The effectiveness of M-health technologies for improving health and health services: a systematic review protocol

BACKGROUND: The application of mobile computing and communication technology is rapidly expanding in the fields of health care and public health. This systematic review will summarise the evidence for the effectiveness of mobile technology interventions for improving health and health service outcomes (M-health) around the world. FINDINGS: To be included in the review interventions must aim to improve or promote health or health service use and quality, employing any mobile computing and communication technology. This includes: (1) interventions designed to improve diagnosis, investigation, treatment, monitoring and management of disease; (2) interventions to deliver treatment or disease management programmes to patients, health promotion interventions, and interventions designed to improve treatment compliance; and (3) interventions to improve health care processes e.g. appointment attendance, result notification, vaccination reminders.A comprehensive, electronic search strategy will be used to identify controlled studies, published since 1990, and indexed in MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Global Health, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, or the UK NHS Health Technology Assessment database. The search strategy will include terms (and synonyms) for the following mobile electronic devices (MEDs) and a range of compatible media: mobile phone; personal digital assistant (PDA); handheld computer (e.g. tablet PC); PDA phone (e.g. BlackBerry, Palm Pilot); Smartphone; enterprise digital assistant; portable media player (i.e. MP3 or MP4 player); handheld video game console. No terms for health or health service outcomes will be included, to ensure that all applications of mobile technology in public health and health services are identified. Bibliographies of primary studies and review articles meeting the inclusion criteria will be searched manually to identify further eligible studies. Data on objective and self-reported outcomes and study quality will be independently extracted by two review authors. Where there are sufficient numbers of similar interventions, we will calculate and report pooled risk ratios or standardised mean differences using meta-analysis. DISCUSSION: This systematic review will provide recommendations on the use of mobile computing and communication technology in health care and public health and will guide future work on intervention development and primary research in this field

The effectiveness of M-health technologies for improving health and health services: a systematic review protocol

Background: The application of mobile computing and communication technology is rapidly expanding in the fields of health care and public health. This systematic review will summarise the evidence for the effectiveness of mobile technology interventions for improving health and health service outcomes (M-health) around the world. Findings: To be included in the review interventions must aim to improve or promote health or health service use and quality, employing any mobile computing and communication technology. This includes: (1) interventions designed to improve diagnosis, investigation, treatment, monitoring and management of disease; (2) interventions to deliver treatment or disease management programmes to patients, health promotion interventions, and interventions designed to improve treatment compliance; and (3) interventions to improve health care processes e.g. appointment attendance, result notification, vaccination reminders. A comprehensive, electronic search strategy will be used to identify controlled studies, published since 1990, and indexed in MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Global Health, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, or the UK NHS Health Technology Assessment database. The search strategy will include terms (and synonyms) for the following mobile electronic devices (MEDs) and a range of compatible media: mobile phone; personal digital assistant (PDA); handheld computer (e.g. tablet PC); PDA phone (e.g. BlackBerry, Palm Pilot); Smartphone; enterprise digital assistant; portable media player (i.e. MP3 or MP4 player); handheld video game console. No terms for health or health service outcomes will be included, to ensure that all applications of mobile technology in public health and health services are identified. Bibliographies of primary studies and review articles meeting the inclusion criteria will be searched manually to identify further eligible studies. Data on objective and self-reported outcomes and study quality will be independently extracted by two review authors. Where there are sufficient numbers of similar interventions, we will calculate and report pooled risk ratios or standardised mean differences using meta-analysis. Discussion: This systematic review will provide recommendations on the use of mobile computing and communication technology in health care and public health and will guide future work on intervention development and primary research in this field

The role of technology in addressing health and social care needs and opportunities in a rural environment

People who live in rural areas do not have access to the health and personal care services that are available to the rest of the population. Some of their needs can be addressed using technology enabled services. The purpose of this paper is to describe the infrastructure requirements for successful implementation of technology enabled health and support services, and to consider the opportunities for using technology to satisfy the needs of people at each level of the Maslow Hierarchy. This involves the development of a more technology-related pyramid and a consideration of the requirements for a range of application examples for each level. It was found that applications relevant to physical and safety domains are mature, available and easy to implement. However, higher levels of need require people to have broadband or fast mobile access, as well as their own mobile computing devices such as a tablet or smartphone. These allow the use of apps that provide powerful ways of addressing needs. It is suggested that few existing technology services providers can offer a spectrum of applications that would be required by most end-users but that innovators will develop service delivery partnerships and utilize more generic support workers. Some pump priming may be necessary to ensure that service providers offer the required level of investment in training and equipment

Mobile cloud healthcare systems using the concept of point–of–care

Recent years have witnessed a rapid growth in delivering/accessing healthcare services on mobile devices. An example of a health practice/application that is benefiting from the mobile evolution is m–health, which is aimed at providing health services to mobile devices on the move. However, mobile devices have restricted computational and storage capacity, and run on batteries that have limited power. These limitations render m–health unable to run the demanding tasks that may be required for accessing/providing health services. The mobile cloud has recently been proposed as a solution for dealing with some of the limitations of mobile devices, such as low storage and computing capacity. However, introducing this solution into the m–health field is not straightforward, as the integration of this technology has specific limitations, such as disconnection issues and concerns over privacy and security. This thesis presents research work investigating the ability to introduce mobile cloud computing technology into the health field (e.g., m–health) to increase the chances of survival in cases of emergencies. This work focuses on providing help to people in emergencies by allowing them to seek/access help via mobile devices reliably and confidently, as well as the ability to build a communication platform between people who require help and professionals who are trusted and qualified to provide it. The concept of point–of–care has been used here, which means providing as much medical support to the public as possible where and when it is needed. This thesis proposes a mobile cloud middleware solution that enhances connectivity aspects by allowing users to create/join a mobile ad–hoc network (MANET) to seek help in the case of emergencies. On the other side, the cloud can reach users who do not have a direct link to the cloud or an Internet connection. The most important advantage of combining a MANET and a mobile cloud is that management tasks such as IP allocation and split/merge operations are shifted to the cloud, which means resources are saved on the mobile side. In addition, two mobile cloud services were designed which have the aim of interacting with users to facilitate help to be provided swiftly in the case of emergencies. The system was deployed and tested on Amazon EC2 cloud and Android–based mobile devices. Experimental results and the reference architecture show that the proposed middleware is feasible and meets pre–defined requirements, such as enhancing the robustness and reliability of the system

Benefits and Challenges of Pervasive and Mobile Computing in Healthcare”

This letter has been written to express my views on the increasing use of pervasive and mobile computing in health information systems. Pervasive and mobile computing has become increasingly important in the field of healthcare over the past decade. The use of mobile devices, wireless communication, and cloud computing has revolutionized the way healthcare is delivered, making it more efficient and accessible to patients as well as healthcare providers.Pervasive computing refers to the integration of computing technology into daily life. This includes the use of smart devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and wearable technology, to connect individuals to the Internet and to other devices. Mobile computing, on the other hand, refers specifically to the use of mobile devices to access information and communication. Both pervasive and mobile computing have the potential to transform the way healthcare is delivered, making it more patient-centered, personalized, and accessible.One of the most significant applications of pervasive and mobile computing in healthcare is the use of mobile health apps like MHealth. These apps can be used by patients to monitor their health, track their medication, and communicate with healthcare providers. For example, a patient with diabetes can use an app to track their blood sugar levels and send the data to their doctor in real time, allowing for quick adjustments to treatment plans. These apps could also be used to provide patients with education and support, helping them to manage their condition more effectively Another important application of pervasive and mobile computing in healthcare is the use of telemedicine. Telemedicine allows healthcare providers to communicate with patients remotely, using video conferencing and other technology tools. This can be particularly beneficial for patients who live in rural areas or who have mobility issues, as it allows them to access healthcare services without having to travel long distances. Telemedicine can also be used to provide patients with access to specialists who may not be available locally.In addition to healthcare apps and telemedicine, pervasive and mobile computing can be used to improve the efficiency of healthcare delivery. For example, electronic health records (EHRs) can be accessed from mobile devices, allowing healthcare providers to access patient information anywhere. This can be particularly useful in emergency situations, where quick access to patient data can be critical.Despite the benefits of pervasive and mobile computing in healthcare, there are challenges to their implementation. One of the biggest challenges is ensuring the security and privacy of patient data. Healthcare data is highly sensitive, and the use of mobile devices and cloud computing can increase the risk of data breaches. It seems indispensable that healthcare providers take steps to ensure the security of patient data, including the use of encryption and other security measures.Another challenge is ensuring that patients have access to the technology they need to benefit from pervasive and mobile computing. While smartphones and other mobile devices are becoming increasingly widespread, not all patients may have access to these technologies. Healthcare providers may need to provide patients with devices or other support to ensure that they are able to use related apps and other technology tools.In conclusion, the use of pervasive and mobile computing in healthcare has the potential to revolutionize the way healthcare is delivered, making it more patient-centered, personalized, and accessible. From healthcare apps to telemedicine, these technologies can improve the efficiency of healthcare delivery while providing patients with better access to care. However, there are also challenges to their implementation, including the need to ensure the security and privacy of patient data and to provide patients with access to the necessary technology. By addressing these challenges, healthcare providers can harness the power of pervasive and mobile computing to improve the health and well-being of their patients

A Bibliometric Analysis of Health Cloud Scientific\u27s Productions

Introduction: Cloud computing is an innovative paradigm meeting the user\u27s demand for accessing a shared source comprising adjustable computational sources, such as servers and applied programs. An increase in the costs of information technology, emerging problems with updating software and hardware, and expanded storage volume, make it possible to utilize cloud-based health information cases. Organizations have focused on cloud platform-based services as a new opportunity to develop the software industry for healthcare. The aim of the research is to conduct a bibliometric study of the scientific productions on health cloud . Methodology: The present study, applied in nature, was conducted using a bibliometric and scientometric method. It was conducted in 2018 using PubMed and key portmanteaus over the period 2009-2018. Subjected to the application of input and output standards, 491 research papers were selected for analysis. Findings: The findings revealed that the production of health cloud-focused papers over a decade, excluding those in 2017, had an upward trend. The US, India, and China were the most productive in this respect. Having presented 5 papers on cloud computing, Costa, Lee, Malamateniou, Stoicu-Tivadar, Vassilacopoulos, writers, were most productive. The greatest co-occurrence was that of the words Internet, electronic health records, computer security, information storage and retrieval, algorithms, confidentiality, female, male, delivery of health care, computer communication networks, medical informatics, mobile applications, data mining, and health information exchang. Conclusion: The results of the present study indicate the leading status of the USA in health cloud publications. In view of the recognition received for using cloud computing, the trend of the papers in the base was upward in nature. On analysis of the co-occurrence of words, the largest cluster was that of cloud computing with 6 items focused on: The Internet of Things (IoT), Electronic health record, healthcare, and e-health in one cluster, indicating the continuity of the issues

A Framework for the Design of a Mobile-Based Alert System for Outpatient Adherence in Nigeria

Nigeria ranks among the countries with the highest child and maternal mortality rate. Chronic diseases are the most common contributors to the diseases burden in Nigeria most especially Malaria, Tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS. Adherence to long-term therapy in out-patient condition is required to reduce and curb the prevalence of these diseases. Poor adherence to long-term therapies severely compromises the effectiveness of treatment; making this a critical issue in population health both from the perspective of quality of life and of health economics. This work introduces a m-technology based system that will provide an easy way of complying with drug regimen. It will make use of the Short Messaging Service (SMS) of mobile phones to provide reminders at dosing times. It will design architecture for mobile health interventions and develop a prototype SMS-based system to improve out-patient adherence. This system will be deployed over a period of time at selected hospitals and chronic disease management centers in selected states in Nigeria, and the adherence rates measured via health outcomes and evaluated. This would provide a significant positive return on investment through primary prevention (of risk factors) and secondary prevention of adverse health outcomes. It will also inform predictions of future population health outcomes predicted by treatment efficacy data. Keywords: out-patient, m-technology, adherence, chronic diseases, Nigeria, SM

Implementing Operations Support Systems in E-Health Based Systems

Information and communication technologies have been introduced in different dimensions of the health care. e-Health is the use of advanced communications technologies such as the Internet, portable, wireless and other sophisticated devices to support health care delivery and education. It has the potentials of improving the efficiency of health care delivery globally. With the increasing demand for information at the point of care, health care providers could explore the advances provided by mobile technologies and the increasing capabilities, compactness and pervasiveness of computing devices to adopt operations supports systems (OSS) in e-Health based systems in order to provide efficient services and enhance their performances. In this paper, we present, the development and implementation of operations supports in e- Health based systems. The system promises to deliver greater productivity for health care practitioner

Mobihealth: mobile health services based on body area networks

In this chapter we describe the concept of MobiHealth and the approach developed during the MobiHealth project (MobiHealth, 2002). The concept was to bring together the technologies of Body Area Networks (BANs), wireless broadband communications and wearable medical devices to provide mobile healthcare services for patients and health professionals. These technologies enable remote patient care services such as management of chronic conditions and detection of health emergencies. Because the patient is free to move anywhere whilst wearing the MobiHealth BAN, patient mobility is maximised. The vision is that patients can enjoy enhanced freedom and quality of life through avoidance or reduction of hospital stays. For the health services it means that pressure on overstretched hospital services can be alleviated