The Journal of mHealth Vol 1 Issue 1 (Feb 2014) | Page 8

mHealth...A Global Market
Continued from page 5

vice has recognised the benefits of
using telehealth and telecare solutions with the recent introduction
of the “3 million lives” campaign.
This massive undertaking by the
Service aims to use connected solutions to enhance the way in which
patients are treated across the whole
health system. The campaign, which
comes about following the NHS
whole system demonstrators (the
long-term NHS trials used to determine the efficacy of eHealth and
mHealth services), has estimated
that the increased use of telehealth
and telecare services could help to
reduce emergency admissions by
up to 20%. As well as decreasing
the rates of elective readmissions,
the number of bed days required by
patients, and overall reduce rates of
mortality [6]. In fact in the UK six in
ten clinicians and payers (NHS insurers and private payers) believe that the
widespread adoption of mHealth is
inevitable in the near future [7].
A recent survey [8] conducted by research company YouGov on behalf
of legal firm Pinsent Masons found
that:
» 31% of respondents agreed
mHealth services could improve
the NHS
» 33% of respondents would be
willing to use mHealth services
to have their health monitored
remotely
» 50% of respondents would be
willing to use an application to
book an NHS appointment
This recent shift in attitudes is helping to push the mHealth issue and
driving the implementation

6
February 2014

of projects, across the country.
The Manchester mHealth ecosystem [9] is a good example of the
way in which collaboration between
healthcare providers; universities;
and industry partners are helping to
develop solutions that integrate between stakeholders. The Manchester organisation is part of a wider
network of ecosystems for the
European Connected Health Alliance [10] that is seeking to widen the
scope for shared learning and innovation, and facilitate access to the
international mHealth marketplace.

in the UK, France, Germany, Italy,
Spain and Belgium. The survey
took a plain English approach to
questioning, removing industry jargon and buzz terms, to help determine whether consumers are open
to the increased adoption of mobile
centred health services. Across a
range of topics from, remote health
monitoring, and, diet and activity
tracking the survey found that the
majority of those questioned are
open to mobile applications and
services that will help them better
understand their health issues.

The market for mHealth is not withIn addition to the consumer-centric
out obstacles. The same
issues in Europe, research
YouGov survey found
analysts suggest that
59%
that, prior to being
the
economic
given a definition
hardships of
of patients
of
mHealth,
recent years
in emerging
the majority of
experienced
respondents
markets use mHealth, in many
didn’t know
European
compared to 35%
what the term
countries
meant. Worse,
have forced
in developed
even when it
g ove r n m e n t s
markets
was explained, 90%
to review options
stated they never use
to control costs in the
mHealth services, despite exhealthcare systems, which in
amples given including established
turn is presenting opportunities for
applications such as fitness apps.
digital medicine.
This demonstrates that there is a
significant lack of consumer underNORTH AMERICA
standing surrounding the technology and it may be that this proves
The United States and Canada curto be a significant barrier to wider
rently represent the largest markets
adoption.
for mHealth solutions and this looks
likely to continue between now and
EUROPE
2020. The region has an established
demand for technology driven
The same issues that are affecting
products and services, and benefits
the UK mHealth market appear to
from a population with a well develbe the same primary issues across
oped knowledge of technology and
many European regions, including,
mobile applications. This informed
Scandinavia, Germany, France, and
consumer base is helping to drive
Spain. A recent survey by Bryter
the widespread adoption of mobile
health solutions and digital health
questioned more than 1,100 adults