Good health at (everybody’s) fingertips: Affordable mHealth Networks and Applications

mikeseringer

Michael Seringer is Vice-President and Co-Founder of Chronic Care Management Corp., creator of MyVirtualHealthCheck.com and mobile healthcare and wellness apps. Executive Producer of Diabetesville, USA, A documentary film on the Diabetes epidemic along the Texas/Mexico border.

Done right, mobile health applications will revolutionize health and wellness programs for the poor. Those suffering from chronic disease in particular will benefit from the rapid growth in mobile technologies. Unlike some traditional medical technologies that fail to reach many poor populations in a significant way, mHealth can connect with large numbers of people and at a low cost. Mobile phone use has soared in both developed and developing countries, along the way becoming a reliable communication and information resource. As mHealth develops networks, applications and technology, it is important the focus be placed on developing secure systems that solve real problems instead of bloated, unnecessary functionality that raises the cost to consumers.

Whether healthcare providers are pushing information, monitoring patients, collecting data or educating patients, our industry can develop mobile applications that require low bandwidth and few network resources. Apps can simultaneously run on a persistent cellular plan, take advantage of existing free Wi-fi networks or stand alone until the next visit to the clinic. Everything from medication reminders to health education can be done efficiently using intuitive design elements reaching large populations.

To keep these incredible benefits affordable and accessible, mobile carriers should establish APIs designed around very low cost monthly plans that leverage low network capacity and use the network in a manner that limits costs for the carrier. It’s a win/win proposition. Carriers would further monetize their existing network infrastructure while providing the backbone for mHealth systems that improve health outcomes. Imagine, a $5-$10 per month medical phone contract allowing for communication, monitoring, preventative care and more. Healthcare providers would be able to reach underserved populations and provide individual case management within the same ecosystem. Millions of people who lack access to healthcare – until they wind up in the emergency room – could at least have digital access and communication with providers, thereby possibly preventing a costly and tragic medical crisis. Including patients, caregivers and healthcare providers within the same mHealth ecosystem would foster an aware and responsive healthcare system.

With the exception of sub-Saharan Africa, chronic disease accounts for 75% of all deaths worldwide. This grim fact, combined with the explosion of obesity rates around the globe, illustrates the central role prevention applications and programs play in combating a looming crisis.  Recently, prevention apps and tools have proliferated within the various mobile app market places and social media networks. Now is the time to make these tools more accessible to the poor by developing standards for an affordable, open source mHealth network. These tools can be customized to meet the needs of poor populations worldwide. The potential cost savings for successful mHealth prevention programs is huge; the difference these programs could make in someone’s life, immeasurable.

The fact is that many mHealth innovations don’t require high-resolution video, images or advanced diagnostics. The systems that ultimately provide the most impact are the ones that facilitate patient communication, education and track vital patient health data. Let’s hope the healthcare industry’s propensity to focus on expensive solutions to complex problems won’t prevent mHealth from putting good health within reach for all.