How Mobility is Transforming the Healthcare Sector

Mobility in healthcare is being touted as the next big transformation that will change the fortunes of the ailing healthcare industry. Growing adoption of smartphones by both the healthcare practitioners and patients has provided a strategic opportunity for use of digital solutions in healthcare.

Although mobility can bring in positive transformation in the healthcare industry, its widespread adoption will depend on how well the key stakeholders are able to manage challenges associated with privacy and confidentiality.

The healthcare sector has to ensure that confidentiality of crucial information is not compromised. Patient privacy is of paramount importance and IT service providers need to incorporate mobility in such a manner that it provides the desired benefits while also protecting patient privacy.

One of the key aspects where mobility can help improve healthcare services is the homecare sector. As access to patient information is shared with homecare professionals, healthcare at home will become more personalised and effective. The benefits of incorporating mobility in healthcare are expected to eventually become all-pervasive, with everyone involved in taking care of patient getting work done more effectively.

Although mobility in healthcare is still in infancy, the outlook on this emerging sector is positive. Most research analysts are of the belief that mobility in healthcare market will expand at a high, double-digit compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in the next decade.

Some key factors that are anticipated to fuel the global mobility in healthcare market include rising adoption of smartphones, shortage of registered nurses, cost-effectiveness, and increasing focus on patient-centric mobility applications.

Key Trends in Healthcare Mobility

• The involvement of patients in monitoring their progress and diagnosing symptoms has increased owing to healthcare mobility solutions. There are various free and paid apps that allow patients to monitor their heart rate, and body temperature. Innovation in wearable technology segment is enabling continuous monitoring of glucose levels, giving patients real-time updates. 

• Clinicians are now able to get real-time information on the electronic health records of patients, owing to the innovation in mobility solutions. This is helping in robust implementation of reports, giving healthcare practitioners seamless better ways to provide care.

• Another key trend in the healthcare mobility sector is the focus on developing apps that are HIPPA compliant. Use of personal mobile devices for exchanging confidential information about the health records of a patient is on the rise, and this has created privacy and confidentiality challenges. It is expected that encryption services will become more advanced in the future to safeguard against misuse of electronic health records.

• Healthcare mobility start-ups are receiving the support of venture capitalists, as can be seen by nearly US$ 200 Mn investment that was made in this sector in 2013. Venture capitalists, research industry, and end—users are optimistic about the growth of the healthcare mobility market, owing to which it is witnessing a spate of investments.

• Patients are increasingly adopting mobility, as it is proving to be a cost-effective method of maintaining health and well-being for them. Monitoring of ailments through wearables and smartphone apps gives patients the option of sending their reports for diagnosis. The costs involved in commuting and prescription is reduced to a large extent by incorporating mobility in healthcare.

Mobility in healthcare is an idea whose time has come. It is expected that in the near future more healthcare institutions from around the world will incorporate mobility in their operations, providing their patients and themselves, a better, more effective way of providing care.