Physicians: Mobile Devices Expedite Decision Making

Two thirds of physicians say they are using personal devices for mobile health solutions that aren't connected to their practice or hospital IT systems, but nearly a third said their hospital or practice leaders will not support the use of mobile health devices.

As for patients, 40% would be willing to pay for a remote monitoring device that sends health information to their doctors, according to a new online survey and report by PricewaterhouseCoopers' Health Research Institute.

The findings of the survey, published in a report titled Healthcare Unwired were presented this week by PricewaterhouseCoopers at the mHealth Initiative 2nd International mHealth Conference in San Diego. Physicians' interest in mobile technologies reflects the growing market for remote and mobile health applications and business opportunities for organizations using consumer technologies to support preventative, acute, and chronic care, PWC said.

Two thousand consumers and 1,000 physicians regarding their use and preferences for remote and mobile health services and devices.

Of the physicians questioned for the survey:

• 88% would like their patients to track and/or monitor their health at home, particularly their weight, blood sugar levels, and vital signs.
• 63% said they are using personal devices for mobile health solutions that aren't connected to their practice or hospital IT systems, and 30% said their hospital or practice leaders will not support the use of mobile health devices.

• 57% said they would use remote devices to monitor the patients outside of the hospital. Physicians, however, want to see filtered information or exceptions in their patient's health, not all the data all the time. Too much information could actually slow down care.

• 56% of physicians using mobile devices said they expedite decision making and nearly 40% said the use of mobile devices decreases time spent on administration.
• 40% of physicians said they could reduce the number of office visits by 11% to 30% by using mobile health technologies, which could address the shortage of physicians, reduce hospital readmission costs, and increase access for patients who delay care.

  The greatest benefit of mobile health, physicians noted, would be faster real-time access to more accurate data.

  "Remote and mobile technology is making it possible to move healthcare delivery outside the traditional settings of physician offices and hospitals to wherever patients are. It's bringing back the concept of doctors making house calls," said Daniel Garrett, leader of PricewaterhouseCoopers' health Information Technology (HIT) practice. "New consumer-oriented business models and technologies are emerging. Companies that will be well positioned competitively are those than can integrate mobile health into healthcare delivery and create value in the health system by helping doctors and their patients better manage health and wellness through mass personalization."

  The report found that much of the momentum behind mobile health to date has been from companies outside traditional healthcare, such as technology and telecommunications companies looking to expand their footprint in the health industries. When asked who they would prefer to receive mobile health services from, however, consumers ranked their healthcare provider, hospital or health system as No. 1, followed by their health insurer.

  "There are significant opportunities for physicians, hospitals, health insurers, pharmaceutical companies and medical device manufacturers to market and differentiate themselves using mobile health," Garrett said. "Yet many healthcare organizations are largely ignoring the opportunity to integrate mobile health into other IT efforts such as the implementation of electronic health records."

Physicians said accessing information where and when it is needed is one of their top challenges. One-third said they make decisions based on incomplete information for seven of 10 patients. They also complained that they don't have time to interact with patients as much as they would like, and 45% said that Internet visits would expand access.

One barrier to mobile health may be that in-person consultation is still the main basis of reimbursement in healthcare. Public payers and private health insurers have not pushed for adoption of mobile health, the report says.

That may be because the healthcare industry hasn't figured out how to pay for electronic transactions in the way other industries have, such as for music and video downloads.

This may be changing. Health plans are beginning to pay for remote monitoring devices to help reduce hospital readmissions. Some physicians are now getting limited reimbursement for phone consultations, email consults, telehealth, and texting.