ARE DOCTORS GETTING SMARTER?

Statistics show that in the UK there are a staggering 83 million mobile subscribers, which represents a market penetration of 130%.  Of these, 43%, or 36 million, are smartphones and this percentage is expected to increase to 75% by 2016.[1] Doctors are already ahead of the curve; 80% own a smartphone, 31% own a tablet and many regularly purchase apps to enhance their working lives.[2]

Opinion is divided over whether proactively increasing and encouraging the use of ‘smart’ tools in a medical setting is a good thing or not. Some of the potential pitfalls include the potential for risk of infection, the lack of regulation around their use and the creation of a barrier (leading to reduced credibility) between doctor and patient.  The level of accuracy is also a cause for concern, although apps being used for diagnostic purposes, such as a dosage calculator, may be considered a medical device. These tools must be registered with the Medical and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to ensure that all the relevant checks have been undertaken.

Putting these concerns to one side, it’s easy to see the potential for apps as an information resource for doctors and patients alike, particularly as mobile technology becomes more sophisticated.  App-enabled accessories new to the market, such as the Nike+ Fuel Band and the iBaby Monitor (controlled from your iPod touch, iPhone, iPad or Mac mouse), have proven to be incredibly popular and an estimated 40% of all new apps are being developed in the health and wellbeing space.

To-date, there has been a lack of national guidance on the use of mobile technology by the medical profession, with decisions taken at a local level. However, the government’s campaign to encourage doctors to ‘prescribe’ smartphone apps, to help patients manage conditions ranging from diabetes to depression, will help to fuel a shift in this area.  The aim of the campaign is encourage patients to take more responsibility for their own health, reducing visits to doctors and thereby ‘putting them in the driving seat.’ For example, the Diabetes UK app reminds patients to check their blood sugar levels and to take their medication, with information sent electronically to the patient’s surgery or clinic.

This initiative will no doubt drive the debate about the use of smartphones in a medical setting up the healthcare agenda, but ultimately the technology will only benefit patients if the content is accurate, responsible and engaging.

Tracey Carey
Director

1. Smartphone Futures 2012-2016, 2012, Portio Research.
2. Doctors.net.uk and T. Ringrose Mobile technology: pharma companies struggle to engage with doctors on the go. 2012.