Emerging mHealth field shows promise, faces challenges, Devex reports

In a health care exclusive feature, Devex examines the emerging field of mHealth, "the practice of using mobile devices for medicine and public health practices." According to the article, "[t]echnology is getting cheaper" and "the development of low-cost or free open-source software is spreading," which is why mHealth proponents say "mobile devices are ideal for improving health care consultations, data delivery and outcomes." Devex highlights several mHealth programs and discusses USAID's investments in the field. The article also examines "two major challenges" facing organizations working in mHealth: it is an interdisciplinary field, with little overlap in how computer scientists and public health officials communicate, and it is an emerging practice that is changing rapidly and "does not have a particularly rich history for researchers to mine for best practices" (Schiff, 7/16).