Many healthcare professionals are very computer literate. Among the younger members of the group, I am sure that the percentage approaches 100%. However, when we define computer literacy, we tend to ignore the "computers" that the majority of U.S. citizens carry around in their pockets -- cell phones and particularly smart phones. In other words, we tend to make a distinction between a computer and a cell phone although the two platforms are rapidly converging. More people have ready access to a cell phone or smart phone than to a a computer. This fact was brought vividly to my mind in a recent healthcare blog note (see: Internet expert fields questions on participatory medicine). Below is an excerpt from it:
Q. What are your thoughts on the potential for mobile smart phones (a la iPhone) to drive consumer health-related applications in health promotion, preventive medicine, and clinical medicine in the ‘near’ future for the masses (including the at-risk, isolated groups mentioned in your talk)?
A. I’m just pointing in a direction, to show that 50% of seniors have a cell phone, while only a third have internet access and young Latino men are “mobile centric.” Make sure that what you’re doing [with regard to e-health initiatives] is easy to email, easy to text, easy to read on a mobile phone.
The take-home lesson here is that (1) smart-phone-literacy should be integrated into our definition of computer literacy and (2) e-health applications should be modified and formatted such so that health information is readily accessible and viewable on cell phones so that a broader ranger of healthcare consumers can have access to it.
As I researched this topic and the broader use of smart phones as e-health platforms, I came across the web site of a Finnish company, eHIT, that is pursuing a business model whereby smart phones can be used as the platform to enable home-based patient medical monitoring. It should come as no surprise that such a company should arise in Finland with one of the highest rates of cell phone use in the world. Here's the way in which the company describes its mission:
eHIT's mobile, eHealth solutions integrates seamless and real-time patient-doctor communications with the patient’s medical record and nursing support. The solutions utilise eHIT’s Health Gateway, an effective and secure tool that transfers data from different measurement devices to the doctor via both a mobile platform and wireless GSM/GPRS/3G networks.
The company provides an animated demonstration of its Health Gateway, which is accurately described as an example of wireless telemedicine. Look for more U.S. companies to pursue this same connectivity approach for home-based medical monitoring devices.
I've been using a smart phone for the past 4 years (no, not an iPhone, the other kind, the one without the hype).
My experience with phones in Medicine is very discouraging. Essentially, about 80% of my colleagues flatly refuse to use a cell phone for work. They support a total ban on cell phones in the hospital because they hate when a patient's phone rings.
They also know very little about the technology. I have tried for more than one year to convince the hospital to page me via text messages but the phone operators, who use only traditional desk telephones, refuse because I am the only physician out of 150 asking for this.
In terms of communication technology, our mid-sized Canadian hospital and its staff insist on using 1980's technology. Forget smart phones.
Posted by: Manny | August 21, 2008 at 11:32 AM
eHit' a great company and well worth checking out.
You'll be getting some of this in the USA soon too - check out http://www.qualcomm.com/innovation/stories/lifecomm.html
Posted by: David | August 13, 2008 at 01:04 PM