Most smartphone users want mHealth interactions

Four out of five smartphone users worldwide are interested in mHealth technology that will let them interact with healthcare providers, a new FICO survey reveals. What's more, 76 percent of respondents say they are eager to use such tools for reminders regarding medical appointments, while 69 percent say they would embrace the tools for making appointments and medication intake reminders.

"The way healthcare organizations communicate with people is changing, as individuals become more and more sophisticated about using information technology to make health-related decisions," Stuart Wells, FICO's chief product and technology officer, says in an announcement. "People are especially interested in mobile services that can help them manage their personal health and shop for healthcare services."

The survey is the latest research regarding user adoption of mHealth tools and technology. As FierceMobileHealthcare reported in April, smartphones and tablets are nearly doubling in use compared to 2012, according to a new survey from Mavosky Health/Kelton. Smartphone use for health data jumped from 6 percent to 19 percent, while tablet use rose from 4 percent in 2012 to 11 percent in 2013 and 2014.

What's more, specific mHealth segments--such as monitoring and diagnostic medical devices--hold enormous potential. In five years that segment will be a $8.03 billion market, representing an annual growth rate of 43.3 percent from 2014 through 2019, according to a recent Transparency Market Research report.

A big reason for mHealth device and app growth is the growing number of consumers willing to share confidential medical data. The FICO survey notes this trend as well, revealing 56 percent of respondents trust healthcare organizations with data.

"Mail order pharmacies are checking customer orders via mobile applications, insurers are validating policy details and medical service providers are requesting feedback on the quality of their services or managing follow-up care," Wells says. "Privacy is critically important and consumers are required to opt-in, but given the benefits of mobile technology in the healthcare field, that doesn't appear to be an impediment to adoption. People are eager to have a dialog with their healthcare providers in ways that are convenient to them."

For more information:
- read the announcement

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