Health Summit Report

“The future ain’t what it used to be” –Yogi Berra

The term “mobile health,” or mHealth, can be a bit indistinct. It means different things to different people, even to those who attended last month’s mHealth Summit in Washington, D.C. What’s more clear, however, is that with a projected industry worth of between $1.9 billion and $4 billon by 2014, this space is on the precipice of disrupting health care as we know it – and it is worthy of our attention.

On a basic level, the term “mHealth” refers to the idea that mobile technology – from cell phones to tablets, medical devices and new innovations we haven’t even seen yet – is not only revolutionizing the way people gain access to health and wellness information, but also changing the face of acute care and disease treatment in every corner of the world. Technology is shifting the power dynamic from providers to people.

This burgeoning industry, however, is still finding its footing. There is tremendous potential in mHealth, located somewhere between the traditional health care players (hospitals, payors, physicians and pharma), technology’s start-up bonanza, and the needs and expectations of the public. One company that’s on the right track is WellDoc, with its much-admired DiabetesManager® system, a mobile, clinical coaching software with FDA approval. DiabetesManager® recently released data showing the program reduces the ER visits and hospital stays of type 2 diabetes patients by 58 percent.

Even seemingly non-health-related companies are recognizing the business and public health opportunity. At Edelman’s popular mHealth panel, heavy hitters from Ford, AT&T and Lockheed Martin addressed Edelman Health Barometer findings, explaining why they see mHealth as the next frontier in their industries as well. (Click here to watch Edelman’s panel, “Delivering Pan-Industry Disruption: Powering-Up the ‘m’ in Mobile Health,” and here to watch a powerful interview with panelist Richard Boyd from Lockheed Martin.)

More than 3,600 technology gurus, business leaders, health care and industry professionals and patient advocates attended this year’s mHealth Summit, up about 10 times since the year prior, yet another indication of the growth of the mHealth space.

Here are four of our takeaways from the Summit.

1. For mobile health to become “business as usual,” physicians and patients alike must be empowered to use mHealth technology. This revolution is in its early stage—and hinges on the smartphone.
   
   
2. The business of mHealth is complicated, and no unifying successful business model has been identified.
    
3. The U.S. government’s role in mHealth is evolving, serving as a catalyst for innovation in some cases and as a barrier in others. Particularly, issues of regulation and FDA approval are still very problematic for many mHealth start-up companies.
    
4. Undeveloped and emerging countries have a large role to play in mHealth. Mobile technologies have the potential to save millions of lives by allowing health care professionals to leapfrog over traditional development phases. In addition, these markets facilitate low-cost solutions that can be applied in the developed world.