The GSM Association (GSMA) revealed the findings of a new report at the Mobile Health Summit in Cape Town, South Africa, last month. The GSMA report showed that mobile operators have a growing opportunity in telemedicine that will enable health care providers to improve access, reach, quality and affordability of care throughout the world.
The GSM Association (GSMA) revealed the findings of a new report at the Mobile Health Summit in Cape Town, South Africa, last month. The GSMA report showed that mobile operators have a growing opportunity in telemedicine that will enable health care providers to improve access, reach, quality and affordability of care throughout the world. Chris Locke, Managing Director of the GSMA Development Fund, said at the summit, “Today operators have evolved and are best placed to deliver the solutions addressing the issues that the global healthcare industry faces, by lowering costs and making healthcare more accessible.”
Advancements in mobile technologies have changed the landscape of the healthcare industry. The industry has experienced a major shift thanks to telecommunications technology – from services primarily offered in traditional settings, such as hospitals and clinics, to an increase in care provided in non-traditional settings. This shift has given rise to a growing demand for mobile health services – and an opportunity for mobile operators across the globe. Advancements in ICT capabilities, such as cloud-based software for storage and sharing of medical records and imaging, are also creating more opportunities for mobile operators in healthcare. Mobile operators are now expanding well beyond consumer voice and data services – offering comprehensive telecommunications for global businesses utilizing the latest telemedicine technologies. Some of the ways in which mobile operators are expanding their mHealth services include:
- Cloud computing for health information exchange services
- Enterprise collaboration
- Machine-to-machine integration
- Integrated payments systems
As telemedicine technologies become ever more advanced, opportunities for mobile operators will only continue to grow. The telemedicine industry will benefit from mobile operators continually developing strategies to better connect people and companies through increasingly sophisticated devices. These opportunities for mobile operators are poised to be a boon for the entire telehealth industry. To view or download the entire GSMA report, visit http://www.gsma.com/developmentfund/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Role-and-Value-of-MNOs-in-eHealth1.pdf.