Mobile Health Gets More Support

March 2010

Just over a year ago, the Medical Records Institute (MRI) announced the formation of a new nonprofit, The mHealth Initiative (mHI). The organization is open to vendors, groups and individuals focused on the latest information and health application through mobile devices. MRI’s Vice President, Claudia Tessier, stated that, “mHealth applications will save money, improve the quality of care and provide greater efficiency. The mHealth Initiative will show the healthcare industry how this is possible. Through mHI we will create a roadmap for the new health ecosystem based on mDevices, new software, new interoperability solutions and secure wireless transmission.” mHI is working to develop applications that work well with the reduced screen size and resolution of mobile devices. More information can be found at www.mobih.org.

Besides mHI, there is also The Wireless Life-Sciences Alliance (www.wirelesslifesciences.org), which was founded by a number of industry vendors, including Qualcomm®, and the healthcare IT analyst group Triple Tree. In addition, the Groupe Speciale Mobile Association (www.gsmworld.com) has announced plans to launch a “global mHealth initiative.” Both groups claim to have a similar focus to the mHI. mHI has just completed its first mHealth Networking Conference which was held February 3-4, 2010 in Washington, DC. One participant noted that this is the most exciting, dynamic area of healthcare innovation.

Peter Waegemann, vice president of development for the mHealth Initiative, Inc. says “Current iPhone apps of this kind are the very beginning of a long process – perhaps 10 to 15 years – during which the mDevice will become the main tool a doctor uses in attending to patients. The benefits are better quality of care, greater efficiency, and lower healthcare costs. Apple®’s new iPad, as well as the Motorola® Droid™ and the Blackberry®, have the potential to provide the same application offerings as the iPhone. The iPad will open up a new dimension for doctors as it will become the working tool at the point of care. But other phones could catch up or become even more successful in healthcare. One must see mobile applications as part of mHealth which is focusing on new communication in healthcare and healthcare restructuring (including the financial system) and is enabled by mobile systems. I am convinced that our healthcare system will have major communication changes that will affect everyone. These changes will evolve over time; they are disruptive and will change so much.”

Meanwhile, there is growing competition among software developers for the various smart phones with proponents of each of the available platforms suggesting that theirs is the best way to go. This actually should be good for end users with a lot of good software hopefully becoming available soon. We are headed into a very interesting future with mobile devices.