In the last few years, mobile technology has found increased usage in the healthcare sector.
Earlier, mobile technology found its usage in healthcare chiefly in usage of iPads and smartphones to guide patients.
Today,the health care system is gradually drifting towards a new model.
Why Mobile Devices are Finding Increased Use in Health Care?
Mobile devices are finding dominant use in healthcare chiefly to better communication and ensure the availability of information resources.
Mobile devices ensure the availability of the following in a clinical setting:
- Communication options in the form of video conferencing, text, email and voice calls.
- Hospital information system in the form of electronic medical record or laboratory information systems.
- Informational resource in the form of guidelines and textbooks.
- Clinical software application in the form of medical calculators.
Now let us have a look at the ways mobile technology is helping the healthcare industry.
Enhanced Coordination
Mobile technology allows hospitals to monitor discharge instructions and check the prescriptions.
In a traditional setting, when the patient is discharged from the hospital, the nurse explains the medicines, dosage and after-care instructions. However, it is tough to ensure whether the patient or family members understood the instructions properly. This causes significant concerns and quite often, inadequate communication or product name ambiguity adversely affects the patient’s health. Mobile technology is changing this scenario as the nurses and doctors can coordinate with the patients better, discussing medication as well as the follow-up processes.
Improved Compliance
Mobile technology plays a significant role making the patients comply to medication orders. It emphasises the significance of prescription adherence by sending information and messages.
Well, the clinical staff cannot guarantee whether the patients can truly understand the significance but certainly, this is an easy and convenient way to start.
Mobile technology can calculate the time medication runs out or send a reminder when it is time to take the medication.
Better Management
Earlier, healthcare providers had limited access to patient details.
Today, tables, phones and wearables can track the vitals and keep the medical practitioners updated. Nurses and doctors can also check patients directly using mobile devices and even show the way to use inhalers or any other procedure.
The providers can also reach out to the family members of the patient and vice versa and update them with the latest details.
Though there are multiple benefits of using mobile devices in health care, communication is probably the most significant one.
The very option to monitor a patient remotely is rewarding. Moreover, it also has a role in play in improving patient-doctor relationship.
No doubt mobile technology is casting an impact in multiple ways and today, it has a dominant role to play in improving the way we heal. But, like all other boons of technology, it comes with its share of downsides as well. When the case history of a patient is shared, there can be security concerns. However, with a robust strategy, the health care providers are taking advantage of the mobile technology and improving health care industry leaps and bounds.
