This document discusses the potential for using mobile technology in healthcare. It argues that healthcare, like other industries, can benefit from new technologies that increase efficiency. For example, Bluetooth sensors could allow vital signs to be continuously monitored and shared instantly between doctors and nurses. However, there are also privacy and cost concerns to consider. While mobile access could improve data sharing, it also increases the risk of sensitive patient information being compromised. And updating equipment for new technologies requires financial investment. Overall, the document concludes that the technology may increase efficiency but a healthcare organization's top priority should be patient well-being and privacy.

1. Is There RoomFor Mobile Technologyin Healthcare 1
Is There Room For Mobile Technology in Healthcare
Amer Nazar
HCAD 600

2. Is There RoomFor Mobile Technologyin Healthcare 2
Sincethe establishmentof modern industry,ithas become a global practiceto usetechnological
advancements to maximizeefficiency and output. Now, in this digital age,new products and solutions
have become even more accessible.No matter the sizeof the organization,Software and hardwareis
availableto providemany solutions,often at a reduced cost.In the healthcareindustry there aretwo
components. One very significantcomponent is the healthcareitself.The second component however is
the facilitation of health care.This involves not only patients and doctors,but it is also a myriad of
communications and logistical supportactionsthatmake providinghealthcarepossible.This second
component, likeits more technical counterpartis constantly evolving.As new policiesand procedures are
established,then the processes through which it all functions,need to be updated as well. One of the
major applicationsof this is ITand communications.For our personal lives,wehave begun to center our
agendas on our technology. Not five minutes go by with out us checkingour mobiledevices for some sort
of an update. For an industry that relies on real time data, healthcareproviders could perhaps be among
the few that can utilizethis to a maximum potential. This is becominga widely debated concept. Providers
and receivers alikearestartingto realizethe pros of being ableto view and communicate information
almostinstantly.
One example of this is the standardization of Bluetooth. Without going into extensive detail,
Bluetooth technology enables devices closeto each other to transmitdata wirel essly and quickly. (Ryu,
2013) There aretechnologies in development that would allowa patientin a hospital to wear a vital signs
monitor equipped with Bluetooth. Instead of a nurse takinga readingand then contactingthe doctor,
they both would have received the same updates and could communicate details withoutinteractingin
person, or even through a phone call. “Each data collection modulecan generate digitalized biomedical
signal continuously and send itto the user's smartphone application.The application can processand
show up the signal and healthcaredata as a kind of all-in-onetype through the united user interfaceand
also can forward to the designated healthcareserver system.” (Ryu, 2013) Imagine the potential for
something likethis.The applicationscan go far beyond the transmission of medical data. “Insuranceand
electronic medical records companies areinvestingin and partneringwith tech outfits likeRedBrick

3. Is There RoomFor Mobile Technologyin Healthcare 3
Health and Audax Health…” (Hernandez, 2014) Every department would be able to shareand process
information ata much higher rate which ultimately would resultin a more profitableorganization.
However, there arecritics of this who pointout issues such as privacy and costs.
Lets examine the cost aspect.Applying some these technologies is a sureway to try and make
your organization moreefficient, but can also setyou back financially.Havingto update all of your
equipment is an exampleof some of the costs that can be incurred.However, there areplenty of cost
effective solutions available.For example, there is softwareon the market called iCareManager.Itcan be
described as Electronic Medical Records (EMR) software, which has other functions that basically enablea
healthcareprovider or administrator to access patientinformation and facility information fromany
mobiledevice. And the costof this software is $15.00 per activepatient per month. This is an example of
a technological solution thatis goingto changeoperations for the better, and itdoesn’t come with
exorbitant costs.
After costhowever, comes the bigger and more crucial issueof patient and provider privacy.
Makingdata accessiblefrommultipleand mobilelocations can makesecure data more susceptibleto
being compromised. Not only is patients’data at risk,but also the healthcareorganizations own
information can be put at risk. “Large volumes of medical and personal data arestored in medical records
and are processed and distributed by electronic means, making itaccessibleto a largenumber of users
and enablinggeneration of profiles of patients and their relatives.The resultis a fastdeveloping
onslaughton the valued personal privatezone and the individual's rights.Differentsocieties offer partial
legal solutions to this onslaught,butprivacy is a movingtarget whose legislativemanagement is (almost)
always behind the times.” (Babad & Lubitch, 2011) These are very real concerns unfortunately and
shouldn’tbe dismissed as individualsbeingover critical.There aresoftware’s out there that take extra
steps to ensure that information stays safe.An example of this is the software I mentioned earlier.They
do something unique by supplyingeach clientwith their own unique webpage separate from their own.
This ensures that only that customer knows what the web address is makingitdifficultfor anyone to try
and access it.

4. Is There RoomFor Mobile Technologyin Healthcare 4
There are pros and cons, which have equal validity,As longas there is advancement, there will
always benew ways to compromise it. Whilethe applicationsin healthcarearegreat, the cons are also
pretty serious.The debates will alwaysbethere when itcomes to applyingnew concepts. With this
particulardebate, I am of the opinion thatwhilethe technology would make things more efficient; a
healthcareorganizations firstresponsibility is to carefor their patients.If there is a risk to the well being
of the patient, then perhaps it’s worth overlookingthis technology. As things become more secure, then
lets see where this debate takes us.

5. Is There RoomFor Mobile Technologyin Healthcare 5
Sources:
Babad, Y., & Lubitch, A. (2011). Ethical and legal issues of privacy and patient rights in
the application of information healthcare delivery systems.International Journal of
Healthcare Technology & Management., 12(3/4), 230-249.
Ryu, U. (2013). A bluetooth based 5-hd measurement system for u-
healthcare. International Journal of Control & Automation, 6(1), 141-150.
Hernandez, D. (2014, March 10). Next step for smart phones: Keeping tabs on
patients. Kaiser Health News. Retrieved from
http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2014/March/10/Smart-Phones-Keep-Tabs-
on-Patients.aspx