4 Ways to Improve Healthcare for Children through Tablet Technology
In the past, we had focused on mHealth in a more general sense. There were discussion of worldwide mHealth stats, how mHealth apps increases the level of patient care, the benefits of doctor-to-doctor apps, real-life success stories of mHealth apps, and more. Here we discuss how mHealth can improve healthcare for children specifically.
1. Real-time monitoring capabilities, which reduces admin costs
Tablets have the capability of monitoring many health-related things. For instance, its accelerometer can be used to track sleep patterns, and its camera can track your heartbeat. This can reduce admin costs because tracking can be done in the comfort of the child’s home. Parents will not only be able to take care of them, but they will also be able to send the doctor updates on medical data. This frees up hospital resources, such as beds and nurses.
2. Easy access to analytical data
Mobile apps can track many things (e.g. number of taps on particular elements, time of taps/recording/use, duration, variables that are monitored in real-time) and provide the data in a hassle-free manner. This allows for more accurate medical plans and adaptations to better reflect the usage stats provided by the app. For instance, if the tablet app indicates that a child’s parents are only available to track health data in the evenings, a doctor will be able to cater their medical advice to fit in with the family’s natural schedule. This will improve compliance rates. As another example, if the analytics show that parents generally do not track their child’s sleep patterns when they were recommended to, that particular module can be revised to again improve compliance rates.
3. Data visualizations, that allow for descriptive conversations with parents
Due to the screen size and speed of a tablet, data can instantly be made into graphs and other easily accessible visual materials. This allows for more effective conversations, since the data can be more easily understood at a glance, especially for those who are not familiar with the field. Furthermore, not only do images and data visualizations capture a child’s attention more successfully than numbers and stats, but similarly to parents not in the medical field, it is easier for them to understand too (think: “This is where you are, and this is where you should/will be.”).
4. Offer positive reinforcement through tablet games, activities etc.
Finally, just for the kids, tablet games can educate children through interactive and fun activities. Anatomy and surgical games will help children better understand medical procedures and help reduce stress. Light-hearted quizzes can help identify gaps in their knowledge.
References
Glenn, B. (2011). Mobile health apps hold big potential for diabetes management. Retrieved from http://www.modernmedicine.com/modernmedicine/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=790809
Sifferlin, A. (2012). 5 great health apps you should download now. Retrieved from http://healthland.time.com/2012/08/16/5-great-health-apps-you-should-use-now/
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4 Reasons Tablets Benefit Salepeople
Image Provided: http://www.flickr.com/photos/scobleizer/2341035218/sizes/m/
Sales
The emergence of tablet computing has created a tremendous opportunity for sales managers. They now have the ability to arm their sales force with powerful, media rich devices that are less obtrusive than laptops. Tablets act as a presentation tool that enables front line sales people to educate clients , and prospective clients on complex products through data visualizations and other forms of media.
Sales people can share information with clients via tablet
Product catalogs can be large, heavy and hard to navigate. Tablets allow sales people to share information within catalogs quickly, while incorporating hi res images and interactive content.
Pull up information quickly
Unlike catalogs, which involve flipping through pages, tablet applications can incorporate a search function and allow quick navigation between multiple products.
Use graphics to help tell a story in a way that is very memorable
Printing high resolution photos can be extremely costly. Tablets applications allow sales people to tell a story and engage customers.
Visual conversations
A visual conversation allows sales people to explain their product, while using visual representations. Therefore visuals of products may spark a conversation and lead to more billings.
To talk to a mobile expert call Drew @ 905-526-0386 ext 550
Follow @drewthachuk
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This is an Exciting Time in the Mobile World
Following the early-summer release of the Samsung Galaxy S III, here are quick glimpses of the much-hyped-about iPhone 5, Microsoft Surface, and Windows 8.
Video of a leaked iPhone 5 model.
Source: Business Insider
Microsoft:
- iPhone 5: September 21, 2012 (unconfirmed, source: Business Insider)
- Microsoft Surface & Windows 8: October 26, 2012 (confirmed, source: Android Authority)
- Update: Samsung is now planning to launch the next Galaxy Note on August 29th (confirmed, source: Mashable)
- Update: Nokia will announce its Windows 8 smartphone on September 5th (confirmed, source: Business Insider)
Infographic: Smartphone and Tablet Use in the Classroom
Here’s a neat infographic showing how current mobile technology is affecting modern classrooms. Students and teachers both agree that tablets can facilitate learning and studying. In fact, teachers want more technology.
Source: Mashable
Read MoreTypes of Apps to Anticipate for 2012
Our previous post about the benefits of native apps clearly outlines the ways in which they can be better than web-based apps. Here are some types of apps to anticipate for 2012, made possible through native-app attributes.
- Mobile Social Networking
According to Peters (2012), the attraction on social networking lies in allowing people to share information in real-time, whether it be their interests, the restaurant at which they are currently enjoying dinner, or photos of their surroundings, the people they are conversing with, the drink they’re recommending. Built-in smartphone features such as cameras and GPS streamlines this sharing process. (Stats for mobile usage for social networking)“It’s all about context, frictionless sharing and push-notification-driven user interfaces. The best apps won’t tell you about every random person or restaurant that you walk by; just the ones that will trulymatter.”
-— Brett Martin, Co-founder and CEO, Sonar - Location-Based Services
Location information provided through a smartphone’s built in GPS allows native apps to cater information and advertisements to a user’s location (restaurants, libraries, other users, etc).“We are really starting to see location-based services ‘come of age’. People are realising that sharing their location often offers some kind of reward in terms of a discount or deal. It is the combination of time and context – directing people towards a deal when they can easily redeem it – that unlocks a powerful tool for marketers to develop precise targeting approaches”
– James Fergusson, Global Director, TNS - Context-Aware Service
Related to location-based services are context-aware services. These services take into account a user’s smartphone history use, interests, activities, schedule, preferences, amongst other things, to provide the user with information and advertisements customized to be relevant to them. - Object-Recognition
Object-Recognition technology is becoming more and more developed. It relies on a smartphone’s built-in camera and other sensors to recognize various items in a user’s surroundings, and then to provide to the user information related to the object. Imagine using your smartphone’s camera to view the CN Tower, and getting information about its hours of operation, admission fees, and whether anyone in your contacts list is currently in the tower! - Mobile Instant Messaging
Mobile instant messaging services such as Trillian, BBM, and Google Talk allows users to talk to their friends from what used to be just desktop messaging services. Johnson (2011) predicts that mobile instant messaging usage will triple by 2016, but will never replace SMS.“SMS is less socially intruding because users don’t feel the need to respond the messages instantly. [...] On the other hand, desktop-based apps have a sense of urgency and timeliness to them that makes users feel like they have to keep responding – similar to an actual conversation.
– Daniel Ashdown, Research Analyst, Juniper ResearchInstead, it is predicted that smartphone users will use both SMS and mobile instant messaging to fulfil their needs (Johnson, 2011).
- Mobile Commerce
Mobile commerce thus far is, in its most basic sense, an extension of eCommerce. However, mCommerce is expected to have unique mobile features such as checking in to a store (allowing retailers to know you are present), and adding products to a shopping cart by using object-recognition or bar code scanning technology. Here are interesting infographics on retail mobile apps usage,mCommerce strategies, and mCommerce stats for the United States. - Mobile Payment
Near Field Communication payment systems is not predicted to be widely used until 2015. Before that can happen, however, payment solution providers (Interac, PayPal, etc) will have to address issues such as ease-of-use and implementation while maintaining a high level of security, as well as service coverage and user awareness.
References
- Johnson, L. (2011, June 22). Mobile instant messaging usage expected to triple by 2016: Study. Retrieved from http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/research/10266.html
- Peters, M. (2012, May 5). Why the future of social is in the palm of your hand. Retrieved from http://mashable.com/2012/05/05/future-social-mobile/
- Pettey, C., and Gousduff, L. (2011, February 10). Gartner identifies 10 consumer mobile applications to watch in 2012. Retrieved from http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=1544815
- Russell, J. (2012, April 24). Location-based services have huge untapped potential worldwide. Retrieved from http://thenextweb.com/mobile/2012/04/24/report-location-based-mobile-services-have-huge-untapped-potential-worldwide/
- Shroeder, S. (2009, July 10). The future of the iPhone: Intelligent object recognition. Retrieved from http://mashable.com/2009/07/10/iphone-object-recognition/
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