The uptake of mobile health (mHealth) which is used worldwide to deliver a range of healthcare services, including data collection and remote patient monitoring, will increase in the near future as the healthcare industry continues to shift towards value-based medicine, according to business intelligence provider GBI Research.

The company’s latest report states that rapid advances in new mobile devices, the expansion of communication network coverage and the reduction in the retail price of wireless technologies have all helped in making mHealth solutions and services a reality.

These technologies have huge potential to bridge the gap within existing healthcare systems, offering an alternative form of healthcare communication and treatment at a distance. 

As the uptake of mHealth technologies increases, support from healthcare professionals, reimbursement entities and government agencies will also increase as the body of literature documenting the wide range of mHealth’s benefits continues to grow. Furthermore, the continued acceleration of mobile penetration at a global level will continue to make mHealth services and solutions possible, even in the most remote areas.

The need for more cost-effective means to deliver healthcare is regarded as the most important growth driver in the mHealth market, followed by the increasing need to demonstrate the value and effectiveness of treatments and by increasing support from healthcare professionals and reimbursement entities for mHealth solutions.

These three factors are directly linked to the significant challenge governments in all key markets are facing regarding the rising cost of providing healthcare. Insurance companies and national healthcare agencies are increasingly demanding more evidence for the cost-effectiveness of treatments. mHealth technologies can significantly lower the cost of healthcare, starting with the ability to provide medical consultations at a distance.