mobile health

EPG Health Media published a comprehensive and interesting report on smartphone use in healthcare (How do smartphones impact healthcare professionals and infuence the way they practice?) which is actually a great comparison between Europe and the United States.

(81% of US respondent doctors already own a smartphone device with ownership set to grow to 94% within 6 months).

The main focus of the app is physician communication, and for this it incorporates an innovative, secure SMS-like text service. But its real power lies in its deep incorporation of multiple databases of physician and related information

In particular, the makers of the app carefully integrated data from the physician NPI and Medicare databases as well as lists of medical schools, hospitals, imaging centers and pharmacies

What they’ve produced is a surprisingly refined version 1 product that can quickly answer the myriad of small, practice-related questions that pop up all day long during a busy schedule.

The New Scientist today reports on a new system demonstrated this week by Dutch researchers. The Human++ BAN platform allows sensors placed within the body to send readings via a short range radio network to the owner’s phone. From here the data can be forwarded to doctors via a WiFi or 3G data connection. Users can also see the readings on their phone screen, giving them instant updates on how the organ in question is doing.

The World Health Organization recently held a meeting to discuss the problem and the "uneven and unfair distribution" of medical devices.

building devices that use the new high-end screens found on many phones.

resolution of these devices has increased six fold, with some now boasting over 300 dots per inch (dpi).

According to the latest publication 72 percent of US physicians are now using smartphones.

outpaces the general US adult population’s adoption of smartphones, which still stands at below 20 percent.