According to GlobalData mobile health applications are expected to represent a huge section of the market by 2018, with a value of $11.8 billion. [1] They identify this burgeoning field, also known as mHealth is the “fastest growing segment within the telehealth and telemedicine market.” [1] As of 2011 the industry was worth $1.2 billion, but thanks to tablet technology bursting on the scene and the steady growth of smartphone ownership over the last 5 years, mHealth will become a more and more important facet of the healthcare industry specifically and the global market more generally.

Doctors and Mobile Apps

Not surprisingly, 80% of the current mHealth market value exists in the form of mobile apps. A large part of this segment is dedicated to mobile apps aimed at patients – 70% of these apps are intended for non-medical professionals. But even with only 30% of the mHealth app market to sort through, how are doctors expected to select apps that work for them amidst all the clutter? In a previous article about the mobilization of the medical field, we noted that there are 5,374 medical apps available on the iTunes store – meaning there are approximately 1,600 mobile medical applications for doctors using Apple products alone. And with the industry set to experience a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 39% a year, doctors will soon be swimming in a sea of mobile apps.

Choosing the Right Mobile Medical Apps

But don’t get the wrong impression; mHealth isn’t all bad for doctors. In fact, many mobile applications can help improve efficiency and quality of care: there are apps that replace pocket references, allow you to look up ICD-9 codes, even apps to help boost your practice ROI. The problem is choice overload.  But with so many options, how do you pick the best apps for your practice?

The best advice is to look for apps that have a specific purpose. One of the big problems with many medical apps is that they do too much. Sure, an all-in-one app sounds great, but if it takes a two-week course to learn all the features, is it worth the hassle? This is one of the most common complaints about the mobile components of EHRs – they are slow, prone to crashing, and impossible to navigate. When the function of a mobile app is focused it means that more care and consideration went into its design and programming. For users that equals less crashes and faster load times.

So when you’re choosing a mobile medical app, think simplicity. If you want to capture lost charges, choose an app that is built for that purpose. If you want to look up drug information, choose an app that is built to do just that!

Sources:

[1] – GlobalData: read more