Dr. Sudeash Rajakrishnan
MR 131151
Healthcare Informatics – Individual Assignment 1
The technical issues pertaining sharing of Clinical Information using the M- Health platform between two opposite perspective the patient and the healthcare providers.
Introduction
The term M-Health is an abbreviation or a shorter form for mobile health. M health is used in the practice of clinical medicine and in the field public health supported by mobile technological devices. [1] The mobile health term itself is mostly used to indicate or make a reference of using mobile communication and technological devices, such as hand phones, I pads, tablet devices and PDAs, smart watches for health monitoring services and to a certain aspects therapeutic services. Surveys in the west show that almost 90% of doctors or healthcare workers/providers use technology or specifically mobile technologies such as smart phones, tablets or smart watches in their daily duties as health care professionals.[2] Diagram 2 shows that smartphones are the mobile of choice when it comes to mobile health followed by tablets according to global M-health survey in 2010. Malaysian on the other hand mainly use M-Health apps for fitness and nutrition purposes more compared to medical reference or medical management as shown on diagram 2. Although the future points towards M- Health as a major part of modern healthcare service it does not come without its glitches mainly in the technical and safety part of it.
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Diagram 1: Devices that are often used to access mobile health devices
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Diagram 2: Usage of healthcare or fitness apps, by app type and country in 2015,[pic 4]
The objectives of this paper is to briefly explain the work structure of the M-Health platform and identify the main technical issues plugging the M-Health industry. The issues will be discussed in detail along with relevant examples from the Malaysian healthcare industry. Besides the issue and examples, this paper will also provide recommendation and suggestions to overcome this plugging issues keeping into context of the Malaysian health care industry
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Diagram: How Mobile Health Functions
The diagram above gives the overall picture of how M-Health functions from the patient to the IT aspect and eventually to the doctor and vice versa. To just describe further detail on the flow of information via M-Health, health monitoring devices at home such as the blood pressure monitor, glucometer, weighing scale or the pulse oximeter generates data on their health status of the patient. This devices are operated by the patient themselves. Once this data is generated, it is linked directly to their mobile communication device be it smart phones, tablets or eve smart watches. From this devices via a centralised server the information is conveyed to their physicians or health care provider who in turn interprets it and provide professional advice and recommendations. This advice and suggestions by the physicians will then be communicated to the patient’s mobile device via the server which will allow the patients to view it and take necessary actions accordingly
- Trust and Quality Issues
It is well known that healthcare providers/doctors recommend tests or procedures to their patients; they do rely on evidence-based protocol/guidelines s that has generally been developed as a result of extensive researches and clinical trials. On the other hand mobile device apps which mainly functions as a medium to educate patients on healthcare pertaining issues, track vital health parameters be it vital signs such as blood pressure, pulse and temperature or blood parameters such as blood glucose, serum cholesterol. Mobile health apps also helps in regulating and monitoring medication dosage and compliance of patients, and other patient-derived data such as number of steps taken and calorie counts. From the patients’ point of view, these apps could provide comprehensive health information to them which in turn could improve their health status as a whole. However this is not always the case. In a recent incident, it was found out that one health related app readily available in the market appearing to enable the mobile devices (tablets/smart phones) it is installed the ability to measure and record blood pressure of the patient was reviewed and assessed by a health care provider and it was found to give very much inaccurate readings.[5] In sheer dissatisfaction the concerned health care provider contacted the involved app developer. In return the developer reasoned out that the above said app was still in the early stage of development (beta-testing stage - not ready for therapeutic usage) and that the app was put for sale as its use was meant purely for entertainment and trial purposes only and not to be used in therapeutic circumstances. However none of these caveats appeared in the app description at its download inter phase at the online market from which this health related app could be downloaded for a cost of around RM 12.00 per download.