The Role of Mobile Technology in Improving Healthcare Accessibility and Patient Outcomes

The availability of technological adaptations in modern medical care has opened up whole new realms of patient care. The use of mobile technology, devices, and apps are transforming nearly every aspect of medical care. With the influx of new and accessible technologies, mobile medical technology has become very commonplace not just in hospitals and clinics, but in outpatient centers and even personal homes. 

The rapid growth in the development of these new medical hardware and software applications assist health care professionals, like travel nurses, with many different and important tasks. These mobile technologies help with things like the organization, collection and categorization of patient data, medical education and training, communication, and diagnosis. 

Interestingly, despite the many benefits that mobile devices and apps provide for healthcare professionals, there is a reluctance from some to adopt certain tools. Despite the variety of benefits that accompany newer technologies, there is a hesitancy to integrate these because, the argument goes, there needs to be better standards and regulations practices established in order to see to the appropriate implementation of certain tools. 

The complexity and power of some of these devices can create a learning curve among professionals and patients alike. Regardless, the majority of healthcare professionals have readily integrated these technologies into their offices. With all that in mind, here are a number of ways in which mobile technology is improving healthcare accessibility and patient outcomes. 

Mobile Technology for Faster Communications

One of the primary and most obvious ways that technology serves human beings is in the ability to connect. Mobile technology has created plenty of ways in which people can communicate, often near instantaneously. The channels by which remote communication now occurs between physicians, researchers, specialists, administrators, and their patients is far beyond its capacity just a decade ago. The fact that distance has little bearing on this now makes modern medicine’s efficacy that much more potent in its potential to help patients. 

Such ability to communicate around the world is especially important in times of crisis like national emergencies, the monitoring of chronic conditions, and even post-operation home recovery. The commonality and ease of use that video conferencing has created as telemedicine has been of incredible importance, especially during the COVID-19 crisis. 

Doctors having the power to communicate with each other and their patients to provide continued care, consultation, and diagnosis served to relieve the pressures that can be put on overburdened hospitals. The variety of healthcare software solutions that have been developed are improving patient care, satisfaction, all the while making communication between each party more efficient and clearer. 

Whether it is a doctor needing a second opinion on a diagnosis from a leading specialist half-way across the world, transcultural nursing in remote areas communicating medication directions, or just giving people more flexibility in scheduling, mobile medical tech has made a difference. 

Remote Monitoring 

Historically, patients had to be monitored closely from a hospital bed. This, in serious situations, taxed a number of resources — time, money, space, both in hospital and patient lives. Now, mobile technology has made it possible to monitor patients easily and accurately in a variety of environments while they are recovering from accidents and illnesses. 

Though the popularity of telehealth is more common, new mobile apps and devices are making it easier for patients to record their health and activity on wearable devices that upload data in real time so that healthcare professionals can monitor, analyze, and respond to the results with greater speed. It is not just in real life situations that the tech is growing in popularity, research in clinical trials have adopted the technology. 

Being that nearly everyone has a smartphone nowadays, means that applications can be integrated into the devices to record and transmit data. Whether it is a watch that monitors blood pressure, an insulin pump that records blood sugar levels for later evaluation, or the record of sleep patterns, patients and professionals alike are benefiting from remote monetization technologies. 

Cloud-based Storage and Operational Costs

Mobile technology saves money in the long run, simple as that. Through data-based insights, increased operational efficiency, streamlining managerial tasks and automating workflows, healthcare is simpler. When you add to that list the fact that many mobile technologies are paired with cloud-based storage and the list of benefits grows. 

In decades past, massive banks of servers were required to manage and store data. The cost of this hardware and software was enormous. Today, storing patient information in the form of digital, cloud-based data has created a more cost-effective solution for health care providers. Additionally, cloud-based storage tends to be accompanied by enhanced security, backup, and recovery features that provide additional layers of safety in case of data breaches and system failures. 

Conclusions

There is little doubt or debate amongst professionals about the benefits of mobile healthcare technologies. The commonality of these devices now speaks to the efficacies and increased efficiency that accompanies such use. As newer tech becomes available, more solutions to ongoing problems and complications in healthcare will be overcome with the combined efforts of professional and patient cooperation as aided by mobile medical technology. What now seems like interesting trends will quickly become indispensable items in the future of healthcare.