Mobile Health Revolution - Killer Apps

There is a concern for the mobile health movement --- is this a hype? As seen in the recent interview of Dr. Eric Topol by John Nosta. The reason for the concern is the expectation of killer apps or home runs, and Dr. Topol did list a few. 

This is not different from the early days of internet or the dotcom era when the search for killer apps fed by funding frenzy that led to a bubble. Our experience with the internet has been one of an evolution over time, and a revolution after 15 years with many successes that offer valuable products. Google first appeared as a useful website to find information on the internet, which was limited at the time, and it was certainly not a revolutionary force changed our lives. Over time, its offers on search and map did become an integral part of our lives, a revolution completed. There are now so many internet services have transformed our lives, I am not sure if anyone is still try to conclude which are killer apps of the internet.

I believe mobile health will be very similar to the internet revolution. Initially, we will be looking for killer apps or home runs. Dr. Topol will have to tell the story of the airplane passenger saved by the iPhone ECG many times. This is also the time to ask questions about what issues/challenges faced by healthcare today can be addressed by mobile technology.  

It was fascinating to read the blogs by Dr. Janice Boughton on Why is American Healthcare So Expensive. Some of them are written like a nicely organized customer needs list when we began to design every new product in the medical device industry.  The challenges faced by Dr. Boughton everyday cry for better connection with medical information of her patients and devices that can help her in routine procedures so she can focus on cases truly demand her expertise.

I will resist the urge to ask or answer what are home runs so far for the mobile health revolution. The force of this movement is coming from engaged healthcare consumers wanting useful tools to manage their own health, is coming from early adopting healthcare givers embracing improved productivity, and finally is coming from payers need to dramatically reduce cost to make healthcare available and affordable for everyone.