says that apps will reach 30% of the estimated 1.4 billion Smartphone subscribers worldwide over the next five years.

    There are already more than 17,000 mobile health apps available via the app store and almost half of those (43%) are specifically designed for healthcare professionals. Apps include those specifically designed for remote monitoring and healthcare management applications.

12. 6 Reasons why mHealth is different than eHealth

    In Mexico, it’s illegal for patients to access their own medical records, and 9.1 percent of Mexicans have an Internet connection at home. 80 percent of them have at least one cell phone.

    Conditions like this don’t stifle innovation, they ignite it, and it’s one of the several reasons I think mHealth (“the use of wireless communication devices to support public health and clinical practice”) is different than eHealth (which I’m referring to as desktop Web/computer interaction in health/health care).

13. Advantech e-Health and m-Health

    eHealth, or e-Health, refers to healthcare practice supported by electronic processes and communication. The term is supposed to be interchangeable with health informatics with a broad definition covering electronic/digital processes in health or, to narrow down, the term eHealth indicates healthcare practice using the Internet.

    mHealth, or m-Health, is the practice of medicine and public health supported by mobile devices, such as mobile phones, tablet computers, etc. for health services and clinical data collection. mHealth applications include the use of mobile devices in delivery of healthcare information to practitioners, researchers, and patients, real-time monitoring of patient vital signs, and direct provision of care.

14. AE: Dr Du: Free mobile medical counsel

    Mobile Doctors presents free 24-7 Physician Helpline service to du customers throughout Ramadan

    Dubai-based telecom operator du has unveiled a new service during this Ramadan, offering its customers free phone consultation facility with experienced and locally licensed doctors during the Holy Month.

    “du is pleased to announce a special offer from Mobile Doctors during the Holy Month of Ramadan. This will allow new callers to the 24-7 Physician Helpline service to use it free of charge and obtain access to quality healthcare throughout this special time of the year,” the operator said in a media statement sent to Emirates 24/7.

15. AE: Etisalat, health authority plan mobile, e-services

    Etisalat and Health Authority-Abu Dhabi (HAAD) have announced a strategic alliance to improve the health of the residents of Abu Dhabi through developing and marketing a range of innovative mobile and electronic services.

    A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by Jamal Al Nuaimi, general manager – Abu Dhabi region – Etisalat, and Eng Zaid Al Siksek, CEO of HAAD, setting out a collaboration between the two organisations.

    The MoU lays out a joint vision of using technology to improve quality of life for individuals, families and communities.

16. AE: Healthcare at finger tips

    While the focus in recent months has been on smartphones that do everything from allowing users to pay for purchases to accessing 3D content, a technological revolution has been brewing on the sidelines of the mobile world.

    Overshadowed by the glitz of more consumer-friendly applications ‘mobile health’, or mHealth, has quietly been taking the world by storm, as synergies grow between the telecommunications and healthcare industries.

17. Africa is saving lives by turning mobile phones into hospitals

    Mobile phone manufacturers, networks and software developers have joined forces with the United Nations to place the mobiles at the heart of a multi-million pound drive to tackle HIV/AIDS, malaria and deaths during childbirth.

    Yusuf Ibrahim's computer screen is awash with colourful maps and charts. From his desk in downtown Nairobi, Ibrahim can track outbreaks of deadly diseases and keep on eye on the progress of potentially tricky pregnancies. "With the touch of a button I can see what's going on across the country in real-time," Ibrahim said. "It is amazing."

    Ibrahim's computer is collecting vital health and epidemiological data from hundreds of miles away via travelling healthworkers with mobile phones.

18. Africa likely to lead in mobile health arena

    Lack of existing health-care systems and underdeveloped privacy laws are likely to push faster adoption of mobile health business models in Africa compared to developed countries.

    Lack of existing health-care systems and underdeveloped privacy laws are likely to push faster adoption of mobile health business models in Africa compared to developed countries.

    Operators and partners from developed countries are projecting that it will take at least five years before they can navigate through laws and develop appropriate business models, but in Africa, m-health projects are taking off.

19. Africa turns to cellphones for better health

    The text message arrives with life-saving discretion: a neutral "see you at the clinic tomorrow" to remind patients to pick up a fresh batch of anti-AIDS drugs.

    The free texts from South Africa's largest HIV treatment site are part of a push in Africa to boost health by targeting the continent's 624 million mobile phone subscribers.

    "I check my cellphone all the time -- I think that's why it [the drug regimen] is working so well," said patient Emily Moletsane, 40, in a queue at Johannesburg's Themba Lethu clinic which averages more than 450 people a day.