ABSTRACT
For several years, mHealth has steadily climbed the curve of the hype cycle, with no end in sight. And with good reason—the sheer volume and expanse of the mHealth universe has been growing at an explosive pace. The infrastructure of mHealth (broadband and wireless networks) is either already in place or quick to implement. A majority of physicians in the United States are using PDAs or smartphones. A number of mHealth business models are developing, including provider services, direct-to-consumer and clinical technology integration. But for many physicians, mHealth represents a threat to volume-based reimbursement. The ever-expanding universe of mHealth innovation has spurred concerns about a set of common standards for mobile devices and applications. Product innovation in the mHealth space isn’t limited to devices and applications. Mobile is leveraging new wireless protocols—like 4G, Bluetooth and ZigBee—and new information technology architectures, like the cloud computing.
