Patients' failure to follow physician recommendations accounts for $290 billion in healthcare costs annually, suggesting traditional discharge literature may have limited effectiveness, according to a report by Mobiquity.
Mobile technology has four attributes that allow it to be particularly successful in changing patient behavior, according to the report.
- Availability: Smartphones and similar devices are readily available throughout the day as decisions are being made.
- Awareness: Mobile technology has the ability to identify the user's location, social setting and recent activity to provide context for decision-making.
- Data collection: Mobile devices can easily collect data through cameras, accelerometers and microphones.
- Real-time feedback: Mobile technology can provide instant positive reinforcement for healthy decisions and actions.
More Articles on mHealth:
App Developers to Agree on Voluntary Privacy Guidelines
Veterans Affairs Launches mHealth Pilot Programs
The No. 1 Healthcare App in the U.S.