Increasing Your 'App'titude

Trends & tips for going mobile in healthcare

We’re rapidly becoming a nation powered by mobile devices. Nearly 80% of Americans have mobile phones¹, and more than a quarter of those users have opted for smartphone devices over traditional cell phones.² Predictions are that more than half of all mobile phone users will go “smart” over “cell” by November of this year. ³

Healthcare providers are adopting mobile technology even faster. Almost three-quarters of physicians already use smartphones, and that number is poised to exceed 80% by 2012.⁴

8 out of 10 physicians will have smart phones by 2012.

Smartphones—essentially cell phones with computer-like operating systems—enable users to be online nearly all the time. That means that the importance of the voice function is minimized as data and content features take center stage. For physicians, the unlimited access to Internet is a strong driver for their interest in mobile market. Within 3 years, U.S. physicians will likely make no distinction between accessing the Web via smartphone or personal computer, according to findings by Manhattan Research, LLC.⁴

What does this mean for the healthcare industry, and what do we do with this knowledge?

The short answer to those questions is “go mobile.”

For any business centered on customer service, it’s impossible to ignore the power of mobile technology. For healthcare—motivated by patient-centric service and communications, this is particularly true. Here are some practical ways that you and your organization can “Go Mobile.”

• Use mobile devices:
If you’ve not yet done so, incorporate the use of smartphones and/or tablet devices into your daily life. The best way to understand how to make the most of the computing capabilities of these ultra-portable devices is to make use of them on a regular basis. Consider unifying the kind of products used throughout your organization to ensure seamless communications and simplify updates and maintenance of operating systems and equipment. If you are conflicted about choosing between iPhone®, Android™ or BlackBerry®, bear in mind the market penetration of each option. iPhone is highly established with loyal followings. Android devices have quickly gained market share, exceeding Blackberry and iPhone usage as of January of this year.⁵

• Create a mobile-friendly web presence:
Because more and more people are accessing the Internet through mobile devices, it’s essential that websites be formatted for the most optimal viewing on these smaller screens. If you are updating or creating a primary website, be sure to incorporate viewing standards that are conducive to mobile viewing. Through “mobile detect,” websites can discern if they’re being accessed via mobile or standard browsers and display the proper versions accordingly. Mobile friendly sites are built with awareness of the constraints of mobile viewing, in order to better accommodate those unique needs.

• Increase your “app-titude”:
Mobile applications provide direct, quick-access to select information and functionality. It seems no matter what we want to know or what we need to do, there truly is “an app for that.” The most effective and widely used applications are very audience-focused—developed to answer the interests and needs of those who will access the app. In healthcare, apps can offer a multitude of interactions and information options, especially as the industry enters the era of the Electronic Health Record. As health information goes digital, it’s a natural evolution to incorporate mobile apps as tools to connect patients and providers alike to key data. Healthcare-related apps keep lines of communication and information open 24/7, 365 days a year and are increasingly popular. At present, of the approximately 6,000 mobile apps available for download in the iTunes® App Store, 73% are targeted to consumers, with 27% designated for healthcare professionals for example iPrescribe, iCD9 and iPharmacy.⁶

• “Go with” mobile technology:
An interesting and often liberating aspect of our increasingly mobile society is the ability to be closely in touch without being geographically near. From texting and “Facetime” on the iPhone to Skype™ and distance video conferencing, we no longer have to be in the same place to stay on the same page. Mobile devices bring us together even when we’re apart, and this fluidity of communications has taken hold at the root systems of our work and personal lives. For younger demographics, these communications options are fundamental to life experience, while for others, they are still perceived as new innovations. Nonetheless, our modes of sharing information are forever altered across the board thanks to mobile technology.

With awareness of the shift to mobile communications, Emdeon has responded to the challenge with practical solutions. Here are a few examples:

When accessing www.emdeon.com on a mobile smart phone, you’ll find the site automatically loads for optimized mobile viewing. The interface of the website is formatted specifically for smartphone screens, with simplified navigation and easily viewable content.

Emdeon Vision^SM Mobile is a mobile website that functions as an extension of the Emdeon Vision web-based application designed to give healthcare providers quick access to the claim management side of their practices. Through this website, providers can securely and conveniently view key metrics of their practices.

We’ve integrated these mobile solutions as part of our corporate commitment to customer connectivity. The motivation to “go mobile” stems from the priority placed on meeting customers where they are...be that in the field, online or on the go—with smartphones in hand.

1- http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1007927
2- http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2371907,00.asp
3- http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/consumer/smartphones-to-overtake-feature-phones-in-u-s-by-2011/
4- http://mobihealthnews.com/7505/72-percent-of-us-physicians-use-smartphones/
5- http://mashable.com/2011/03/08/android-smartphone-platform-report/
6- http://www.closerlook.com/thinking/physician-patient-mobile-marketing/

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