The two fields that are perhaps the most astonishing to monitor advances in are mobile technology and medicine. Both fields are advancing at a stunningly fast pace, and every day it seems that new possibilities that were previously unthinkable come into reality. So how is it that these two fields intersect? How are both physicians and patients alike making use of the latest advances in mobile technology? Here are some of the major ways that mobile devices are transforming healthcare.
Mobile health apps for patients
It seems that 2014 was the year that mobile health finally became a part of the mainstream. An analysis released by Google of the year’s most popular apps revealed that health and fitness apps were the year’s fastest growing app category. In the patient-oriented area of mobile health apps, patients can download apps for monitoring and providing proof of their health insurance, scheduling appointments with doctors, and reminding them to take prescription medications. They can alter monitor pregnancy, track their own nutrition habits, create fitness plans, monitor heart rate and other vitals, track sleeping habits, and so much more. More and more physicians are even “prescribing” the use of certain apps by patients for better health monitoring. Apps geared towards monitoring wellness are the most popular within the mobile health app realm, allowing patients to take more control and have a better understanding of their own health. And with the coming of smartwatches, this trend is only going to grow stronger.
Point-of-care tools for healthcare professionals
Mobile devices benefit healthcare professionals in many ways, as well. Most commonly, they provide increased access to point-of-care tools such as disease diagnosis aids, clinical decision support systems (CDSSs), digitized textual resources, and medical calculators, making for better decision making during care.
Information and time management
Healthcare professionals can also use their devices to store information and better manage time. Specialized mobile apps allow healthcare professionals to write or dictate notes, save photographs, and even store and access medical records in a secure electronic database.
Streamlined devices for physicians
In addition to the computing possibilities that mobile devices offer, they also satisfy the wide range of communication needs that healthcare professionals have. Physicians used to carry around cell phones, pagers, and PDAs in order to cover all of their communication bases, and now physicians can instead use a single mobile phone or tablet computer.
Increased patient-professional communication
In addition to texting, phone calls, and e-mail, patients and healthcare professionals can keep in touch with video conferencing, with video sometimes even eliminating the need for an in-house visit.
This is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to mobile devices and healthcare, and the years to come should bring intriguing developments in the world of mobile health. Interested in pursuing a career in this exciting field? Contact Fusion HealthCare Staffing today at 855-537-8353 so that we can help you find your perfect match in the medical field.