mHealth: Smartphones and the Future of Health

Posted by on Sep 14, 2012 in Blog, Empowerment, PocketHealth, Technology

mhealth researchSmartphones give us the ability to access email, stay up-to-date with our social networks, consume content, shop—why not give us instant access to a variety of healthcare tools, too? Nearly 55% of U.S. mobile subscribers owned smartphones as of June 2012, a strong indication of the increasing prevalence and availability of mobile health tools.

So what exactly can mHealth do—and how do smartphones play into the future of healthcare? We recently stumbled on a fascinating infographic from The Greatist that examines those questions with a compilation of eye-opening data. Some of the findings that intrigued us include:

  • There are currently more than 13,000 health and medical apps
  • The global wireless health market is projected to be worth more than $38 billion by 2016.
  • Thirty-eight percent of medical professionals with smartphones use medical apps daily.
  • Consumers use health apps for medical purposes, sports and fitness and tracking calories and nutrition.

mobile health and smartphones

As mobile health developers, we’re especially interested in what’s happening in mHealth—and how consumers and medical professionals use health and medical apps to better manage care and improve communication, among other health-related tasks.

After all, smartphones are far more than a simple mobile phone. These palm-sized computers have introduced a new world of connectivity and functionality—and incorporating them into your ongoing health management might just give you the access and resources you need.

As you explore the various health and medical apps that are available, we hope you’ll consider giving PocketHealth a try. We created this mobile personal health record to give users access to their health data when they need it most. Plus, PocketHealth gives you the ability to manage your family’s healthcare, too, so that you’re not only in control—you’re empowered with the information you need to make health-related decisions on a daily basis.

Once you’ve tried PocketHealth, we’d love to hear your feedback. And if you use any other health or medical apps, feel free to share your favorites with us, too.