mHealth use will continue widespread proliferation
Mobile device use will keep climbing in the foreseeable future and healthcare is expected to play a large part in that growth, according to a January report published by Deloitte.
Mobile devices are no longer just for making phone calls. Constant consumer demand for more and better-integrated tools for their smartphones and tablets has propelled a shift in other industries toward mobile and healthcare is primed to follow suit, according to the New York City-based professional services firm. “Digital technologies, including ubiquitous mobile devices, can play a key role in transforming healthcare into a more efficient, patient-centered system of care in which individuals have instant, on-demand access to their medical records and powerful clinical decision support tools that empower them to actively participate in their treatment plans.”
Mobile device sales are expected to reach $215 million in 2016, a 25 percent increase from $172 million in 2009, and revenue from mobile data usage is expected hit $180 billion in 2016, a 514 percent increase from $35 billion in 2008. Additionally, with approximately 70 percent Americans currently subscribing to broadband mobile, a vast majority will soon have instant access to a deep pool of resources and functionalities as a projected 10 billion mobile devices will be in use worldwide by 2016.
Patients and consumers are increasingly turning to these devices to manage and learn about their health, according to the report. While the largest group of respondents (34 percent) to the Deloitte 2012 Survey of U.S. Healthcare Consumers said they were cautious about mixing their health with their mobile devices, the rest said they already had in some way and nearly 20 percent expressed a strong preference for online tools and applications (app).
Smartphone use among clinicians is actually higher than among than general population, with physician ownership reaching 81 percent compared to approximately 50 percent for the general population. Although only 25 percent of clinicians are using smartphones in their professional roles, the benefits are becoming evident and are expected to grow. For instance, remote monitoring technologies are expected to save nearly $200 billion over the next 25 years and the global mobile health (mHealth) market is expected to grow from $1.2 billion in 2011 to $11.8 billion in 2018.
Making the best of mobile devices will require tweaking the healthcare system. There are few business models existing to suggest how entrepreneurs can monetize mHealth products and security concerns continue causing headaches. Additionally, existing regulatory structures present barriers to bringing mHealth products to the market, according to the report.
Despite the challenges, there are potential benefits to all stakeholders who adopt an integrated mobile strategy. “A business case aiming to expand an organization’s mHealth presence should take into account the slow rate of behavior change in the healthcare industry, address privacy concerns and recognize that widespread adoption across the entire industry will take time,” the report concluded. “Value and revenue generation from mHealth applications will depend on the deployment of new business models, adoption rates, perceived value by consumers and providers, consumers’ willingness to pay for devices and apps, and health plans’ imperative of seeking value for money.”