Nearly 90% of surveyed physicians would like their patients to use mobile devices to monitor or track certain health indicators at home, according to a report from Float Mobile Learning, a mobile technology consulting firm, FierceMobileHealthcare reports (Jackson, FierceMobileHealthcare, 3/19).
The report is part of Float Mobile Learning's comprehensive study of mobile usage in the health care industry.
Key Findings
The report found that:
- 88% of surveyed physicians would like their patients to use mobile devices to monitor heath indicators such as weight, blood sugar and vital signs (Float Mobile Learning release, 3/13); and
- 40% of surveyed physicians said they believe that mobile health applications can reduce the number of office visits that patients need.
Additional Findings
The survey also found that:
- 80% of surveyed physicians said they use smartphones and medical applications;
- 56% of surveyed physicians said they use mobile devices to help them make faster clinical decisions; and
- 40% of surveyed physicians said mobile devices help them reduce the amount of time they spend on administrative work.
According to the survey, physicians are 250% more likely than other consumers to own a tablet computer (Murphy, Mashable, 3/12).
Implications
Gary Woodill -- a senior analyst at Float Mobile Learning -- said, "The looming demographic bulge of aging baby boomers and the rising costs of hospital care are driving a movement to providing medical care in a person's own home, whenever possible."
He added, "Mobile health and wellness applications can help relieve the burden of accelerating health care costs due to this demographic shift" (Float Mobile Learning release, 3/13).