Doctors and patients embrace mobile health apps

The study, by Research Now, looked into the potential use of mobile health apps in healthcare. It asked 500 healthcare professionals (doctors, nurses and allied health professionals) whether they currently use smartphone technology in their medical practice; whether they thought it was beneficial and for which types of patients; under what conditions they thought it had the greatest potential; and whether they thought the NHS should increase its investment in smartphone technology to monitor patients’ health. 1,000 users of health apps were asked which types of apps they use and how they feel about using smartphone technology in relation to their health.

Key findings included:

• 48% of healthcare professionals say that they will introduce mobile apps to their practice in the next five years.
• 81% of healthcare professionals believe that health apps will increase their knowledge of patients’ conditions.
• 93% of users think that health apps help to improve their quality of life.
• 65% of healthcare professionals believe that health apps will encourage patients to take more responsibility for their health.
• 52% of UK medical professionals and 78% of health app users say that the NHS should increase its investment in developing smartphone technology to monitor patients’ health.

Mahiben Maruthappu, senior fellow at NHS England and co-founder of the NHS Innovation Accelerator, said, “Our ambition is to make the NHS a digital pioneer for our patients. The results of this study demonstrate the clear potential both patients and healthcare professionals see in mobile medical apps. By harnessing this technology we could transform the way care is provided.”

Full results can be found here.