Healthcare is one of the last sectors to undergo a technological transformation. It’s been slow to embrace the mobile and digital technologies that have transformed business practices in other industries. Automotive insurance, for example, has been revolutionised through new business models based on driving patterns, so the timing is absolutely right for the health sector to exploit mHealth to achieve the same efficiencies and innovation delivered in other sectors. Technology has a major role to play in improving efficiency and productivity in the healthcare market while at the same time saving money and providing better, safer care.
Patient monitoring is an ideal starting point for pharma. Baxter Healthcare, for example, offers a reporting system for users of its intravenous immunoglobulin treatments – allowing more patients to be moved from hospital to home to receive their ongoing infusions. At the heart of the solution is a mobile, web-based patient diary that reports into a secure online database. Patients access the diary using their mobile phones and complete questionnaires about their treatment progress and quality of life. Clinicians can also access this information remotely to monitor patients and arrange a visit if necessary, ensuring more time is made available to support complex cases. AstraZeneca is using similar technology for patients with cardiovascular disease, which is improving medicines adherence.
To find out how pharma can take advantage of the mHealth revolution, you can read the full TechnoBlog by Vodafone’s Jon Lee-Davey here.
