According to a new study from Harris Interactive, one-third of all Americans are interested in using smartphones or tablets to consult with their doctors, make appointments, or get test results. Similarly, those surveyed are interested in using smartphones for actual medical purposes, such as monitoring blood pressure or blood sugar levels.
However, the survey, which was co-sponsored by HealthDay and based on the responses from 2,050 adults, revealed that there is some privacy concerns over using mobile health (mHealth) apps. Thirteen percent of the people surveyed felt very confident that using their personal health information (PHI) would be secure if they used smartphones for health purposes. Forty-seven felt somewhat confident, and 40 percent didn’t feel confident at all.
The poll also found that younger people were more interested in using smartphones for medical purposes than older folks. The age group 25-29 had the highest rate of interest in nearly every single category, whereas people 65 and older had the lowest interest in every single category.
A recent report from industry analyst firm Research2Guidance predicted that the market for mHealth services would reach $26 billion globally by 2017. Other research reports have indicated that the mHealth market could save the healthcare industry $305 billion in increased productivity.
