Mobile Carriers and eHealth

Beyond concerns over the safety of handsets and masts, healthcare is not something the general public associates with mobile phones. As yet few people regard mobile networks as key pieces of infrastructure, capable of supporting an integrated public healthcare service. The proposed ‘fully engaged healthcare scenario’ described in the recent Wanless report, provides operators with an opportunity to change the public’s perception of mobile networks.

In a fully engaged healthcare scenario, organisations employ practises and technology that improve public health. At the same time, the individual takes more responsibility for his or her well being. In such a scenario wireless technology could be used to transform a person’s mobile handset into a healthcare portal.

When a person steps on a set of scales their weight is relayed to a database. While shopping their mobile handset is used to display dietary information about the products they are purchasing. When they exercise at a gym their mobile phone uploads training programs into fitness equipment, and records their performance – comparing it with the performance of other members of their peer group. Wireless enabled thermometers, blood pressure monitors, and a range of other monitoring devices are used to transmit vital signs data to an electronic patient database.

While such a complex and comprehensive service may never come into being, the components to build it exist and are already being deployed in ehealth applications.

In this report we look at a range of technologies that could be employed in a wireless networked, fully engaged, healthcare scenario. We also consider ways in which mobile healthcare services could be made as compelling and profitable as text messaging.

Read full report