Mobile device technology advancing into healthcare (page 1 of 2)

Giving doctors and medical staff the ability to take notes, access clinical information and manage their schedules while on the move means they can make decisions more quickly, with obvious benefits to patients. This is largely due to advances in technology such as improvements to secure wireless networks, increased battery life and smaller yet more powerful processors that have helped to make handheld devices more suitable and more affordable.


"In the early days most mobile devices used in medical applications were either custom built for medical use - meaning they were expensive - or they were standard mobile devices, which meant they had limited functionality with many applications based on little more than advanced messaging and paging," says Peter Kruger, senior analyst at Wireless Health. "Now there are devices such as Intel's C5v Mobile Clinical Assistant Tablet Computer and consumer devices, such as Apple's iPad, which are more flexible and supported by medical 'apps' which are opening up the market for mobile and wireless healthcare."

Patients' use of smartphones also has benefits

It is not only physicians who are equipped with powerful handheld devices. Many of their patients will have smartphones, and these, together with specialist devices, have allowed for breakthroughs in remote monitoring, diagnosing and communication between hospital staff and patients.

"Some institutions are using consumer-type devices for accessing patient data in a mobile fashion, clinical staff might also use smartphones for email, calendar, contacts and we are also seeing consumer type devices being used for training. In some circumstances patients might use devices like smartphones for monitoring of chronic diseases like diabetes," says Intel's digital health marketing manager for Europe, Middle East and Africa, David McCarron.

For patients, one of the side-effects of home monitoring can be an improvement in quality of life. For healthcare institutions, keeping patients at home helps them to cut the costs associated with patients visiting or staying overnight at the facility.

Qualcomm's vice president and general manager for the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia, Jihad Srage, gives the example of disposable patches that can be connected to 3G-enabled mobile devices to measure vital signs that allows for self as well as physician-supervised monitoring. "In the case of an episode occurring, the physician will receive the data, chart and images on his or her smartphone, tablet or medical wireless device, and will take the necessary action based on an accurate diagnosis," he says.

There are limitations; non-specialist devices have their drawbacks, and one that must be considered is the reduced security and manageability features of smartphones intended for the consumer and enterprise market, particularly where confidential patient data is being accessed and communicated.

Outlook for wireless devices is healthy

Industry figures say the outlook for the use of wireless devices by the healthcare sector is healthy, with Qualcomm's Srage suggesting that emerging markets will be among the pioneers of wireless heath applications and services. "In fact, the Middle East could prove to be a leader in this area," he says. "Mobile healthcare is ideal in markets where industry regulations are still emerging, funding is available and supported by the governments, and where chronic diseases have high penetration rates."

Kruger adds that two giants of the IT and tech world will play important roles in the way the sector is shaped.