A future of mobile-centric healthcare could save lives
Tech innovations can help patients self-manage their conditions and keep track of older people as well as those in care homes
Picture the scene: an elderly woman with bronchitis is overcome by breathlessness while out for an afternoon shop. Instead of ignoring the problem, she immediately turns to her mobile phone, which is measuring her breathing rate and integrating that reading with other personal health data. The program decides that she needs a GP consultation within two hours, books it at a local walk-in centre and even tells her which bus to catch.
Far from being science fiction, this kind of scenario represents the kind of reality the NHS must work towards, says Sir Bruce Keogh, NHS England’s medical director. With spiralling costs, demand increases and staffing issues squeezing existing resources, a future of mobile-centric healthcare would increase efficiency – and maybe save lives.
A few well-thought-out and correctly aimed interventions will do far more than a scattergun introduction of funky toys.
No comments:
Post a Comment