Mobile Health Technologies

21 Pages Posted: 29 Jan 2016

See all articles by Hemant K. Bhargava

Hemant K. Bhargava

University of California, Davis

Julia Tanghetti

University of California, Davis

Date Written: January 29, 2016

Abstract

Mobile health solutions are expanding rapidly and have become a part of the health care landscape. Over a hundred thousand mobile apps exist today, and create value in very diverse ways. This paper proposed a framework for classifying mHealth solutions on three dimensions, type of technology (form factor), level of institutional integration, and function. It examines the underlying process by which different types of mHealth applications create value, and maps the classification dimensions to potential ways in which these solutions can impact patient health, costs, and other metrics. The optimal choice and design of mHealth technology will depend on patient population characteristics or the settings in which these technologies are deployed. We apply this classification by reviewing a small number of mHealth applications which have been described in the literature. In many cases, the potential impact of such technologies may not be easy to identify, to measure, or to attribute it to the technology. Moreover, while many solutions aim to make patients better informed, this may not necessarily lead to better patient health, because there is evidence in other domains that, when given more information and control, non-experts develop over-confidence, make poorer decisions, and achieve worse outcomes.

Keywords: mobile, health, apps, smartphone, ROI

JEL Classification: I10

Suggested Citation

Bhargava, Hemant K. and Tanghetti, Julia, Mobile Health Technologies (January 29, 2016). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2724626 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2724626

Hemant K. Bhargava (Contact Author)

University of California, Davis ( email )

One Shields Avenue
Apt 153
Davis, CA 95616
United States

Julia Tanghetti

University of California, Davis ( email )

One Shields Avenue
Apt 153
Davis, CA 95616
United States

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