The use of mobile devices like smartphones to support the delivery of healthcare (mobile, or m-Health) has witnessed unprecedented popularity and global penetration. Alongside digital health technologies, major healthcare delivery services and economies have been established, especially within the last decade. The growth and popularity of these areas are demonstrated globally in a variety of successful healthcare delivery services, which have formed out of the established strength of the global digital health economies, particularly in the developed world.
Furthermore, m-Health has attracted interest from public health communities worldwide. There is evidence that mobile and digital health technologies can play a transformative role in supporting and strengthening many global and public health areas and applications. In addition, there is ongoing global interest from the United Nations and institutions such as the World Health Organization and International Telecommunication Union.
This is most notable in low and middle-income countries (LMIC) where mobile traffic and internet usage has been increasing substantially in recent years. However, the healthcare impact, benefits, and outcomes of mobile and digital health in (LMIC) on a larger scale are yet to be proven.
In this Forum, we present and discuss some of the recent technological developments and innovations associated with mobile and digital health areas. It will also address some of the relevant policy, standardisation challenges and business models associated with these important services from a global perspective. The Forum will also discuss future directions and how continued innovations in these areas will be shaping the future of global healthcare delivery, especially in the developing world.
Speakers include:
– Professor Robert S. H. Istepanian, Visiting Professor, Institute of Global Health Innovation and Professor Bryan Woodward, Emeritus Professor of Engineering, Loughborough University – ‘Mobile health from a global perspective – exemplars from India and Iraq’
– Dr Mike Short, CBE, Chief Scientific Adviser, Department of International Trade – ’21st Century: Mobile Africa – the Digital Impact’
– Dr Michael R. Thomas, Research Associate, Department of Materials, Faculty of Engineering – ‘Mobile-phone connected diagnostics’
– Dr Natalia Kurek, Clinical Advisor & Private Secretary to Professor the Lord Darzi of Denham, Institute of Global Health Innovation and Dr Kelsey Flott, Centre Manager for the NIHR Patient Safety Translational Research Centre (PSTRC) – ‘The role of digital innovation for improving healthcare quality in extreme adversity’