Comments on: Emerging markets may shame developed markets into action on the m-health front http://www.telecoms.com/17409/emerging-markets-may-shame-developed-markets-into-action-on-the-m-health-front/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=emerging-markets-may-shame-developed-markets-into-action-on-the-m-health-front telecoms.com is the leading provider of global news, comment and analysis for the telecommunications industry Thu, 17 May 2012 09:30:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.6 By: Ade Bamigboye http://www.telecoms.com/17409/emerging-markets-may-shame-developed-markets-into-action-on-the-m-health-front/comment-page-1/#comment-6943 Ade Bamigboye Sat, 16 Jan 2010 01:29:16 +0000 http://www.telecoms.com/?p=17409#comment-6943 Politics and vested interests aside there are fundamental flaws in the business cases for m-health solutions aimed at managing chronic illnesses, resolving poor life style choices or assisting aging populations. The cost of devices required for monitoring is high. The care pathways required to ensure consistent assessment of needs followed by selection of the correct equipment are not there. The knowledge required by patients and their families to ensure that equipment is used correctly and looked after appropriately has not been fully developed or disseminated to where it is needed. It is partly in this context that there is resistance from the healthcare profession. Ultimately these same issues will affect uptake in emerging countries once the need moves from provision of basic healthcare to managing more serious issues. The emerging markets have much to do before that can begin to shame developed markets into action. Developed markets need to look at their own value chains and procedures for adopting new technology and forcing change. Politics and vested interests aside there are fundamental flaws in the business cases for m-health solutions aimed at managing chronic illnesses, resolving poor life style choices or assisting aging populations. The cost of devices required for monitoring is high. The care pathways required to ensure consistent assessment of needs followed by selection of the correct equipment are not there. The knowledge required by patients and their families to ensure that equipment is used correctly and looked after appropriately has not been fully developed or disseminated to where it is needed. It is partly in this context that there is resistance from the healthcare profession. Ultimately these same issues will affect uptake in emerging countries once the need moves from provision of basic healthcare to managing more serious issues.

The emerging markets have much to do before that can begin to shame developed markets into action. Developed markets need to look at their own value chains and procedures for adopting new technology and forcing change.

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