Improving healthcare delivery using internet and mobile technology
Technological revolution has truly changed the living dynamic of our generation. As a matter of fact, technology has changed every outlook of our lives irrespective of where we live on the planet. We preoccupy ourselves, obsess and put an auxiliary life value to social media and perhaps, would spend most of our lives on our phones and computers. Though this may seem to reduce our everyday productivity, it is not always gloomy. The dynamics of our everyday living that revolves around mobile and internet technology provides a predome to improve the quality of our everyday healthcare.
Using internet technology, rapid communication can be established reducing hospital wait-times through e-prescription; computerized disease registries i.e. bone marrow donor systems, electronic medical records, computerized provider prescription order entry and consumer health mobile applications all aiming at improving healthcare access and delivery. In addition, disease related symptoms can easily be accessible on online medical platforms and search engines which may ultimately drive our decision to seek proper medical care.
This concept is particularly crucial in Africa; 70% of Africa’s burden of disease is through maternal and child mortality, infectious diseases, neglected tropical disease and communicable diseases which are preventable under permitting condition. The lack of a mainstream platform to bridge this gap between healthcare service need and healthcare service delivery is lacking. Whilst data is very limited with respect to the use of IT in healthcare improvement in Africa, the rise in smartphone connection in Africa provides a unique opportunity in improving healthcare through mobile and internet technology. Nigeria, the giant of Africa and Africa’s most populous nation has often been regarded as “Ground zero” for infectious diseases. Despite the contrary, data shows that Nigeria internet technology sector is the fast growing in Africa; with 18 smart phones been sold every minute. This could help improve overall health service delivery.
Whilst the quality of our everyday healthcare can be improved, there is limited evidence that internet and mobile technology can improve the actual healthcare outcome. The rise in access and usage of smart phones and internet technology may champion a global drive to improve healthcare service through feasible, practical and easily accessible technological mobile technology ideas.
Overall, the dynamics of our global lifestyle is beginning to revolve completely around mobile and internet technology and the healthcare service delivery sphere has been the most bureaucratic. The adoption of a more mobile and internet technology based healthcare approach can help healthcare providers improve health delivery through a better synchronised care delivery, reliable and secure information sharing, safer care at lower cost, reduced medical technical errors and earlier diagnosis to improve overall health outcome.