Communication between health care providers’ accounts for the major part of the information flow in health care setting, and errors in communication may contribute to adverse clinical events and outcomes. Therefore effective, efficient and rapid communication among patients, nurses, and physicians is a critical in delivering high quality health care. Existing communication technologies such as mobile telephones, voice mail, and email may significantly improve delivery of health care. However, many patients in rural areas do not have access to email facilities. According to the U.N. report, mobile phones reached an average penetration rate of nearly 50 percent in developing countries in 2008, up from nearly zero 10 years ago. There are about 400 million cell phones in India. With a density of 40 per cent, the final convergence of healthcare will be in the form of mobile health solutions.
Benefits
Mobile technology can help in delivering patient related information quickly to the health care provider attending the patient. Appropriate and timely health care can reduce emergency room visits. Mobile devices linked to clinical information systems can provide spontaneous event notification to health-care workers thereby save time for both nurses and clerical staff members and therefore they can devote more time for patient care and improve health care. Advances in mobile technology can virtually enable physicians from around the state to provide health care information to individual patient. This aids in efficient management leading to increased enrolment rates.
Challenges
Resistant from the health care providers to accept new technology as they believe that requires major disruptions in current practice. In past widespread implementation of information technologies in healthcare have failed. This may be due to high level of skepticism among healthcare practitioners. Another issue with cell phones is regarding the confidentiality and security of the patient sensitive data.
Conclusion
Mobile technology can aid effective communication between health care providers and hold a key to success of chronic and rural healthcare, monitoring outbreaks, facilitating research and improving health care delivery for millions. Cell phones, personal digital assistants and other hand-held devices have the potential to rapidly transform the way medical information is collected in the developing countries. With effective leadership and motivation this technology will gain acceptance by the physicians and nurses.
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