The Journal of mHealth Vol 2 Issue 1 (February 2015) | Page 30

Predictions for mHealth: What Do We Need to Think About in the Future? Predictions for mHealth: What Do We Need to Think About in the Future? By Keith Nurcombe Keith Nurcombe has worked in healthcare for over twenty years spending the last few years working with businesses in the health and technology space, most recently building O2 Health where he was Managing Director until the end of 2012, since then he has been providing consultancy services to businesses. With mHealth growing at the rate that it is, deployments taking place in lots of markets and developments in technology and delivery really increasing, the market is starting to look at what might happen in the longer-term and what some of the questions and issues might be as we go forward. I, personally, think that there are some issues that we have to think about both as manufacturers/suppliers and also as commissioners/purchasers of care: Deployment at scale - is becoming more critical as commissioners start to look for solutions that serve larger cohorts of patients and work across wider patient groups with multiple conditions and mortalities. So far many of the deployments we have seen, have been smaller trails and set-ups looking at patient numbers of perhaps 200 up to 1,000. As the proven capabilities of these kinds of solutions start to take hold then we are going to have to think about deployments that can go towards 50,000 patients, and deal with comorbidities. This will deliver greater challenges and increase the complexity and scale of deployments in the community. Technology – this area is increasingly interesting. Almost daily, new pieces of technology, software and devices hit the market and offer new options and new capabilities for patients and healthcare professionals. What is clear to me is that just because a device exists, or can do something in particular, doesn’t mean that we should make use of that function. This is about technology being the enabler rather than the driver and that is key. Technology should allow us to deploy to more people and deploy more effectively. One of the critical things going forward will be to make greater use of the patient’s own devices rather than giving patients lots of new devices which they may not be familiar with and most importantly increases the cost of the deployment and the solution. Integration into healthcare systems and healthcare processes - is for me the real key issue in the next few years as projects scale-up and more patients start to use these kinds of technology. We have to deliver systems that integrate into existing processes and allow those processes to change and reflect the use of new technologies and solutions. For me, most importantly is the need for the patient to see and understand the data they are collecting and to really understand their condition and how it affects them. A well-managed and motivated patient is a patient who is able to selfcare as much as possible. We need to help patients see and understand their data while giving healthcare professionals the ability to see the data they need to manage the patient as cost-effectively as possible within the healthcare system. Avoiding duplication of services or latent capacity within healthcare As always the key is that when we make change, and we deliver service changes and improvements, that the capacity that is no longer used, or needed, is removed from the system or the cost savings that technology can deliver will not be found. As always, these are challenges that can be overcome and as suppliers and manufacturers we have to work with healthcare professionals and those who commission care to deliver the right level of service. n EXECUTIVE HEALTHCARE CONSULTING Nurcombe Consulting delivers interim senior management support, strategic business analysis, change management as well as development of plans and capability for entry into the healthcare market in the UK and globally. Experience at end to end business reviews and then implementing required changes to deliver strategic goals and change of direction for businesses. Management support at senior level within organisations to deliver change as well as day to day management of the running of the business. Support in delivering new business opportunities into new markets in the healthcare space with considerable experience in: • Pharmaceuticals • OTC and Consumer brands • Healthcare delivery to patients in their home • Tele-health and tele-care provision • Provision of staff and care for patients in their home and also in NHS and private care settings • Development of private healthcare opportunities working with the NHS and other state providers • Digital Health and the use and deployment of technology to support patient and health outcomes 28 With over twenty years experience in healthcare locally, regionally and globally this consultancy has the experience to deliver value to your business. For more information please visit www.nurcombeconsulting.com or email [email protected] February 2015