The healthcare industry, compared to others, has been slow to adopt mobility. Factors such as strict privacy requirements, rigorous compliance regulations, and patient confidentiality have contributed to this slow progress, despite the industry’s phenomenal potential for growth. Often referred to as mHealth, mobile healthcare refers to the delivery, facilitation, and communication of health-related information through mobile and multimedia technologies using smartphones, tablets, PDAs, and wireless infrastructure.
There is a noticeable shift in consumer behavior toward healthcare information. Healthcare specialists are increasingly open to using mobile technology for data collection, monitoring, and patient engagement. With a vast majority of healthcare providers now using mobile devices to interact with patients, mobile healthcare is gaining momentum. For patients, mobile technology offers easy and reliable access to information and services, empowering them to take an active role in managing their own health as well as the health of their family members.