Hey Doc, Mobile Matters

You don’t have to sit in a waiting room long to see it. Yet we still look for science to prove it. Perhaps that’s how we learn what works in health care. And if we’re talking about disease management or pharmaceuticals, I’m with you. Take the time. But if we’re talking about patient experience, it’s time to take act: Mobile is everywhere and, therefore, mobile matters.

According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, “Eighty-eight percent of U.S. adults own a cell phone (April 2012), and more than half of them use their phone to go online.”

Never mind the teenagers, 94 percent of people between the ages of 30 and 49 own cell phones and 86 percent of people between the ages of 50 and 64 own cell phones. The majority of them access the Internet via that same device.

So do you.

I’ve been in your office as a patient. You’ve handed me your cell phone to show me a website that might help me better understand a medical condition. And, you let me watch over your shoulder as you accessed E-Socrates for our chat about medication. Your use did three things for me as patient.

By handing me your phone to show me the data you were, in effect, saying, “You’re not contagious, you’re my friend and I want you to know what I know.” That is today’s bedside manner inspirational poster moment personified.

But maybe you’re not my doctor and you need the math. According to a 2012 report conducted by Float Mobile Learning, 88 percent of surveyed physicians would like their patients to use mobile devices to monitor health indicators such as weight, blood sugar and vital signs. The same report also found that 80 percent of surveyed physicians use smartphones and medical applications, and some use mobile devices to make quicker clinical decisions.

According to a 2011 report conducted by Jackson & Coker, a leading physician recruiting firm, four out of five practicing physicians use smartphones, computer tablets, various mobile devices and various apps in their medical practices.

Several factors that attribute to doctors’ use of mobile devices including: they are affordable, easy to use and can be easily carried between exams. Well, they’re affordable technologies for patients too. And we use them to gather information and connect with others who might share our health experience. We use mobile and the apps and websites that mobile enables to get better. You can use this information to help me getter better, too.

As an example of how mobile health tools are benefiting health management, a recent study demonstrated that a health-related text messaging system was an effective way to manage diabetes.

Thirty-four patients at a hospital in Peru were used in an experiment; 17 of the 34 were enrolled in a text-messaging program that sent texts regarding risk factors, drug intake reminders, lab tests and medical appointments. The other 17 were enrolled in a control group. Almost twice as many participants in the text-messaging group took their medication as prescribed.

These results go along with Float Mobile Learning’s previous report stating that 40 percent of physicians believe utilizing mobile health technologies will reduce the number of office visits needed by patients. Maybe that part is mixed news. But, patients like it.

So, here’s the deal. You like mobile. Your patients like mobile. Mobile is affordable. Mobile lowers barriers to our communicating with one another. Mobile based solutions can be used to help patients get better and doctors to work with one another. And therefore, mobile matters.