Mobile Health Apps: Implementation Processes and Benefits

Mobile Health Apps in Health Facilities
Name
Institution
Course Code and Title
Professor
Date
Mobile Health Apps in Health Facilities
Introduction
Health facilities, patients, and health workers are increasingly implementing mobile health apps in care delivery due to their multiple benefits, such as monitoring patients’ health remotely, comprehensive data collection and storage, and cost-effectiveness. Facilities should closely evaluate the moral, security, safety, and legal implications of using mobile health apps before the implementation process. This paper discusses mobile health apps and related concepts, including the benefits, a review of the literature, varying concern issues, purpose and goals, implementation process, and projected evaluation.
Explanation of Mobile Health Apps
Mobile health apps are programs or software on mobile devices like smartphones, personal digital assistants, and tablets that store and process health details. Maaß et al. (2022) explained that the apps change mobile devices into controlled medical devices or work as accessories to controlled medical devices. Patients, caregivers, and health workers use mobile health apps to improve, maintain, or manage health. By 2014, medical devices with fixed software and different functions like monitoring body temperatures and measuring heart rate had been operating for over two decades (Posada, 2014). Health apps have continuously evolved and are now multifunctional and user-friendly.
Benefits of Mobile Health Apps
Mobile health applications have multiple benefits to varying users. They enhance primary disease prevention, manage and support health among patients with chronic or other medical conditions, enhance treatment adherence, monitor health status and vitals remotely, and increase patients’ autonomy in making health decisions (Maaß et al., 2022). In addition, mobile health apps improve patient health outcomes due to enhanced access and availability of healthcare information and services (Ventola, 2014). Patients can also use mobile health apps to monitor their health vitals remotely when out of the hospital. Maaß et al. (2022) highlighted that mobile health apps could connect to varying devices to collect, measure, or track patients’ physiological states, health parameters, symptoms, and behaviors.
Additionally, mobile health apps increase utility and save costs, enhancing health economics in facilities. The applications also improve work efficiency in clinical facilities since they effectively diagnose, prevent, treat, and monitor illnesses or injuries (Maaß et al., 2022). Facilities can also use mobile health apps to modify, replace, or investigate patients’ physiological processes, such as heart rate and body temperature. Furthermore, health workers benefit from mobile health apps during clinical practice in varying ways. For instance, Ventola (2014) explained that mobile health applications manage tasks, time, and information, enhance access and maintenance of health details or records, enable information gathering, consultation, and communications with patients, enhance clinical decision-making due to medical guidelines, and references, diagnose, monitor, and manage patients’ health, and facilitate medical training and education for healthcare professionals. Consequently, mobile health apps enhance patient care and outcomes due to improved access to healthcare tools and information at the point of care.
Review of the Literature
Technological devices like mobile health apps have multiple benefits, such as improving clinical decision-making, documentation, care continuity, data completeness, accessibility, and availability (Tubaishat, 2019). However, Tubaishat (2019) highlighted that such technological devices have limitations due to varying aspects, including costs, usability, technical problems, data entry issues, and patient safety concerns like data confidentiality and security. As a result, some users, including healthcare workers and patients, resist using mobile health apps (Ventola, 2014). Nevertheless, ensuring proper systems designs and human use through continuous training can mitigate the associated concerns, enhancing patient safety and effective care delivery (Tubaishat, 2019). Shin et al. (2022) recommended incorporating better features in design systems of technological devices like mobile health apps to increase effectiveness and efficiency and support user activities, preventing usability problems and patient safety risks.
Health facilities can instill positive attitudes among users to prevent resistance when adopting new systems by highlighting the expectations and purpose of implementing the applications and training different user groups. As a result, physicians and other stakeholders will develop positive attitudes toward mobile health apps, enhancing the success of implementing the applications in the facility (Kalayou et al., 2021). Furthermore, facilities should adopt a comprehensive strategy, including administrative support, open communication, and inter-professional collaboration to implement mobile health apps (Hospodková et al., 2021). They can also use specialists’ knowledge, attitudes, skills, and behaviors regarding mobile health apps to encourage stakeholders to accept the new technology (Mehrolhassani & Emami, 2013). Consequently, relevant stakeholders will develop positive attitudes and adopt mobile health apps without resistance.
Ethical, Legal, Safety, and Privacy Concerns
Mobile health apps raise ethical issues concerning data use, permission, informed consent, and patient autonomy. Chan (2021) highlighted the need for patients to get appropriate disclosure as health workers collect, store, or monitor their health details for patients to give informed consent. Furthermore, health workers and mobile health app manufacturers should maintain privacy and confidentiality to uphold patients’ autonomy in healthcare. Posada (2014) explained the need for ethical standards to regulate the preservation and exchange of patients’ data. As a result, users should be honest and transparent while sharing information using mobile health apps to enhance healthcare outcomes.
Similarly, mobile health app users should follow legislation and regulations concerning data protection and healthcare services. The law can regulate mobile health applications as medical devices since they perform clinical and medical functions like diagnosing or treating medical disorders (Maaß et al., 2022). Turner (2016) highlighted that mobile health app users should adhere to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability (HIPAA) statute, which protects patients’ sensitive health details by requiring consent, integrity, and confidentiality. In addition, mobile health app manufacturers should observe the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rules, such as seeking permission when collecting, monitoring, or storing patients’ data.
Moreover, mobile health apps should ensure patient safety while collecting, monitoring, or storing health-related information. Users should prevent sensitive information from getting to malicious individuals to ensure confidentiality and patient safety. Furthermore, users must prevent potential risks like data breaches and cybersecurity through data authentication and encryption to maintain patient safety. In addition, Turner (2016) recommended routine fixes, upgrades, or updates on mobile health app software to prevent flaws that could harm patients’ data. Furthermore, manufacturers should follow safety guidelines to enhance mobile health apps’ security and accuracy, enhancing patient safety.
Purpose and Goals
Since the diabetes department at the health facility uses traditional methods to collect, store, and monitor health details, it is necessary to adopt advanced strategies to reap the associated benefits. Implementing mobile health apps in the department aims to collect and store comprehensive health-related information, monitor health status and progress, make informed diagnoses and clinical decisions, and manage complications associated with illnesses (Jembai et al., 2022). Additionally, implementing the applications aims to offer education and training opportunities to users lik...