Follow The mHIMSS Roadmap To Navigate Mobile Healthcare

• According to the 2nd Annual HIMSS Analytics/mHIMSS Mobile Health Study, more than one-third of respondents (36 percent) reported allowing patients/consumers the ability to access information using a mobile device, up from 32 percent one year ago.
• According to the World Health Organization’s Second Global Survey on eHealth (2011), 83% of WHO’s Member States offer at least one type of mHealth service, many countries offer four to six specific mHealth initiatives.
• According to Mobile Health 2012 Pew research, 85% of Americans own a cell phone; one in three Americans who own a cell phone use it to find health information.

As hospitals and health systems look for guidance on the present and future state of mobile healthcare technology, mHIMSS, the mobile initiative of HIMSS, introduces the mHIMSS Roadmap. The Roadmap provides insight and direction related to the many components of mobile health (mHealth). HIMSS members, and members of mHIMSS, have access to all sections of this interactive tool that includes information on new care models, technology, ROI and payment, policy, privacy and security, standards and interoperability.  Created by industry subject matter experts, a snapshot of this extensive document can be found by reading the Executive Summary. 

“Mobile technology is pervasive in our day-to-day lives. The power of applying mobile technology to healthcare has exponential benefits and is clearly enhancing the practice of medicine and engagement for providers and consumers. The mHIMSS Roadmap provides foundational knowledge to successfully navigate the mHealth landscape,” says David Collins, Senior Director, mHIMSS.

“Other industries have tactfully incorporated mobile and wireless technologies into successful modes of engagement. Unlike EHRs, physicians and consumers are seeking access to information and looking to connect which represents a paradigm shift in care delivery.  The mHIMSS Roadmap serves as a foundation to craft a successful mobile strategy,” says Thomas Martin Manager mHIMSS

HIMSS introduced its mHIMSS initiative in December 2011 to lead healthcare transformation through the best use of mobile technology and equip healthcare stakeholders with the knowledge and tools they need to harness the potential of mobile. The Roadmap expands benefits for mHIMSS members because it is a “living document” that will be updated to reflect new industry developments by a team of mHIMSS volunteers.

“We – the mHealth community – recognize the rapid change related to the use of mobile and mHealth devices and the need to empower the use of these devices in healthcare. Increasingly, patients and providers are leveraging mobile devices to seek care, participate in, and deliver care,” says Mohamad Arif Ali, MD,FHIMSS, CPHIMS, Chair, mHIMSS Roadmap Task Force, in the Roadmap introduction. “Mobile devices represent the opportunity to interact and provide this care beyond the office walls. The mHIMSS Roadmap combines up-to-date knowledge on how to implement mobile and mHealth best practices across a number of topics.”

Mobile Health Definitions

The World Health Organization defines mHealth as “the spread of mobile technologies as well as advancements in their innovative application to address health priorities.” They add that “mHealth is a component of eHealth. To date, no standardized definition of mHealth has been established.”

The National Institute of Health defines mHealth as “the use of mobile and wireless devices to improve health outcomes, healthcare services, and health research.”

mHIMSS Membership: Current, individual HIMSS members can enjoy the benefits of mHIMSS by logging into the membership section of the website, and opting-in for the benefits of mHIMSS. In addition to all components of the mHIMSS Roadmap, mHIMSS members will receive an e-newsletter, invitations to special mHIMSS events and education, access to the website, current research, online resources and more.

mHIMSS Research: The second mHIMSS Mobile Health Study will be released on Dec. 3, 2012, at the mHealth Summit, with the introduction of the mHIMSS Roadmap.  Read the news release on the survey in the HIMSS News Room. Follow the summit on Twitter at #mhs12.

Join the mHIMSS LinkedIn group to directly interact with many of the experts associated with the Roadmap.
• Connect with Dr.  Arif Ali on Twitter @mhealth1 and on LinkedIn: arifalimd
• Connect on Twitter with David Collins, Senior Director, mHIMSS, @collinsdavid and Tom Martin, Manager, mHIMSS, @tommartin3
• Use the#mHIMSSROADMAP on Twitter to share experiences in using the roadmap and connect with other users of this interactive mobile health tool.

About HIMSS                        
HIMSS  is a cause-based, not-for-profit organization exclusively focused on providing global leadership for the optimal use of information technology (IT) and management systems for the betterment of healthcare. Founded 52 years ago, HIMSS and its related organizations are headquartered in Chicago with additional offices in the United States, Europe and Asia. HIMSS represents nearly 50,000 individual members, of which more than two thirds work in healthcare provider, governmental and not-for-profit organizations. HIMSS also includes over 570 corporate members and more than 225 not-for-profit partner organizations that share our mission of transforming healthcare through the effective use of information technology and management systems. HIMSS frames and leads healthcare practices and public policy through its content expertise, professional development, research initiatives, and media vehicles designed to promote information and management systems’ contributions to improving the quality, safety, access, and cost-effectiveness of patient care. For more information, visit www.himss.org.