• Grasp the critical role of mHealth apps in managing hypertension, including their capabilities to track health metrics, improve medication adherence, and offer personalized health education and lifestyle guidance.
• Recognize the challenges and considerations involved in the development and adoption of mHealth apps for hypertension, such as privacy concerns, accessibility issues, and the need for integration with broader healthcare systems.
• Appreciate the future potential of mHealth apps in transforming hypertension management through advancements in wearable technologies, integration with digital health platforms, and the application of AI and predictive analytics to offer more proactive and personalized care.

Hypertension, defined as high blood pressure, is an increasingly prevalent health condition that affects over one billion people globally. Characterized by chronic elevated blood pressure in the arteries, hypertension is a major contributor to risks of stroke, heart attack, kidney failure, and other cardiovascular diseases. Though often asymptomatic, hypertension must be actively managed day-to-day through medications, lifestyle changes, and ongoing monitoring in order to mitigate these long-term health risks.

Mobile health (mHealth) applications have recently emerged as an effective tool to help both patients and providers better manage chronic conditions like hypertension. These smartphone, web, or tablet apps can empower patients to self-monitor relevant health metrics, provide education, set reminders, and maintain communication with a care team. Within hypertension, mHealth apps are especially useful for tracking blood pressure readings, medication adherence, diet and exercise, and related data that provides insights about daily management. 

The number of hypertension apps has exponentially grown, mirroring increasing smartphone use and digitalization of healthcare tools for chronic disease patients. With continued development addressing patient privacy, accessibility, and validation of their effectiveness, mHealth apps show high promise to positively impact outcomes. They serve as a convenient extension of traditional clinical care plans to enable patients better self-manage hypertension day-to-day. This article dives into mHealth apps and their impact on patients with hypertension.

Understanding Hypertension

Hypertension is defined by the American Heart Association as blood pressure higher than 130/80 mmHg. Though not an illness in itself, chronic hypertension directly correlates and contributes to higher incidence of stroke, heart disease, heart failure, kidney disease, and metabolic disorders. In the U.S. alone, nearly half of adults have high blood pressure. Globally, over one billion individuals suffer from hypertension, with the prevalence continuing to rise along with increased lifespans and rates of obesity and diabetes.

Development of hypertension stems from both genetic and lifestyle factors. Controllable causes include being overweight, physical inactivity, tobacco use, diabetes, high sodium intake, excessive alcohol consumption, high cholesterol, and chronic stress. Non-modifiable risk factors involve family history, age, and race. Secondary hypertension can also arise from kidney abnormalities, endocrine disorders, medications, or complications during pregnancy among other underlying medical causes.

Despite being a common condition that is easily diagnosed, hypertension remains challenging to sufficiently control long-term. Medication compliance is difficult for patients, with complex multi-drug regimens and side effects deterring consistent adherence. Lifestyle changes in diet, exercise, and unhealthy behaviors prove similarly difficult to implement and maintain by patients over time. Stress also induces biological responses that may directly increase blood pressure acutely. Consequently, only about 1 in 4 adults with hypertension have the condition under control. Improved chronic disease management solutions are imperative to target such barriers to better control hypertension.

The Rise of mHealth Apps

Mobile health applications utilize smartphone and wearable technology to support personalized health management and medical delivery. mHealth encompasses hundreds of thousands of apps and digital tools targeted at wellness promotion, disease prevention and monitoring, diagnosis services, treatment support systems, data analytics, and care provider communication.

Widespread smartphone adoption has driven exponential growth of mHealth apps among providers and patients alike over the last decade. These apps are revolutionizing healthcare delivery by enabling virtual care, telemedicine, and remote patient monitoring to supplement traditional in-person services. mHealth tools further empower patients to actively self-manage chronic conditions day-to-day, tracking health metrics, referencing educational content, and communicating with care teams.

For patients coping with lifelong conditions like hypertension, mHealth apps address common barriers to condition management between doctor visits and strengthen a patient’s ability to control their health. Features like medication reminders, blood pressure tracking logs, diet analysis, and patient education resources improve daily adherence to treatment plans. 

Data visualization helps identify lifestyle triggers and patterns for high blood pressure over time. Two-communication facilitates care coordination and quicker responses to worsening symptoms. Evidence shows utilizing mHealth technologies significantly lowers blood pressure on average among hypertension patients. If privacy concerns, accessibility issues, and lack of standardized quality measures can be further addressed within the evolving mHealth landscape, such virtual tools will drastically improve outcomes.

How mHealth Apps Can Help Manage Hypertension

mHealth applications provide several key functions that empower patients to better control high blood pressure. Apps allow for self-monitoring by easily tracking blood pressure readings manually or automatically from connected wireless cuff devices. This facilitates more regular measurement rather than solely at doctor visits, building comprehensive logs. Patients can also document potential lifestyle triggers, medications taken, symptoms, and appointments. Setting reminders and alarms for prescriptions adherence or health tasks like exercise establishes positive routines.

Many apps integrate educational modules that provide content about hypertension, related health risks, treatment guidelines, and prevention through diet and lifestyle adjustments. Interactive features like quizzes, videos, and daily health tips promote patient learning and ongoing engagement with the app. Other programs incorporate progress dashboards, data graphs, and visual trends on blood pressure to provide insights over time. This self-awareness through mHealth encourages the small, daily actions that reduce risks.

mHealth apps enable direct messaging with care providers and give access to curated health resources for reference between in-person appointments. Patients can send blood pressure logs and quick questions, troubleshooting worsening readings or side effects from medications via patient portals. Such functionality improves chronic disease management through ongoing communication, course correcting issues promptly, and coordinating care regimen changes faster.

Benefits for Treatment Adherence and Lifestyle Changes

mHealth apps provide invaluable assistance to overcoming patient barriers to medication compliance and adoption of lifestyle changes. App reminder alerts make regularly taking prescriptions on time simpler amid busy schedules. These prompts also provide positive reinforcement to establish healthy routines. For managing complex treatment plans, apps can automatically refill medications and enable syncing across multiple health portals for accessibility.

Diet and exercise modifications represent essential non-pharmaceutical methods to lower blood pressure. mHealth apps collect inputs like nutrition logs, body metrics, and fitness activity to give interactive feedback on progress. Content offers healthy recipes, exercise demonstrations, and wellness advice as well. Gamification components–award badges, trophies, and point rewards systems–boost user motivation. Over time, small tweaks driven by app use accumulate measurable improvements.

mHealth engagement encourages a constant sense of accountability to intentional health behaviors that prevent hypertension exacerbations. App dashboards provide visibility over how completing daily goals produces data reflecting positive trends. By participating in their own care management through tracking, education, and communication mHealth enables patients to feel empowered pursuing a healthy lifestyle.

Benefits for Improved Monitoring and Insights

The ability for continuous tracking of blood pressure readings is a major advantage mHealth apps provide patients. Whereas doctor visits may only record blood pressure monthly or quarterly, patients can self-monitor daily or multiple times per day. This high frequency data, documented over long periods, gives a much more accurate picture of overall trends and control. Additional metrics like diet, symptoms, and medication intake can be logged in correlation as well.

Sophisticated mHealth apps analyze the self-reported data through interactive graphs, charts, and timelines. These visualizations help identify individual triggers that influence blood pressure like diet sodium intake, stress, or missed prescriptions. Patients gain personalized insights about optimal times of day or cyclical patterns that accompany hypertension control challenges. Over time, extensive data paints a comprehensive profile of one’s condition.

Collected patient data and generated reports may also be shared electronically with care providers. This facilitates better assessment of hypertension progression, adjusting treatment plans accordingly with the patient. It also enables accountability through visibility by doctors over patient adherence and responses. The convenience of virtual communication supplements in-person visits with value-added digital touchpoints.

Challenges and Considerations of mHealth Apps for Hypertension

While offering immense potential benefits, integrating mHealth technologies into medical practice faces obstacles around privacy, accessibility, provider integration, and financial sustainability. mHealth apps rely on collecting personal health information, raising valid privacy concerns, especially as data breaches grow prevalent. Misuse of patient data also presents risks. Ongoing cybersecurity developments and enforcement of ethical data use policies are instrumental to address this barrier.

Considerable disparities also emerge on mHealth accessibility and digital literacy across socioeconomic status and age demographics. Solutions must focus on sufficient patient training resources in using apps while designing intentionally inclusive user interfaces. Cultural and language barriers also affect adoption for minority groups. Moving forward, research around optimizing mHealth app utility for diverse users is critical.

Beyond patients, physician skepticism and lack of technical fluency hinders recommendation of apps into care regimens. Clinician guidance represents the most trusted source for patients considering mHealth tools. Overcoming physician doubts through internal digital health training and accumulated evidence confirming mHealth efficacy will accelerate integration.

Undefined reimbursement and regulatory approval pathways impede the mHealth industry. While FDA has expedited vetting health apps, navigating policy bureaucracy and insurance coverage represents hurdles to widespread legitimacy. Government and commercial payers lag on incentives for doctors and patients to utilize clinically-validated mHealth therapies.

Developing mHealth Apps for Hypertension

The exponential growth of mHealth apps offers tremendous potential to transform hypertension management but requires deliberate design considerations to maximize patient benefits and clinical outcomes. When developing hypertension apps, core functionalities should capture rich longitudinal data through connected devices for remote monitoring, provide context through education and visual data interpretations, and enable streamlined communication with care providers.

To drive continuous user engagement, apps must deliver tangible value readily through intuitive and rewarding experiences. Gamification elements that make progress tangible help sustain motivation. Technology integrations across multiple touchpoints–like wearables and EMRs–also improve convenience and visibility over health changes. Apps promoting realistic goal setting and accountability through sharing tracked results with clinicians yield the highest patient retention.

Because mobile apps enable regular self-care in a patient’s natural environment, they can identify individualized triggers and trends more sensitively than clinical visits. Passive data collection through sensors and tracking lifestyle contexts around blood pressure entries enhances these insights. Algorithms distilling patterns further personalize feedback and interventions specific to an individual’s fluctuating health status.

Approaching hypertension management through mHealth necessitates a patient-centered design mindset with customization and simplifying complex treatment regimens. Centering end user needs and perspectives is instrumental to overcoming barriers to sustained adoption. Co-creating solutions with patient input maximizes clinical validity and long-term utility. With thoughtful development targeting inclusiveness, privacy, and interoperability with emerging digital health infrastructure, mHealth promises substantially better hypertension control.

Working with an App Developer on a mHealth App for Hypertension

For healthcare providers and organizations seeking to create a clinically validated mHealth solution for hypertension patients, partnering with a specialized app developer offers invaluable expertise. A reputable mobile health developer understands integrating evidence-based treatment guidelines and behavior change best practices within user-friendly app experiences. They also provide strategic guidance on vital but complex considerations around data security, scalability, and regulating compliance.

Collaborating cross-functionally, providers contribute crucial medical oversight ensuring clinical validity while developers handle technical build and optimization. Beginning with aligning on intended outcomes, both parties iteratively design an intuitive patient journey addressing core patient and provider needs.

Customizability represents a key advantage of mHealth apps over generalized wellness products. Developers enable personalization for medication scheduling, health metric thresholds, education priorities, and various permission settings. White label mobile apps easily configure to specific care programs, a health system’s brand, and visual identity. Over time, analytics visibility helps pivot offerings to user segments with varying levels of condition severity.

As digital health interoperability standards progress, developers must also architect flexible integrations with complementary platforms like wearables, EMRs, and telehealth. Approaching mHealth solutions holistically within emerging health tech ecosystems maximizes convenience and connectivity. Such partnerships between medical and tech experts enhance possibilities for transformative mobile health innovations.

The Future of mHealth Apps for Hypertension

As mHealth apps continue proliferating, significant opportunities exist to maximize impact for hypertension patients through emerging technologies. One area of rapid innovation involves wearable biosensors and connected devices that passively gather health metrics without manual entry. These include digital blood pressure bracelets, EKG/heart rate trackers, and ingestible sodium intake sensors. Seamlessly capturing such data 24/7, analyzed by machine learning for insights, will enrich mHealth efficacy.

Integrating mHealth functionalities across multiple digital health platforms also streamlines accessibility and utility. Apps linking with patient electronic medical records, telehealth platforms, and health system patient portals unify chronic disease management. Cross-platform accessibility with auto-populated data facilitates holistic analysis by care teams and personalization of interventions.

Finally, artificial intelligence (AI) and predictive algorithms will revolutionize future mHealth apps. Personalized AI assistants can provide tailored guidance and notifications, anticipating individual needs based on learned routines and preferences. Predictive analytics applied to diverse health data may also forecast hypertension risk trajectories and recommend preemptive treatment adjustments through precision insights. Such functionality moves mHealth apps beyond reactive treatment support towards optimized and eventual preventative solutions.

With hypertension impacting over one billion globally, scaled adoption of digitally-empowered, evidence-based mHealth apps can dramatically alleviate its debilitating complications and costs. Their promise to augment routine care through daily personalized support is increasingly within reach through ongoing technological and collaborative advancements between patients, developers, and healthcare providers.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about mHealth Apps for Hypertension Management

1. What are mHealth apps, and how do they assist in managing hypertension?

mHealth apps are mobile applications designed to support health and wellness, particularly for managing chronic conditions like hypertension. These apps enable patients to self-monitor their blood pressure, track medication adherence, log diet and exercise activities, and maintain communication with their healthcare providers. By providing tools for daily management and insights into health patterns, mHealth apps empower patients to take control of their hypertension and make informed decisions about their health.

2. What features do mHealth apps for hypertension typically offer?

mHealth apps for hypertension commonly offer a variety of features aimed at supporting patients in managing their condition. These features include blood pressure tracking logs, medication reminders, dietary analysis, patient education resources, data visualization for identifying lifestyle triggers, and two-way communication with healthcare providers. These functionalities help patients adhere to their treatment plans and make lifestyle adjustments that contribute to better blood pressure control.

3. Are there any privacy concerns associated with using mHealth apps for hypertension?

Yes, privacy concerns are a significant consideration when using mHealth apps, as these applications collect and store sensitive personal health information. Users should ensure that the app they choose employs robust security measures to protect their data from unauthorized access or breaches. Developers and providers must adhere to stringent data protection regulations and ethical guidelines to maintain user trust and safeguard privacy.

4. How do mHealth apps for hypertension improve medication adherence and lifestyle changes?

mHealth apps improve medication adherence by setting reminders and alerts for patients to take their medications as prescribed. They also support lifestyle changes by allowing users to log dietary intake and physical activity, offering feedback on progress, and providing access to educational content on healthy living. Gamification elements and interactive tools further motivate users to adhere to their treatment plans and engage in behaviors that lower blood pressure.

5. What is the future of mHealth apps in hypertension management?

The future of mHealth apps in hypertension management looks promising, with advancements in wearable technology, AI, and predictive analytics expected to enhance their effectiveness. Wearable devices will provide continuous, passive monitoring of vital health metrics, while AI and predictive algorithms will offer personalized guidance and anticipatory adjustments to treatment plans. Integration with digital health platforms will also streamline care coordination, making mHealth apps a central component of comprehensive hypertension management strategies.

1. Gain an understanding of how mobile apps are revolutionizing chronic disease management by offering tools for symptom tracking, medication adherence, and telehealth consultations.
2. Recognize the importance of patient empowerment and data security in the context of mobile health apps, and how these factors contribute to effective and safe disease management.
3. Learn about the emerging trends in health technology, such as AI and machine learning, and their anticipated impact on the future development and capabilities of chronic disease management apps.

Chronic diseases are on the rise globally, presenting an enormous health and economic burden. Heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and other chronic conditions now account for over 70% of deaths in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Managing these lifelong diseases often requires diligent day-to-day tracking of symptoms, medication adherence, doctor visits, lifestyle changes and more. This can be challenging for patients who must find ways to integrate disease management into their daily lives.

Mobile health apps provide a convenient and easily accessible way for patients to better monitor and manage chronic health conditions. By putting tools literally in the hands of patients, mobile apps allow people to track health signals, log symptoms, record medications, set reminders and communicate with healthcare providers from anywhere at any time. Apps have the potential to help patients gain greater control over their health.

This article will explore how mobile technology is being leveraged to help patients better manage chronic diseases. The goal is to assess how apps can supplement traditional medical care to help empower patients and improve outcomes.

The Rise of Chronic Diseases

Chronic diseases are defined as lifelong conditions that can be controlled but not cured. These long-term health issues include heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, chronic respiratory conditions and more. The National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion notes that 6 in 10 adults in the US have at least one chronic disease, and 4 in 10 have two or more. The prevalence of chronic conditions is rising not just in the US but globally, fueled by aging populations, unhealthy lifestyles and improved treatment that prolongs lifespans.

Managing chronic diseases over months, years or even decades presents ongoing challenges for patients. Care requires paying close attention to diet, exercise, medication routines, symptoms, doctor visits and lifestyle adjustments. Patients must find ways to smoothly integrate disease management into their daily lives. Tracking health indicators is crucial for detecting signs of improvement or deterioration. Without vigilant self-management, chronic conditions can worsen over time and lead to life-threatening complications.

Self-management is thus critical for those with chronic diseases. This involves keeping track of medications, recording symptoms, monitoring vitals like blood pressure and blood sugar, and scheduling and attending medical appointments. Traditionally patients have relied on paper logs and notebooks for self-management, but mobile apps offer a more convenient digital solution. Apps allow patients to easily record health data and access it anytime, promoting greater engagement in personal health.

• Grasp the Essence of Gap Analysis: Readers will understand the concept of gap analysis in healthcare, its significance, and how it can help in optimizing the functionalities and usability of healthcare apps to better meet the needs of users.
• Recognize the Benefits and Challenges: Gain an understanding of the numerous advantages of conducting a gap analysis, such as fostering innovation and anticipating risks, while also being aware of the challenges involved, particularly around data privacy and the fast-paced changes in the healthcare landscape.
• Learn a Structured Approach: Discover a systematic 5-step process for performing a gap analysis, from defining the scope to continuously monitoring and adapting the plan, ensuring that healthcare apps remain current, relevant, and user-centric.

In today’s digital era, healthcare apps have revolutionized the way patients receive medical care and how healthcare providers operate. With the surging demand for these applications, it’s imperative that they meet user needs comprehensively. However, as the healthcare environment continually evolves, there can be mismatches between what these apps offer and what patients or providers truly require.

Here at Dogtown Media, as a leading healthcare app developer, we have the expertise and insights to assist organizations in identifying these gaps. Our vast experience in the field allows us to understand user needs deeply, evaluate current app functionalities, and craft strategies to bridge any discrepancies. Identifying these gaps is not only crucial for enhancing patient care but also ensures that healthcare providers offer seamless and effective services. Dive into this article to gain a profound understanding of the essence of gap analysis in healthcare, its significance, and the steps involved in the process.

What is Gap App Analysis in Healthcare?

Gap analysis in healthcare refers to the process of comparing current performance, functionalities, or offerings with the desired or potential ones. In the context of healthcare apps, it entails examining the existing features, usability, and outcomes against the needs and expectations of end-users – be it patients, doctors, or administrative staff. 

The main objective of such an analysis is to pinpoint areas of improvement or innovation that can bridge the divide between the current state and the desired future state. This process aids in uncovering missed opportunities, areas of inefficiencies, or even potential risks, ensuring that healthcare apps are tailored to serve their audience in the best possible manner.

What Are The Benefits Of A Gap App Analysis?

Gap analysis offers a multitude of advantages, especially in the realm of healthcare. Firstly, it provides a clear snapshot of where a healthcare app currently stands in terms of functionality, usability, and user satisfaction. By identifying these discrepancies, stakeholders can prioritize areas of improvement and allocate resources more efficiently. Additionally, this process helps in anticipating potential risks or issues before they escalate, safeguarding both providers and patients. 

Conducting regular gap analyses fosters a culture of continuous improvement and innovation. It also ensures that the app remains relevant and beneficial amidst the dynamic nature of the healthcare industry. Moreover, by aligning app functionalities with actual user needs, healthcare organizations can enhance patient engagement, boost provider productivity, and ultimately achieve better health outcomes.

Challenges in Conducting a Gap Analysis in Healthcare

Conducting a gap analysis in healthcare is not without its challenges. Data privacy remains paramount; obtaining, handling, and analyzing health-related data requires stringent adherence to regulations, ensuring that patient confidentiality is never compromised. Another challenge is the rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, with frequent changes in regulations, standards, and patient needs. 

This dynamism makes it challenging to pinpoint a moving target, as the desired ‘future state’ can shift before changes are even implemented. Technological constraints also pose problems. Legacy systems, integration issues, or the rapid pace of tech advancements can impede a thorough and timely analysis. Together, these challenges necessitate a strategic and agile approach to gap analysis in healthcare.

How to Perform a Gap Analysis for Healthcare Apps in 5 Steps

Step 1: Define The Scope of Your Analysis

Every journey requires a starting point and a defined path. In gap analysis, the process commences by meticulously determining the boundaries of your evaluation. Is your study confined to a particular module of the app, a specific medical department, or the entire institution? 

Setting this scope is more than just a preliminary step; it establishes the framework, drives the direction of the analysis, and ensures the relevancy of collected data. Furthermore, by marking clear boundaries, stakeholders gain clarity on their roles, ensuring efficiency and coherence as the process unfolds.

Step 2: Identify The Current Gap

To recognize disparities, a clear understanding of the present scenario is paramount. Start by collating detailed data on existing app functions, operational efficiencies, and perhaps more importantly, user feedback. 

With this assembled information, dig deeper into the underlying reasons for the observed gaps. Was it a technological lag, evolving user requirements, or perhaps a strategy that didn’t pan out? Identifying the root cause isn’t solely about addressing existing gaps—it’s a proactive approach to preempt and prevent similar shortcomings in the future.

Step 3: Define The Desired Future State

Once the present is fully understood, shift your focus to the future. This isn’t about mere enhancements but creating an aspirational vision for where you’d like your healthcare app to be. How do you want your app to evolve to cater to emerging patient needs? How can technology advancements be seamlessly integrated? By answering these critical questions, you set forth a comprehensive and forward-looking blueprint that’s both reflective of user aspirations and aligned with strategic organizational goals.

Step 4: Develop and Implement a Plan of Action

Identification of gaps is half the battle; the other half is effectively bridging them. This phase involves chalking out a thorough strategy. Enumerate clear steps, assign responsibilities, and ensure there’s a timeline attached to each action point. 

Amidst this planning, the importance of setting Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) can’t be overstated. KPIs serve a dual purpose—they offer tangible metrics to gauge progress, and they provide accountability. In the dynamic world of healthcare, where change is the only constant, having quantifiable metrics ensures that the course remains true and any deviations are promptly addressed.

Step 5: Monitor and Adapt Your Plan

A gap analysis isn’t a one-off process; it’s an ongoing commitment to excellence. As you roll out changes, engage in relentless monitoring. Continuously track your KPIs and assess whether the plan’s execution aligns with the desired outcomes. But remember, flexibility is key. As the healthcare landscape evolves, be prepared to pivot your strategies.

Regularly solicit feedback, stay updated with technological innovations, and be ready to make necessary adjustments. This adaptive approach not only ensures that the healthcare app remains at the pinnacle of its potential but also that it consistently delivers unparalleled value to its users.

Emerging Trends in Healthcare App Offerings

The healthcare domain is currently witnessing a confluence of technological advancements and evolving patient expectations. One notable trend is the rise of telemedicine, allowing patients to consult doctors remotely, a change catalyzed further by the global pandemic. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are also taking center stage, offering predictive diagnostics and personalized patient care plans.

Furthermore, wearable technologies are promoting preventive care, empowering patients to monitor their health metrics in real-time. As patient needs shift towards a desire for more autonomy, integration, and real-time care, apps will need to adapt accordingly. In this dynamic setting, continuous gap analyses become vital. They ensure that healthcare apps remain aligned with these shifting trends, maintaining their relevance and efficacy, and delivering optimal patient outcomes.

The ever-evolving landscape of healthcare technology underscores the significance of staying ahead of the curve. As emerging trends reshape patient needs and technological capabilities, healthcare apps must rise to the challenge, ensuring they remain pertinent and beneficial. 

Regular gap analyses act as a compass, guiding these apps towards continuous improvement and ensuring that they consistently align with their users’ expectations and the industry’s advancements. In essence, the future of healthcare apps lies in their adaptability and their commitment to meeting the needs of an increasingly informed and empowered patient base.

• Predictive analytics in healthcare utilizes data, statistical algorithms, and machine learning techniques to identify future health outcomes and risks based on historical data. This powerful tool enables healthcare providers to make more informed decisions, enhance patient care, and reduce costs by identifying at-risk patients, optimizing resource allocation, and providing personalized treatment plans.
• The benefits of predictive analytics in healthcare include improved patient outcomes, increased efficiency and cost savings, enhanced resource allocation, better population health management, improved clinical decision support, and accelerated medical research. However, challenges such as data quality and availability, data privacy and security, and the need for proper education and training of healthcare professionals must be addressed to fully leverage its potential.
• The future of healthcare predictive analytics is promising, with advancements in machine learning and artificial intelligence enabling more accurate and faster predictions. Integration with electronic health records (EHRs) facilitates data-driven decision-making at the point of care, making patient care more efficient, personalized, and cost-effective. By embracing predictive analytics, healthcare providers can optimize patient care and transform the healthcare industry.

The Power of Predictive Analytics in Healthcare

The healthcare industry has seen significant advancements in recent years, with the adoption of cutting-edge technologies that have revolutionized how patient care is delivered. Among these advancements is predictive analytics, a powerful tool that has the potential to transform healthcare outcomes by making data-driven predictions about future events.

 By leveraging machine learning, AI, and statistical algorithms, predictive analytics can enable healthcare providers to make more informed decisions, enhance patient care, and reduce costs. In this article, we will explore the concept of predictive analytics in healthcare, its benefits, and its impact on patient outcomes and healthcare operations. Dogtown Media works with healthcare organizations to develop mHealth apps that can help organizations improve patient outcomes.

What is Predictive Analytics in Healthcare?

Predictive analytics in healthcare refers to the use of data, statistical algorithms, and machine learning techniques to identify the likelihood of future outcomes based on historical healthcare data. It involves the analysis of large datasets containing patient demographics, medical history, vital signs, lab results, and other relevant information to recognize patterns and trends. These actionable insights can then be used to predict potential health issues, assess risk factors, and create personalized treatment plans that cater to individual patient needs. Organizations can also utilize remote patient monitoring to improve patient outcomes.

Benefits of Predictive Analytics in Healthcare

The implementation of predictive analytics in healthcare has a wide range of benefits that lead to improved patient outcomes, increased efficiency, and significant cost savings.

Improved Patient Outcomes

By identifying at-risk patients before they develop complications, healthcare providers can proactively intervene and offer tailored preventive measures. Predictive analytics can help identify potential health issues in their early stages, allowing for more effective treatment and better management of chronic conditions. Personalized treatment plans based on individual patient data can lead to better adherence, improved patient satisfaction, and ultimately, better health outcomes.

Increased Efficiency and Cost Savings

Predictive analytics can play a crucial role in reducing hospital readmissions, which are often costly and indicative of inadequate patient care. By identifying patients who are more likely to be readmitted, healthcare providers can take preventive steps and allocate resources more effectively. Additionally, predictive analytics can help reduce unnecessary testing by identifying which tests are most likely to yield useful results, thus saving time and money.

Enhanced Resource Allocation

Healthcare organizations can utilize predictive analytics to optimize their resource allocation, ensuring that they have the right personnel, equipment, and facilities in place to meet patient needs. By forecasting patient volumes and the types of care required, healthcare providers can make data-driven decisions about staffing levels, bed capacity, and equipment purchases. This can lead to more efficient and cost-effective operations, as well as improved patient care.

Improved Population Health Management

Predictive analytics can help healthcare providers and public health organizations to monitor and manage the health of entire populations. By analyzing data on a large scale, these organizations can identify trends and patterns that may indicate the emergence of new health issues or the spread of infectious diseases. This information can then be used to develop targeted interventions, inform public health policy, and allocate resources to address the most pressing health challenges.

Enhanced Clinical Decision Support

By integrating predictive analytics into electronic health records (EHR) systems, healthcare providers can access real-time insights and recommendations that support clinical decision-making. For example, predictive analytics can help providers identify potential drug interactions, assess the risk of surgical complications, or determine the most appropriate treatment course for a particular patient. This can lead to more accurate diagnoses, safer treatment options, and improved patient outcomes.

Accelerated Medical Research

Predictive analytics can also play a significant role in advancing medical research. By analyzing large-scale clinical data, researchers can identify correlations and trends that may not be evident through traditional research methods. This can help accelerate the development of new therapies, diagnostics, and treatment protocols, ultimately leading to improved patient care and health outcomes.

Challenges and Considerations

While the benefits of predictive analytics in healthcare are numerous, it is crucial to address certain challenges and considerations to fully leverage its potential.

Data Quality and Availability

The effectiveness of predictive analytics relies heavily on the quality and availability of data. Ensuring data accuracy and completeness is crucial for generating reliable predictions. Healthcare organizations must invest in data validation and cleaning processes to address any inconsistencies or missing information.

Addressing issues of data privacy and security is also paramount, as handling sensitive patient information comes with inherent risks. Healthcare providers must comply with data protection regulations such as HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) in the United States and GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) in Europe, while also implementing robust security measures to protect patient information from breaches and unauthorized access.

Interpreting and Acting on Predictive Insights

Incorporating predictive analytics into clinical decision-making requires that healthcare providers understand and trust the predictions generated. This necessitates ongoing education and training for medical professionals, ensuring they are equipped to interpret and act on predictive insights effectively.

It is also important to recognize that predictive analytics should not replace clinical judgment but rather serve as a supplementary tool to support healthcare providers in making more informed decisions.

Examples of Predictive Analytics in Healthcare

Predictive analytics is already being employed in various healthcare applications, showcasing its potential to improve outcomes and streamline healthcare operations.

Early Warning Systems for Sepsis

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body’s response to an infection becomes dysregulated, leading to organ dysfunction. Identifying patients at risk of developing sepsis and triggering early intervention is critical to improving sepsis mortality rates in hospitals. Predictive analytics can analyze patient data, including vital signs and laboratory results, to identify subtle patterns indicative of sepsis risk. By alerting healthcare providers to at-risk patients, early warning health systems facilitate timely intervention, reducing sepsis-related morbidity and mortality.

Predictive Analytics for Chronic Disease Management

Chronic conditions, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), can lead to exacerbations that require hospitalization. Predictive analytics can help identify patients at risk of exacerbations by analyzing factors such as medical history, medication usage, and environmental triggers. By predicting these events, healthcare providers can personalize treatment plans, implement preventive measures, and closely monitor at-risk patients, ultimately reducing the frequency of hospitalizations and improving patients’ quality of life.

Personalized Medicine and Targeted Therapies

Personalized medicine aims to tailor treatments based on a patient’s unique genetic makeup and molecular profile. Predictive analytics can be utilized to identify potential therapeutic targets and recommend the most effective treatment options. By analyzing genomic data, biomarkers, and patient-specific clinical information, healthcare providers can predict which patients are most likely to respond to targeted therapies, thereby maximizing treatment efficacy and minimizing potential side effects.

Hospital Readmission Prediction

Reducing hospital readmissions is an essential goal for healthcare organizations, as they are often associated with increased healthcare costs and poorer patient outcomes. Predictive analytics can be employed to identify patients at high risk of readmission by analyzing factors such as demographics, clinical history, and social determinants of health. By identifying high-risk patients, healthcare providers can implement targeted interventions, including care transition plans, home visits, and telemedicine support, to prevent unnecessary readmissions and improve patient outcomes.

Predictive Analytics for Mental Health

Mental health disorders are complex and multifaceted, making them challenging to diagnose and treat. Predictive analytics can be used to identify patterns in patient datails that may indicate a higher risk of developing mental health disorders, such as depression or anxiety. Factors such as sleep patterns, social interactions, and self-reported mood can be analyzed to provide healthcare providers with insights into a patient’s mental health status. This information can be used to develop personalized treatment plans and preventive strategies, ultimately improving mental health outcomes for patients.

The Future of Predictive Analytics in Healthcare

Predictive analytics is quickly becoming the future of healthcare. With this innovative analytics technology, healthcare providers can utilize data to identify patterns and predict potential health risks, ultimately improving patient outcomes. This includes predicting readmissions, identifying potential diseases, and understanding personalized treatments that can be more beneficial than generalized ones. Predictive analytics helps healthcare providers make informed decisions, rather than having to rely on intuition or chance. As the healthcare industry continues to evolve, predictive analytics will undoubtedly play a crucial role in providing better patient care.

Advancements in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence

Machine learning and AI are rapidly advancing, and these technologies are bringing significant improvements to the accuracy and speed of predictions in healthcare. Machine learning data and analytics technology provides the ability to detect patterns and derive insights that might be difficult for a human to identify. 

AI can analyze vast amounts of data to predict the future occurrence of health events and provide personalized interventions. These technologies enable healthcare providers to offer predictive, proactive care, rather than reactive care, which can lead to better outcomes and lower healthcare costs. As research continues to develop, we expect to witness an even more promising future for predictive analytics in the healthcare industry.

Integration with Electronic Health Records

Electronic Health Records (EHRs) play a significant role in the integration of predictive analytics in the healthcare industry. With EHRs, healthcare providers can easily store, access, and analyze patient data. By using data from EHRs, healthcare providers are equipped with real-time patient health information for accurate and personalized decision-making at the point of care. 

Predictive analytics combined with EHRs can provide a complete picture of a patient’s health, help predict future health risks accurately, and provide accurate treatment recommendations. Therefore, the integration of predictive analytics and EHRs makes patient care more efficient, personalized, and cost-effective.

Predictive analytics has become a promising tool in the healthcare industry to enable early identification of potential health issues and the execution of preventive interventions. Although there are still challenges to implementing predictive analytics more broadly within the healthcare industry, the benefits are significant. 

Healthcare providers and organizations must consider adopting predictive analytics and develop strategies to make the most of its potential benefits. By doing so, we can optimize patient care by detecting and addressing potential health risks before they become severe.

Dogtown Media, with its expertise in developing cutting-edge mobile applications and deep understanding of the healthcare landscape, is ideally positioned to help healthcare organizations develop and implement predictive analytics apps. Our team collaborates closely with clients to create customized solutions that address their unique needs and challenges. 

By leveraging our experience in mHealth app development, machine learning algorithms, and artificial intelligence, we empower healthcare providers to make data-driven decisions that enhance patient care, optimize resource allocation, and facilitate early intervention for improved health outcomes.

Embrace the future of healthcare by partnering with Dogtown Media to develop innovative predictive analytics applications that drive better patient outcomes and streamline healthcare operations. Together, we can transform the way healthcare is delivered, making it more personalized, proactive, and effective for all.

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We are thrilled to announce that Marc Fischer, CEO and Co-Founder of Dogtown Media, will be speaking at the prestigious 75th American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting, taking place from April 22-27, 2023. The event will be held in a hybrid format, offering participants the option to attend in person in Boston or to participate live online. The AAN Annual Meeting is renowned for its diverse offerings, top-tier education, and cutting-edge science in the field of neurology, attracting medical professionals and experts from around the world.

NeurCare App: Revolutionizing Remote Monitoring for Neurological Patients

Marc Fischer will present on NeurCare, our groundbreaking mHealth app designed to remotely monitor patients with neurological disorders and provide early detection of neurotoxicity due to CAR T-Cell immunotherapy treatments. His session, titled “Remote Monitoring of Neurological Patients,” will take place on Thursday, April 27th at 11:45 AM EST, both in-person and online.

The presentation will delve into the global shortage of neurologists and the impact of COVID-related restrictions on patient care. To address this gap in care, Dogtown Media collaborated with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop NeurCare, a self-administered mobile app that can remotely monitor a patient’s condition.

Tackling the Global Shortage of Neurologists with mHealth Solutions

In his talk, Marc Fischer will discuss the long-term goal of employing smartphone-embedded sensors to measure various neurological functions in a patient-autonomous manner, thereby reducing the need for in-person consultations and easing the burden on healthcare providers. He will also share insights into the development process of the NeurCare app, including the challenges faced and lessons learned while creating an intuitive, user-friendly tool for both patients and healthcare providers.

The session will cover the testing and validation of NeurCare, providing an in-depth look at the app’s performance in detecting and characterizing clinical manifestations of neurological disorders. Marc will discuss the app’s accuracy in assessing variations in handwriting, such as micrographia, dysgraphia, and agraphia, and its potential to serve as a valuable tool for physicians and healthcare providers in monitoring patients remotely.

The NeurCare app has already received recognition as an awardee in the Improving Detection of Neurotoxicity in Immunotherapies QuickFire Challenge by Johnson & Johnson Innovation LLC. This award highlights the potential of NeurCare to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs by enabling early detection of neurotoxic events in patients undergoing immunotherapies within the hematologic malignancy space.

Dogtown Media’s Commitment to Healthcare Innovation and Improved Patient Outcomes

We are proud to have Marc Fischer represent Dogtown Media at the AAN Annual Meeting, showcasing our commitment to addressing critical healthcare challenges through innovative technology solutions. The NeurCare app is just one example of our dedication to improving patient outcomes and advancing the field of neurology. As a leader in mHealth app development, Dogtown Media continues to explore new ways to leverage technology in enhancing patient care and transforming the healthcare landscape.

If you’re attending the AAN Annual Meeting, be sure to catch Marc Fischer’s presentation on NeurCare and the future of remote monitoring of neurological patients. This session promises to offer valuable insights into the role of technology in addressing the challenges faced by patients and healthcare providers in the neurology field. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from our mHealth app development experience and to discover how NeurCare is shaping the future of patient care in neurology.

Heart disease is a serious and widespread health concern, with millions of people suffering from one or more heart-related conditions every year. While there is no single cause of heart disease, there are several common risk factors, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, smoking, poor diet, and lack of exercise. 

To help address these issues, a number of new strategies have been developed to support and promote cardiovascular health. These include everything from new medications and surgical procedures to dietary supplements and lifestyle changes. Innovations in medical wearables and apps have allowed us to track our heart rate, monitor our sleep patterns, and identify potential risks for developing cardiovascular issues.

Using a combination of wearable technology and healthcare applications, healthcare organizations can improve patient cardiovascular outcomes. Dogtown Media works closely with healthcare organizations to develop a number of mHealth applications for various purposes. 

Moving Towards Wearables and mHealth Apps

In today’s digital age, healthcare is rapidly shifting towards a more data-driven approach. Many hospitals and clinics are increasingly relying on medical wearables and health apps to track patients’ vital signs and monitor diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease. These devices allow doctors to closely monitor cardiac health and track trends over time, giving them valuable insights into individual patient needs. What’s more, many apps can also automatically sync with electronic medical records, allowing for easier sharing of information among providers.

These tools can not only provide important insights into a patient’s health, but they can also alert doctors or other care providers if there are any abnormalities or potential risks. For example, devices that measure heart rate variability can identify excessive stress in the cardiovascular system and help to identify patients who may be at risk for heart attacks or strokes. Additionally, apps that track food intake and physical activity patterns can provide valuable information on dietary habits and exercise regimens that may be contributing to poor cardiac health. 

How mHealth Apps can Improve Cardiac Health

mHealth apps can be incredibly beneficial for cardiac health, as they allow users to monitor, track, and analyze their heart rate and other important cardiovascular markers. Not only do these apps help to identify potential issues via real-time data collection and analysis, but they also empower users to take control of their own cardiac health.

By providing personalized recommendations and interventions based on each user’s specific needs, mHealth apps can help individuals improve their heart health through better diet, exercise, and sleep habits. Additionally, these apps can be used in conjunction with other medical treatments to help monitor and optimize their effectiveness, providing invaluable support for patients coping with cardiac issues.

Challenges to this Trend

There are a number of challenges that currently hinder the widespread adoption of smart, wearable technologies in clinical practice for cardiac health. One major obstacle is the accuracy of these devices, which can be lacking when it comes to sensing and monitoring important data such as heart rate and blood pressure. 

Additionally, these devices must be clinically validated in order to provide reliable data on a patient’s cardiac health status. Furthermore, there is a lack of standardized regulatory policies governing the development and use of mHealth apps and wearables. Without clear guidelines, it is difficult to ensure that these devices are both user-friendly and secure from potential privacy risks.

However, despite these challenges, there are many reasons why designing effective mHealth apps and wearables for patients with cardiac health concerns is crucial. For one, these devices have the potential to improve outcomes for patients by giving them easier access to their medical records, testing results, and therapies via intuitive interfaces that are also easy to learn. 

Additionally, ensuring that these technologies maintain high levels of data security can help patients feel more confident sharing their information with clinicians as well as other users of the app or platform. In order to successfully overcome the obstacles facing mHealth applications in cardiology and improve patient outcomes, it will be essential to continue investing in research and development efforts aimed at improving device accuracy with clinical validation, standardizing regulatory requirements for optimal usability and safety, and enhancing privacy protections through encryption tools that safeguard sensitive data. 

Through collaboration between technology companies and healthcare providers, we will be able to design truly effective solutions that facilitate improved heart health management for patients living with chronic conditions such as coronary artery disease or atrial fibrillation. Dogtown Media works with healthcare organizations to develop iPhone applications and Android applications to meet the needs of patients.

Operating room scheduling is a challenging task. With so many different patient needs and surgical specialties, countless factors exist to create an effective and efficient operating schedule. For example, some patients may need longer recovery times after surgery, or some surgeons may have more complex procedures that inherently require more time. Because of these complexities, operating room scheduling requires careful planning and coordination at every step of the way.

For one thing, OR surgeries are typically performed on tight schedules, with patients often only having a short window for treatment and procedures not running late. And since ORs need to be staffed by multiple surgeons, nurses, and specialized personnel, making sure that resources are allocated is essential for getting the job done effectively. Additionally, many moving parts are involved in managing the flow of patients through the OR doors and making sure that their surgery goes smoothly–from booking appointments at the front desk to coordinating follow-up visits with patients post-op.

To successfully manage this scheduling process, teams of healthcare professionals must utilize a variety of resources and tools. This balancing act can prove particularly difficult in facilities with limited resources and high demand, which may require surgeons and nurses to work additional overtime hours or even seek employment elsewhere. Artificial intelligence is quickly and effectively transforming how healthcare organizations tackle surgery scheduling. 

Dogtown Media is an expert at developing mHealth AI applications for healthcare organizations. 

Using AI for Operating Room Scheduling

Artificial intelligence has the potential to revolutionize many different fields, including healthcare. One particularly promising use of AI is in the scheduling of operating rooms, where it can help medical staff meet patient needs and run surgeries smoothly and efficiently. Using machine learning algorithms, hospitals have identified patterns in surgery scheduling and data from past operations. 

With this information, they can optimize schedules and plan for future surgeries by predicting blockages or delays before they occur. Additionally, AI can recommend the most suitable surgery candidates based on factors such as age, location, or health history. 

Precise Scheduling

Predictions of surgical case duration are becoming more and more precise with each passing year, and their use has the potential to greatly improve scheduling processes. By using data on past surgical cases, researchers have developed algorithms that can predict the duration of upcoming surgeries with a high degree of accuracy.

By allowing surgical teams to better understand how long certain procedures will take, surgeons can better allocate their resources and work more efficiently. Whether assigning extra staff or ordering supplies in advance, reliably anticipating needs can help facilities avoid waste and maximize efficiency across the board. 

Coordinating Rooms

Traditional approaches to scheduling rely heavily on manual processes and human judgment to determine how best to allocate operating rooms. AI can effectively coordinate the operation of different spaces and ensure that resources are available when needed. 

For instance, by using a combination of modeling algorithms and machine learning, an algorithm can determine how to allocate resources in a timely manner while also satisfying all patient needs. By better-utilizing staff resources across multiple departments and giving physicians greater accuracy about long-term scheduling requirements, artificial intelligence has great potential for making surgical care safer and more efficient than ever before. 

Reducing Surgery Cancellations

There has been a lot of recent interest in using artificial intelligence (AI) for surgical cancellation. One of the main benefits of using AI for this purpose is that it can help to identify potential canceling surgeries more efficiently and accurately than humans can. This capability is important because cancellations consume significant resources within the healthcare system, from staff time to operating room availability. They also negatively impact patient outcomes by increasing wait times and making it more difficult to schedule follow-up appointments.

Different types of AI could potentially reduce the rate of surgical cancellations in various ways. For example, some models have effectively predicted which surgeries will likely get canceled based on historical patterns of cancellation rates. Armed with this information, hospitals could implement specific action plans designed to lower these rates, such as increasing resources when cancellation rates are typically higher or working more closely with scheduling personnel to minimize last-minute changes.

Dogtown Media: Your mHealth App Developer

At present, most healthcare organizations still need help to keep up with changes in the industry. Many lack the resources and technological capabilities needed to effectively manage the data and scheduling systems that drive modern medical practices. One potential solution to this problem is to work with a 3rd party developer to create an AI-powered surgery scheduler. 

By partnering with a top developer, healthcare organizations could overcome their current limitations and ensure that their patients always receive optimal care. In addition, such an application would help reduce costs for health providers and patients, eliminating many of the bottlenecks that currently cause waste and inefficiency.

At Dogtown Media, we are proud to offer a full range of mHealth app development services designed to help healthcare professionals and patients alike. Our team of experienced developers has the technical knowledge and skill needed to take your healthcare app idea from concept to reality. Using a proven development framework, we help our clients better understand and refine the features that truly set their mHealth app apart from the competition. 

Whether you need an existing app optimized or a brand new mobile health tool created from scratch, we have the expertise and experience necessary to deliver outstanding results every time. So if you’re looking for expert mHealth app development services, look no further than Dogtown Media!

As scientists continue exploring the many complex interactions of chemistry, they are encountering a new challenge: how to leverage this incredible body of knowledge to create better artificial intelligence systems. Chemists have developed deep understandings of everything from natural processes, like photosynthesis and chemical reactions, to artificially created substances, such as plastics and drugs. However, utilizing this wealth of information to create programs and algorithms that can reason in sophisticated ways has proven difficult.

As a leading artificial intelligence (AI) developer, we understand the importance of utilizing AI to solve challenging problems. 

Developing Chemical and Pharmaceutical Products

When it comes to creating new chemical and pharmaceutical products, chemists typically rely on a basic set of reaction conditions customized for each new compound. This process is extremely labor-intensive and time-consuming, as the chemist must first optimize the reactants and temperatures for each product before attempting to synthesize it. While this approach does have its advantages, it can also be limiting in terms of efficiency and scalability.

What is really needed is a set of general conditions that work for most reactions. This process would allow researchers and scientists to quickly and easily mass-produce chemicals from different starting materials without relying on specialized expertise or trial and error. By better understanding the underlying principles behind different chemical reactions, we could create a powerful tool that automates this process and puts the power of chemistry into the hands of anyone. Ultimately, this could revolutionize the manufacturing industry by making custom chemical and pharmaceutical products more accessible than ever before.

Nevertheless, scientists are currently working on marrying these two fields to pave the way for an exciting future in AI, where chemistry plays a crucial role. By analyzing trends in chemical reactions, identifying new compounds with unique properties, and developing cutting-edge modeling techniques, chemists will undoubtedly make major strides towards creating more advanced AI systems that can truly replicate human thought processes.

Exciting Research

In order to tackle this problem, researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign teamed up with collaborators in Poland and Canada to develop a machine-generated optimized reaction setup. Through extensive experimentation and testing, they could double the average yield of a particular type of chemical reaction essential for making many important medications. 

Initially, the researchers begin by running a variety of chemical reactions through a sophisticated computer model that generates potential reaction pathways using building blocks similar to those found in nature. This matrix consists of millions of different synthesis pathways generated by combinatorial chemistry techniques in an algorithm that groups together similar reactions based on their structure. 

Next, the AI analyzes this data to identify promising reaction clusters – groups of reactions that are likely to produce similar outcomes – and sends instructions back to the molecule machine, which synthesizes representative samples from each cluster. Through this iterative process, the AI continues to optimize its selection of experimental conditions based on feedback from each experiment, gradually narrowing down the possible reaction paths and selecting only those with optimal results.

By comprehensively exploring all reaction possibilities at high speed and using smart algorithms to organize these results, this innovative AI system can help chemists design new processes more efficiently than ever before. Their method provides a powerful platform for finding optimal conditions for other types of reactions and could help to unlock some of the most challenging synthesis problems in modern chemistry.

The machine-learning process described in this paper applies not only to chemical reactions but to many other types of scientific problems. By analyzing a wide range of experimental data and using this innovative machine-learning approach, scientists and engineers can better understand complex chemical systems and processes and identify the best conditions for optimizing certain reactions. 

Whether it’s developing new medicines, improving crop yields, or creating novel materials for industrial applications, this machine-learning approach has the potential to make significant advances across many different fields of chemistry. 

Utilizing Artificial Intelligence

Given the tremendous benefits that AI offers, it is no surprise that its use continues to grow exponentially. However, for companies without the expertise or resources to develop their own AI-based applications, working with a third party can be an effective option. By outsourcing AI development to an experienced service provider, companies can take advantage of the latest advances in this field while benefiting from expert guidance throughout the process.

At Dogtown Media, we have a team of expert mHealth app developers who understand the unique challenges and opportunities surrounding artificial intelligence. Our developers have extensive experience developing secure, cutting-edge applications that leverage the latest advances in AI technology. Whether your project involves natural language processing, pattern recognition, or another area of AI innovation, we can help you create an application that meets the needs of your business and your users.

So if you’re serious about bringing an artificial intelligence solution into your portfolio, contact us today to learn how Dogtown Media can help you succeed. With our expertise and experience in developing award-winning software for a variety of industries, perfectly positioned to guide you every step of the way toward building the AI solution of your dreams. Let’s get started!

We’ve all witnessed the meteoric growth of telehealth that has seemingly refused to slow since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, backed by recent telehealth tracking data, it seems that telehealth is on another tear—this time telehealth growth has witnessed an uptick of 10.2 % in May, occupying 5.4 % of all medical claim lines, according to new data. 

This data solidifies that for the second month in a row telehealth use has increased, data gathered by the FAIR Health Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker.

So, what does this mean for you as an organization on the cutting edge of telehealth? Well, as an mHealth app development firm recognized as one of the top San Diego-based app development firms, we’re confident that this data marks a chapter fo explosive growth for telehealth, which will undoubtedly create incredible opportunity for your organization. Let’s dig in!

The FAIR Health Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker

FAIR Health is an independently functioning nonprofit designed to collect and manage data for the nation’s largest database of privately billed health insurance claims. This nationally recognized nonprofit is entrusted with Medicare Parts A, B and D claims data dating back to 2003, making it one of the largest nationally managed repositories of healthcare data.

The tracker itself that identified this increase in telehealth use is one of FAIR Health’s services designed to assess changes in telehealth activity monthly by tracking various metrics such as insurance claims, procedure code entries, and diagnostics. 

And although COVID-19 is undoubtedly a major driver in the increase in telehealth use, the FAIR Health tracker follows privately insured claims such as Medicare Advantage members; however, it’s important to note that FAIR does not track Medicare Fee-for-Service and Medicaid beneficiaries. This aggregation of data provides the best insight into where telehealth stands today and where it’s going in the near future.

Recent Growth in Telehealth

Catalyzed by the global COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth is now a cornerstone of healthcare in today’s modern society. In fact, the January release of the FAIR Health Monthly Regional Telehealth Tracker found an unprecedented uptick in telehealth services throughout the United State for the third month in a row, showing that telehealth doesn’t show signs of slowing even after the COVID-19 pandemic has begun to wane. In November of last year, COVID-19 occupied at least one position on the telehealth diagnoses list and accounted for a 7.3 % increase in telehealth usage. 

In May, national telehealth continued to rise, growing to an astonishing 10.2 % and  the share of telehealth-related medical claims rose from 4.9% in April to 5.4% in May.

Digging Into the Data

So, what exactly is driving this growth, you ask? Understanding where COVID-19 plays a role is critical. COVID-19 rose to second most telehealth diagnosis nationally, moving from the number three spot just a month before. In the southern and midwest states the rise in COVID-19 diagnosis was the same, moving to the second and third position respectively. And in the west COVID-19 diagnosis moved to the second spot for telehealth-related medical claims. 

Further, this recent May report delivered by the FAIR Health Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker showed that one thing had not changed-the number one position for most common telehealth procedure. Even with the unprecedented growth of COVID-19 related telehealth claims, CPT 90837 that represents one-hour psychotherapy held the No. 1 spot both at the national and regional level.

What’s Next for Telehealth

While it’s still unknown what mHealth technology will look like as we move into the future, however, it’s becoming quite certain that mHealth and telemedicine are here to stay. And, sad as it may be, as COVID-19 continues to redefine our daily lives, mHealth will undoubtedly evolve to meet the needs of our society. 

With this incredible growth in telehealth, it begs the question, is now the time to jump into the telehealth app space and capture some market share of the booming market? We believe the data in this piece, and other subsequent pieces we’ve released show that telehealth is in its early stages of a massive multi-billion dollar industry. Those who get in early, will surely reap the rewards of tomorrow’s technology focused healthcare ecosystem. 

Here at Dogtown Media, we’re dedicated to helping our clients bring their app ideas to the market. With over ten years of app development for businesses of all sizes and industries, we are confident we can be your go-to development agency. Reach out today to learn more about how we can help with your next mHealth app!

Digital innovation in healthcare is positioned to be the single greatest driver in improving patient outcomes, extending life and creating a more equitable future for populations around the world. 

As healthcare organizations look to digital innovation to solve real-world healthcare challenges, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)—a US federal agency that provides health coverage to more than 100 million people through Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and the Health Insurance Marketplace—released an update to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule proposal (the “Proposed MPFS/Rule”) that formalizes a new innovative branch of healthcare known as Remote Therapeutics Monitoring (RTM). 

Until now, RTM has largely acted as an addition to the more well-established Remote Physiological Monitoring (RPM) system from the regulatory framework perspective. Now, with the addition of five CPT codes – a uniform coding practice for medical services and procedures to streamline reporting, and insurance claims -, RTM will stand on its own as a formal medical service.

As a mobile applications development organization firmly committed to supporting mHealth app development, we believe that mHealth applications are the future of healthcare, and remote therapeutics monitoring will have a tremendous impact on the landscape of digital health. Let’s take a closer look at how remote therapeutics monitoring will change the world of healthcare, starting with making a big splash at the 7th Annual Neurological Disorders Summit.

About the 7th Annual Neurological Disorders Summit

The 7th Annual Neurological Disorders Summit is a healthcare symposium hosted in the heart of San Francisco with the intent to provide a unique opportunity for neuroscientists and physicians to share their research and experiences with the leaders in their fields. The program includes keynote speeches from internationally renowned scientists. Each of these speakers helped to shape the modern concepts of neuroscience. In addition, there will be sessions for oral and poster presentations. Presentations in these sessions will provide an overview of the cutting-edge technologies being used to address difficult therapeutic and theoretical issues in neuroscience.

NDS-2022 is unique in its approach of encouraging a dialogue between the basic and clinical scientists. We expect to have these dialogues both during scientific sessions and networking time. We hope to make the summit particularly educational and inspiring for young scientists who will get an opportunity to interact with leading experts.

How This Year Will Further the Conversation Around Remote Therapeutics Monitoring

This year, the 7th Annual Neurological Disorders Summit is set to showcase the value remote patient monitoring provides to the medical community by hosting Dogtown Media in collaboration with the National Institute of Health to present Remote Monitoring of Patients with Neurological Disorders. Marc Fischer, CEO and Cofounder of Dogtown Media, a Los Angeles-based mobile app developer, is set to present the talk, sharing his unique perspective on the value of remote patient monitoring. 

Marc Fischer CEO and Cofounder of Dogtown Media, exuberant about the opportunity to speak at such an esteemed event noted, “Telehealth health apps and wearable devices are opening up new possibilities for patients. Bringing hospital services to the home is the future of healthcare.” 

Moving Forward

As a premier mobile app development house, Dogtown Media has launched over 200 apps, and counting. Our team is experienced in creating solutions for a wide range of platforms, including iOS, Android, HTML5 Web Apps and more. Headquartered in Venice Beach, California with a presence in San Francisco, New York City, and London. Since 2011, our team of hardened techies We offer specialized packages to satisfy a range of needs and budgets, from rapid prototyping for startups to full-featured interfaces for international enterprises.

If you’re interested in learning how Dogtown Media can help bring your remote therapeutics monitoring solution to the market contact us. We’d love to help!