Mobile health devices can increase patient adherence

How can physicians begin to leverage the 247 million Americans who using healthcare mobile applications?

A new study finds that the increase in people using their mobile devices to monitor their health can also help them adhere to a physician’s advice. 

According to a study by Mobile Future and Infield Health, the wireless pill bottle, a device that digitally monitors the amount of pills in a bottle and can send Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) -compliant, text or phone reminders to patients to take their medicine, increases adherence to 95%.

Also, medical text message reminders can increase medication adherence by 10%, double smoking cessation, and save diabetes patients more than $800 a year.

“Consumer demand for wireless digital health tools is dramatically improving medical outcomes and reducing health costs,” says Mobile Future member Infield Health CEO Doug Naegele.

The study finds that by 2018, the mobile health industry’s ability to connect with patients has the potential to save the United States $36 billion in healthcare costs. There is already an increasing number of seniors using smartphones (77%) and 42% of hospitals are already using digital health technology to treat patients.  

According to the study, 247 million Americans hae downloaded a health app. The student estimates that remote patient monitoring using mobile devices will save the United States $36 billion in healthcare costs by 2018.