mHealth on my Mind

by Clive Riddle, February 28, 2014

With the HIMSS14 gargantuan annual conference being held this week in Orlando, the spotlight has been shining bright on mHealth and other health information technology as of late.  In conjunction with the conference HIMSS Analytics released results from their 3rd Annual HIMSS Analytics Mobile Survey.

Here’s some highlights shared in their report:

• 59% of respondent stakeholders have a mobile technology plan; another 29% are developing a plan.
• Of those with a policy in place, here’s what the policies addressed: (1) 82% listed Means of securing devices (i.e. storing information on device); (2) 78% listed Use of personal devices for clinical/work use; (3) 71% listed Management of lost/stolen devices; (4) 71% listed Ability to access data from remote locations 71.43%; (5) 63% listed Types of apps approved for use ; (6) 45% listed Brand/version of device 44.90%
• Respondents scored HIPAA highest as the federal legislation with the most nHealth impact; Meaningful Use was second
• 95% use at least one security tool to secure data on mobile devices;  Of those with security tools, 94% used Passwords; 71% used encryption measures; and 69% used remote wipe capability
• 83% indicate their physicians use mobile technology to facilitate at least some patient care.
• 71% indicated their nurses used mobile technology to facilitate at least some patient care
• Clinicians are most likely to use technology to support patient care by either: Looking up patient information (69%); or Looking up non personal health information (65%). Rounding out the top five responses were  Use for education/training purposes (49%);  Clinical notifications (42%) and Secure communications regarding patients (39%)
• The top five tools used to engage patients/consumers in their healthcare were (1) App-Enabled Patient Portals (56%);  (2) Telehealth Services (52%);  (3) Provide Remote Monitoring Devices (36%);  (4) Prescribing Apps (23%); and (5) Discharge Kit with Mobile Technology (13%)

On another front, moving to specific, Citrix released ranking of the Top 10 Mobile Health Apps By Number of Network-Connected Subscribers, which was posted in Healthsprocket as follows:

1. Runtastic
2. My Fitness Pal
3. RunKeeper
4. Weight Watchers
5. Nike+
6. Map My Run
7. Pregnancy
8. Period Diary
9. Lose It!
10. Baby Bump