News Feature | May 11, 2015

9 Of 10 Docs Use Mobile To Engage

Katie Wike

By Katie Wike, contributing writer

Apple And Samsung Leading Smartphone Health Integration

The HIMSS 2015 mobile survey found mobile devices are popular channels for engaging patients.

The vast majority of provides use mHealth to engage their patients, according to a recent survey from HIMSS. MobiHealth News reports the survey found 73 percent used app-enabled patient portals, but only 36 percent found that to be a “highly effective means of engaging patients.”

iHealth Beat further explains many of the providers surveyed offered or created apps. Thirty-one of respondents said they offer organization-specific apps to patients, while 30 percent said they were in the process of developing an app, and 10 percent said they had created an app store for distribution.

“mHealth continues to evolve as a tool to drive healthcare efficiencies. The proposed Meaningful Use Stage 3 rule realizes this with the concept of APIs and patient generated health data, and this year’s survey showed that the widespread availability of mobile technology has had a positive impact on the coordination of patient care,” said David Collins, senior director of HIMSS mHealth Community in a news release.

  • 47 percent of respondents said mobile technology was a high priority at their organization
  • 57 percent of respondents said their organization had a mobile technology policy
  • 33 percent said their organization planned to develop a mobile technology policy
  • 18 percent said their organization had reached a mature mobile environment

Funding was cited by just over half of those surveyed as a barrier to further mHealth adoption.

“Fifty-four percent indicated they had achieved cost savings when asked if the deployment of mobile technology had a positive effect in this capacity. Specifically, areas of impact included preventative support care (24 percent), telehealth interventions (23 percent) and resource utilization (21 percent),” wrote HIMSS.