The Federal Communications Commission's mHealth Task Force has released a draft report offering five recommendations to spur greater adoption and use of mobile health technology over the next five years, Modern Healthcare reports (Lee, Modern Healthcare, 9/24).
According to the task force, mobile health technology is poised for market growth, with wireless devices, software and sensors receiving more than $750 million in venture capital investment so far this year (Mazmanian, "Tech Daily Dose," National Journal, 9/24).
The report recommended that:
- FCC hire a health care director and continue to take leadership in advancing mobile health adoption;
- Federal agencies increase collaboration to boost innovation, protect patient safety and avoid regulatory duplication;
- FCC build on existing programs and link projects if possible to expand broadband access for health care;
- FCC continue trying to increase capacity, interoperability, reliability and safety of mobile health technology; and
- The mobile health industry support continued innovation, investment and job growth (Dolan, MobiHealthNews, 9/25).
The task force wrote, "Critical to the success of an improved health care system is access, availability, interoperability and capacity of wired and wireless services that are defining the future of health care" (Modern Healthcare, 9/24).