mHealth Alliance and TechChange to Offer Online Certificate Course on mHealth

The following is a press release about an online certificate course on mHealth.

First of its kind course will educate users on how mobile technologies are revolutionizing the health care industry

Washington, DC (May 30, 2012) -- TechChange and the mHealth Alliance today announced a four-week online certificate course on mHealth: Mobile Phones for Public Health. This first of its kind global online certificate course will run from November 12 - December 7 and will overlap with the 2012 mHealth Summit in the Washington, DC area.

The Mobile Phones for Public Health course will examine how mobile technologies are revolutionizing approaches to patient management, health education, diagnostics, and logistics. Through case studies, guest expert interviews, multimedia tutorials, interactive exercises, and live demonstrations of tools, participants will explore topics like SMS (text message) communication programs, smartphone applications, and health information systems for data collection and management.

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To wait or not to wait (for the next iPhone)... that is the question

I'm currently an Android user, but I think my next smartphone will be the iPhone. I've been on the Verizon network for over 10 years and I would have been an iPhone adopter, but I got stuck with Android. Current Android smartphones offer several advantages to the existing iPhone 4S on Verizon. Namely, the Android smartphones have 4G, they let you talk + surf simultaneously, they have bigger screens, and they offer better wireless hotspot capabilities (if you need such features).

So, I'm somewhat torn and I'm debating whether I should get an iPhone 4S (which I got for my wife about a year ago). Or, should I stick my existing Android smartphone and wait for the next iPhone? I'm sure that one will have 4G, will let you talk + surf simultaneously, and will be a nicer device than the existing iPhone 4S.

The iPhone 4S has one of the best digital camera/camcorder features on a smartphone, and that's another big reason why I feel so compelled to give up my Android. I find myself envying the quality of the photos and videos on my wife's iPhone.

I'm eligible for an upgrade on Verizon. To wait or not to wait... that is the question.

"txt 4 pharma" virtual conference

Save the date for MM&M's txt4pharma virtual event on Thursday, July 26, 2012!

txt 4 pharma is a virtual conference event in which cutting-edge leaders, thinkers and visionaries in healthcare marketing will discuss and share strategies, observations and insights on mobile health communications. It’s also a forum to foster live, interactive dialogue between delegates, speakers and sponsors.

Learn more and you can register here.

Tummy Trends app for patients with constipation

Do you treat patients who have constipation or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)? There's an app for that. This one is developed by Takeda Pharmaceuticals.

Patients who suffer from constipation and irritable bowel syndrome may have difficulty recalling or describing their symptoms and behaviors. Now there’s a free app for the iPhone and iPod touch that can help your patients record and track their symptoms, treatments, and behaviors and easily share them with you.

Discreet and user-friendly, Tummy Trends can help patients:

• Consistently record symptoms, treatments, and behaviors
• View charts and graphs that show data over time
• E-mail reports to you on a voluntary basis
• Have more information when they talk with you about their condition

Learn more about this app here.

Registration Now Open for the 2012 mHealth Summit

The 2012 mHealth Summit will deliver keynotes from industry luminaries; nearly 100 sessions including new Healthcare Delivery, mHealth in Hospitals and Global Health tracks; new sponsors, partners and strategic affiliates; expanded exhibit hall showcasing over 400 exhibitors and 4 themed pavilion and the mHIMSS Hospital Mobile Survey results.

Join more than 4,500 leaders from 50 countries and 250 domestic and international media to advance collaboration in the use of wireless technology to improve health outcomes and healthcare delivery in the United States and abroad.

You can register for the 2012 mHealth Summit in D.C. here.

PwC will be releasing a report on mHealth next month

On 7 June 2012, PwC will release a report about mobile health (mHealth) with analysis from the Economist Intelligence Unit.

This report examines the development of mHealth in ten countries, five developed and five emerging, and the role that various stakeholders — from healthcare payers to physicians and patients — can play in its development. These insights will help us understand its evolution and how it will transform healthcare as we know it today.

By definition, mHealth is the provision of healthcare or health-related information through mobile services or devices outside of traditional care settings. While it is a nascent phenomenon, it nevertheless will have a significant impact on how healthcare can be delivered and accessed.

To learn more and to reserve your copy, click here.

Does Foursquare have application in medicine or health care?

I'm an avid user of Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. I've been a late adopter of Foursquare but a few weeks ago, I decided to take the plunge and see if I could see whether it made any sense to try Foursquare. I often speak at conferences about social media, so it would only make sense for me to get on Foursquare and use it for a while. I have to admit that I've been pleasantly surprised by some of the things I've seen so far and I think I could make an argument that the medical and health care community could learn quite a bit from this rather simple social media app.

Here's how foursquare is described on their site:

foursquare makes the real world easier to use. We build tools that help you keep up with friends, discover what’s nearby, save money and unlock deals. Whether you’re setting off on a trip around the world, coordinating a night out with friends, or trying to pick out the best dish at your local restaurant, foursquare is the perfect companion.

Now, there are plenty of other apps that provide similar services. For instance, Facebook has the "check in" function. But, most people don't use Facebook to check in to places. On Foursquare, you can view who else is currently checked into a place. This can be both good and bad (it really depends on your comfort level with your personal privacy). When you check in using Foursquare, you're effectively telling the world (even though privacy settings can get adjusted).

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