Because so many people can and do use mobile devices, this trend is having a major impact on the healthcare industry—giving spawn to two relatively new concepts: eHealth and telemedicine.
Read more: How do Mobile Applications Enable eHealth and Telemedicine?
Leading mobile health application developers and healthcare companies answered a survey regarding their forecasts of market trends. Respondents predicted mHealth applications would cease to be primarily distributed by applications' (app) stores. At the moment, app stores are still the distribution channels of choice, but traditional healthcare distribution channels like hospitals and specialised healthcare product vendors are expected to become the predominant distribution channels.
The mHealth Alliance (mHA) announced today a million-dollar grant from the Rockefeller Foundation to leverage mobile technologies to improve health in low and middle income countries. The announcement renews support from a mHealth Alliance Founding Partner, and follows on the heels of $2 million in new funding that the mHealth Alliance announced earlier this week.
Speaking at the mHealth Summit, Dr. Judith Rodin, President of the Rockefeller Foundation, said: “Innovations in mobile communications have unparalleled and perhaps limitless potential in overcoming persistent global health challenges. But, these innovations will only succeed if we create the networks and partnerships that allow us to bring them to scale and unlock their full potential. We are proud to have helped found the mHealth Alliance, and to announce a new $1 million commitment to support its continued leadership in mobilizing public/private partnerships aimed at delivering on the promise of mobile health.”
Read more: Mobile Innovation for Global Health Gets Million-Dollar Boost
The report, ‘Global Mobile Health Market Report 2010-2015’says that apps will reach 30% of the estimated 1.4 billion Smartphone subscribers worldwide over the next five years.
There are already more than 17,000 mobile health apps available via the app store and almost half of those (43%) are specifically designed for healthcare professionals. Apps include those specifically designed for remote monitoring and healthcare management applications.