The Emerging Field of Mobile Health

Overview

Journal Sci Transl Med

Specialties General Medicine
Science

Date 2015 Apr 17

PMID 25877894

Citations 266

Authors

Steven R Steinhubl

Evan D Muse

Eric J Topol

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The surge in computing power and mobile connectivity have fashioned a foundation for mobile health (mHealth) technologies that can transform the mode and quality of clinical research and health care on a global scale. Unimpeded by geographical boundaries, smartphone-linked wearable sensors, point-of-need diagnostic devices, and medical-grade imaging, all built around real-time data streams and supported by automated clinical decision-support tools, will enable care and enhance our understanding of physiological variability. However, the path to mHealth incorporation into clinical care is fraught with challenges. We currently lack high-quality evidence that supports the adoption of many new technologies and have financial, regulatory, and security hurdles to overcome. Fortunately, sweeping efforts are under way to establish the true capabilities and value of the evolving mHealth field.

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