Informatics 5- Mobile Technology and Health

Question 1

introduction- technology

Answer 1

• improving speed, memory, wireless connectivity and shrinking form factor (size and shape)
• phone capability, email and access to internet
• delivery of healthcare services via mobile communication devices

Question 2

evolution of mobile technology

Answer 2

• 1970s
• 2G in 1990
• 3G in 2001
• 4G in 2013
• 5G in 2017

Question 3

personal digital assistants (PDAs)

Answer 3

• 1990- apple newton $700
• 1996- palm pilot
• 1999- epocrates- drug facts, free
• later- PDAs with phone capability, internet access, WiFi

Question 4

smartphones/tablets

Answer 4

• operating systems capable of hosting medical software
• cloud computing allowed more medical programs
• phones and tablets
• iOS powered iPad and android operating system
• windows 8
• upgrading computer systems can cost a lot bc security

Question 5

mobile technology and patients

Answer 5

• devices- smartphone or tablet PC with apps connected to internet
• text message service (SMS)
• developing countries

Question 6

text message service (SMS)

Answer 6

• appointment reminders
• education
• disease management- diabetes
• behavior modification
• medication compliance
• laboratory results notification
• public health- immunization

Question 7

mobile technology and patients

Answer 7

• medical software categories for patients -> apple itunes app store and google play
• medical apps for healthcare consumers -> womens health, childrens health, senior health, informed, instructed, recorded, displayed, guided, reminded and communicated with physicians
• ft grandparents in nursing home
• enterprise integration- mayo clinic and kaiser permanente

Question 8

mobile technology o track health habits and physiological signs

Answer 8

• new devices and sensors to monitor diet, exercise, sleep, heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen level, skin temperature, hydration, etc.
• consumer and not clincian oriented
• communicate with smart phone via bluetooth
• smart watches
• scanadu- heart rate, oxygen level, temperature, EKG, heart rate variability and pulse wave transit time

Question 9

technology concerns

Answer 9

• who is calebrating these devices
• who do you sue
• how accurate are they
• are they FDA cleared
• what are the medico-legal ramifications of self diagnosis
• where are the articles in the medical literature supporting this approach
• many of these parameters such as heart rate variability are controversial and not commonly measured by physicians, so how will they be evaluated by patients
• will healthcare organizations and payers support the quantified self movement
• still have to pay

Question 10

mobile telemedicine projects

Answer 10

• electronic mobile open source
• comprehensive health application
• eMocha- free open source initiative by John Hopkins center for clinical global health education
• Sana mobile- developed by massachusetts institute technology (MIT)
• ex of open sourced- word
• open source- you can edit it however you want but they are not responsible after you edit it

Question 11

mobile technology challenges

Answer 11

• cost
• technical
• slow inputting information
• small screen size
• interoperability
• security- encryption
• regulatory- FDA