Mobile Applications in the Healthcare Industry: Future Opportunities identified by a Delphi Study

摘要

Mobile data transfer has become possible with the emergence of the mobile technologies, and will still be enhanced in the nearby future. Simultaneously, healthcare needs are increasing, as people are ageing and also generally more interested in their well-being. This study aims to identify potential mobile and wireless services and applications in the healthcare industry in five to ten years time by conducting a Delphi study. The two rounds of Delphi study reveal that important areas are those of pre-hospital health emergencies, remote monitoring of patients with chronic conditions, and medical collaboration through sharing of health-related information resources. For example, in five to ten years a patient's case history is seen to be in a structured and electronic form, and the doctors are seen to have wireless access to the patient's case history.