Developing nations are adopting mobile health technology at a faster pace than developed countries like the U.S., according to a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers, Healthcare Finance News reports.

1. Developing Countries Quick To Adopt Mobile Health, Report Finds
Developing nations are adopting mobile health technology at a faster pace than developed countries like
the U.S., according to a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers, Healthcare Finance News reports.
About the Report
The report -- titled, "Emerging Health: Paths for Growth" -- was based on two surveys conducted by the
Economist Intelligence Unit, a research and consulting group (Wicklund, Healthcare Finance News, 6/8).
One survey focused on consumers and the other focused on physicians. Both surveys were conducted
in:
 Brazil;
 China;
 Denmark;
 Germany;
 India;
 South Africa;
 Spain;
 Turkey;
 The United Kingdom; and
 The U.S. (Roney, Becker's Hospital Review, 6/8).
Developing Countries vs. Developed Countries
The report found that developing countries are quicker to adopt mobile health tools because they see
such technology as:
 A way to boost access to health care; and
 A new market with significant growth potential.
However, developed nations like the U.S. often face greater regulatory hurdles that can hinder mobile
health adoption, the report noted.
Christopher Wasden and David Levy -- global healthcare innovation leaders at PwC -- said that physicians
in developed countries might be resistant to change and could see mobile health tools as disruptive
because they give patients more control of their health care decisions.
Levy said, "The main barriers are not the technology, but rather systemic to health care and inherent
resistance to change" (Healthcare Finance News, 6/8).
Consumer Survey
The consumer segment of the report found that:
 59% of surveyed consumers said they believe mobile health will change the way they seek health
information;
 49% said they believe mobile health will change how they manage chronic conditions, medications and
their overall health; and
 48% said they believe mobile health will affect how they communicate with physicians.
Of the surveyed consumers who already use mobile health technology, 59% said the tools have replaced
some in-person visits to physicians or nurses.

2. Physician Survey
The physician segment of the report found that 27% of surveyed physicians actively encourage patients
to use mobile health applications, while 13% discourage such use.
Forty-two percent of surveyed physicians said they worry that mobile health applications will make
patients too independent, the report found.
When asked about the major barriers to adopting mobile health technology:
 64% of surveyed physicians cited a lack of proven business models;
 49% cited current health care reimbursement structures; and
 44% cited security and privacy issues (Becker's Hospital Review, 6/8).
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Source: http://www.ihealthbeat.org/articles/2012/6/11/developing-countries-quick-to-adopt-
mobile-health-report-finds.aspx
This is what we feel:
“The reasons for consumption of health/medical care in both the developed and developing countries is
different and the rate of adoption is affected thereon,” remarks Shriram – Product Manager, Orra
Health. “The technology is more a function of one’s utility and the core need of tackling an issue when it
comes to the developing countries, whereas in the case of developed countries it’s more an
alternate/substitute solution to an issue.”