Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Health apps could cut down visits | Africa Healthcare IT News

Mobile-Healthcare from telecom

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Nowadays there is an app for everything; even one to keep tabs on your health. Many doctors believe that using apps that keep track of your health will help reduce your doctor?s visits.According to data published by Float Mobile Learning, 40% of doctors believe that using mobile health technologies like apps that monitor fitness and eating habits can decrease the number of office visits needed by patients. Float Mobile Learning is a leader in creating mobile learning products and services for health care and pharmaceutical companies. Approximately 88% of doctors are in full support of patients monitoring their health at home, especially when it comes to watching weight, blood sugar and vital signs. Many consumers should take advantage of the apps which are currently on the market to ease the process along.

?With the forth coming changes to the U.S healthcare system, there will be an increased focus on wellness programmes and preventative medicine,? Chad Udell, Managing Director of Float Mobile Leaning. ?Mobile health offers a tremendous opportunity for people to become more involved in their own health and wellness.?

The mobile health industry has grown; more than 10,000 medical and healthcare apps are now available for download from the Apple App Store, making it the third fastest growing app category among iPhone and Android users. Doctors are also joining in on the trend, as 80% said they use smartphones and medical apps. Physicians are also 250% more likely to own a tablet than other customers. Chad noted that doctors continue to buy tablet devices largely because they offer an easy way to stay in touch with their co-workers and patients. 56% of doctors said they turn to mobile devices to make faster decisions and 40% said that they reduce time spent on administrative work. Chad is looking forward to see how professionals like radiologist will take advantage of the fantastic graphic capabilities that the new iPad will offer.

Three physicians from Minnesota, U.S.A have credited an iPad for helping to save a patient?s life. Andy McMonigle, felt a pounding sensation in his arm after cycling. With a history of heart trouble, McMonigle asked a nearby man for help. Fortunately for McMonigle, that man was Dr. Daniel Lueders, an internal medicine resident at the clinic in which he worked. The resident was joined by two other doctors from the clinic. Lueders was said to have grabbed his iPad from his rucksack and connected to the clinic EMR (electronic medical record) to quickly review McMonigle?s medical history. The doctors compared his symptoms with his medical history to conclude that he had blockage in his stent, and were able to quickly get hold of some Aspirin and a simple drug to thin the blood. Using the iPad to view the EKG record in side-by-side format, and with a strip that the ambulance crew had printed, doctors were happy with their evaluation and sent the patient to the caridac catherisation laboratory for the clot to be removed.

Among some of the most popular apps are Nike Plus and Adidas MiCoach; which turns a smartphone into a personal trainer and iStethoscope that allows iPhone users to record and play back a heartbeat. Additionally, Welldoc is a series of programmes and apps that can reduce hospital and ER visits in half by having patients monitor and manage their own chronic diseases.

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EU innovation and competitiveness through better uptake of ICT

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The Malta Information Technology Agency (MITA) has recently hosted the national information session for the 2012 call for proposals of the European Union?s ICT Policy Support Programme (ICT PSP). This event was organised in collaboration with the Malta National Contact Point for the EU?s Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (CIP). The various opportunities for Maltese entities under this programme were outlined, best practices for participation where shared and a local project (e-CODEX ? refer to next article) currently funded under this programme was presented to the various local ICT stakeholders of public and private entities which were present. The event provided a forum for debate and experience sharing, as well as various avenues that can be considered by stakeholders regarding ICT-PSP projects. It also served as a meeting platform to establish direct communication channels and set the base for possible further collaborations and joint projects between local entities.

The ICT PSP is one of the three operational pillars of the CIP and is the EU funding programme through which the Commission seeks to stimulate European innovation and competitiveness by accelerating the development of a sustainable, competitive, innovative and inclusive information society. It supports activities to step up innovation and implementation of ICT-based services and systems through the wider uptake and best use of ICT and the utilization of digital content by all citizens, governments and businesses, in particular small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

In the EU the greater uptake of ICT and utilization of digital content in areas of public interest ? like health, inclusion, cultural heritage, public sector information, learning, public administrations, or energy efficiency ? requires greater availability of ICT-based services, improved interoperability of solutions across the Member States, as well as less market fragmentation of the information space and ICT-based solutions. Therefore the ICT PSP assists the development of markets for innovative ICT-based solutions and digital content. This opens-up a wide range of new business opportunities, in particular for innovative SMEs that provide such solutions and are keen to form part of a European network of partners. The Programme builds on and complements national, regional and other EU initiatives.

The funding available through this programme goes mainly to pilot actions, involving consortiums of public and private organisations from various European states, for validating in real settings, innovative and interoperable ICT based services. The 2012 call for proposals focuses on areas such as ICT for ?smart? cities; Digital content, open data and creativity; ICT for health, ageing well and inclusion; Innovative government and public services; Trusted eServices and other actions. These themes will be supported by a number of high impact pilot or best practices projects, as well as thematic networks addressing specific objectives.

Networking actions for sharing experiences and preparing the deployment of innovative ICT based solutions in such areas are also supported, as well as the monitoring of the Information Society through benchmarking, analyses and awareness raising actions. The focus is placed on driving this uptake in areas of public interest while addressing EU challenges such as moving towards a low carbon economy or coping with an ageing society. The programme contributes to a better environment for developing ICT based services and helps overcome hurdles such as the lack of interoperability and market fragmentation.

More information about this year?s call, the funding priorities, regulations as well as all the call documentation can be found on the European Commission website: http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/activities/ict_psp/index_en.htm. For more information about the funding opportunities under this programme local stakeholders are encouraged to contact the Malta CIP National Contact Point.

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About the Malta CIP

National Contact Point

Malta Enterprise has been recently appointed as the new National Contact Point for the European Commission?s CIP Programme, enabling the Corporation to offer an even more comprehensive range of support and services to facilitate the successful operation and growth of local enterprises. The CIP?s National Contact Point?s main role is to promote and disseminate information on CIP and its funding opportunities, encourage and guide the participation of Maltese entities under specific calls for proposals and other networking initiatives, and offering partner search support. Further information about the ICT PSP may be obtained from www.cipmalta.com, by sending an email to info@cipmalta.com or by contacting Mr Pedro Fernandez Alvarez on telephone 2542 3214.

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Pedro Fernandez Alvarez is Malta?s CIP National Contact Point

Source: ?http://www.independent.com.mt

Source: http://africahealthitnews.com/blogs/?p=1153

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