Mobile devices and applications have infiltrated main stream culture in the past few years. Education has been no exception, as instructional designers and educators alike look for new ways to use these tools to teach. Likewise, healthcare is hopping on the mobile bandwagon. There are a lot of exciting outcomes as a result, but the healthcare industry brings unique challenges with it.
Probably one of the most exciting features of using mobile in healthcare is the opportunity to interact with and educate patients. Typically, patient education has been the responsibility of healthcare professionals, or WebMD. With the onset of mobile devices, the opportunities for patient education have grown tenfold.
Several hospitals and clinics have begun communicating health information to patients via "patient portals". Patient portals are applications or websites where patients can access their full medical record and share it with other healthcare providers, review prescription and appointment information, and leave messages for their providers. These portals provide an excellent opportunity for patient outreach and to increase patient education. Patients can review specific instructions for how to care for and manage a disease or illness, how to administer an antibiotic or prescription, or receive support to quit smoking.
Considering that health information is highly protected and sensitive, it should come as no surprise that security is a big concern for healthcare IT. With the adoption of mobile health records come a whole slew of new and interesting obstacles for HIT professionals. IT security departments, in particular, are working overtime to ensure that HIPAA regulations are met and that networks are secure.
In my workplace, we have seen a lot of emphasis be placed on educating the patients about these new tools. Education has included one-on-one, face-to-face registration and orientation to the portal, which gives patients an opportunity to understand the benefits of using the portal, but also the risks, and the obligatory discussion about protecting their information. In general, the response seems to be a positive one.
Have you worked in the implementation of mobile technology in healthcare? Or, as a patient, have you had the opportunity to participate in the implementation? Please share your experience below!
Hi Adrienne,
ReplyDeleteI have seen many mobile developments in the realm of healthcare. The organization I work for, Kaiser Permanente, is using mobile technology to allow patients to view their medical records, order prescriptions, make appointment, and contact their physicians directly. Likewise, members may access the app to display their medical record number as part of the identification process when seeking services. Kaiser Permanente have also developed an iOS app to educate patients and members on preventative care.
I have not been part of the implementation process for mobile app development. However since requirements within the Healthcare industry is changing I assume there will be more opportunities for mobile development.
Interesting article, Adrienne. Like you, I work for a healthcare organization, but I don't work with patients or with patient information. That removes some of the potential barriers around HIPAA regulations and the like, but leveraging mobile technology has still been slow going. We are hoping to pilot a couple of projects in the coming year.
ReplyDeleteI was so happy when, as a patient, the portal was up and running. As a busy person, it has been great for communicating with my doctor. I also like getting the emails that my labs are in and I can see actual results rather than being told everything is good. It also gives me a place where I can go to get information that I might need for a referral doctor at the time they ask for it rather than having to wait for communication between doctors.
ReplyDeleteKristen
Adrienne,
ReplyDeleteYour post on mobile tech and the web got me thinking about protected data and the connection between what I do as an educator for individuals with disabilities. It always strikes me as odd that we are so incredibly protective of a great deal of information that holds no value to anyone (9th grade test grades, a surgery performed, someone has dyslexia). I mean, who/ whom is going to use this info and for what purposes? I guess its a kind of pandora's box in a way.