We've heard a lot about what patients want when it comes to mobile healthcare--they want physicians to email or text them lab results, to be able to schedule appointments and check health information online, among other things.
But new data from research firm Float Learning tackled the other side of that stick this week, releasing new information on physician preferences for mobile health use.
Most interesting? Nearly 90 percent of doctors want patients to monitor health indicators such as weight, blood sugar levels, vital signs, etc., via mobile devices. And a little less than half of those (40 percent) indicate that mobile health apps can reduce the number of office visits that patients require.
Docs report that mobile devices make their jobs easier, too. According to Float's data, 56 percent of doctors say their mobile devices help them expedite health decision-making, and 40 percent say said they reduce the amount of time spent on administration work.
Tablets continue to gain ground as the mobile tool of choice, with physicians 250 percent more likely to own one than the average consumer, according to Float's research. The new iPad may send those numbers even higher, Float Managing Director Chad Udell told Mashable.com.
"It will be interesting to see the impact of the new iPad on medical imaging professionals such as radiologists, who will be able to take advantage of its great graphic capabilities," Udell said.
At present, though, smartphones have far more penetration--more than 80 percent of docs say they use the devices.
To learn more:
- read the Mashable.com story
- check out the Float learning announcement