{"id":20124,"date":"2020-06-30T07:54:54","date_gmt":"2020-06-30T05:54:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sms77.io\/?p=20124"},"modified":"2023-04-04T15:26:37","modified_gmt":"2023-04-04T13:26:37","slug":"inclusive-improvement-why-sms-matter-in-mhealth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.seven.io\/en\/blog\/inclusive-improvement-why-sms-matter-in-mhealth\/","title":{"rendered":"Inclusive improvement &#8211; Why SMS matter in mHealth"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"l-section wpb_row height_small\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_flex valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"vc_col-sm-12 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p><strong>If there is one thing that has become very obvious in the past weeks, it is\u00a0how immensely important digitization is for the health care system. However, even before Corona, the focus was slowly but surely shifting towards digital possibilities to support personal well-being. Pedometers and diet apps, virtual personal trainers and mindfulness exercises, and last but not least the app of your own health insurance company \u2013 our smartphones know a lot about what we do (or do not do) to stay healthy. This development is only logical, as the smartphone is our omnipresent companion today. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Ever since the release of the Corona-Warn-App, the benefits mobile devices and applications can offer in health care have reemerged to the public eye.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> mHealth offers the means to handle certain\u00a0health topics via mobile devices and is certainly one of the trends that will accompany us for a long time<\/span> to come.<\/strong><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"><strong> The possibilities for applications are endless, the potential is enormous. <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"><strong>In this technologically advanced field, SMS play an important role. They are considered to be trustworthy and reach the end devices even when there is no internet. We would like to show you a few examples where SMS are used to positively influence the lifestyle and health of the recipients.<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_medium\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_col-sm-6 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p>A word on data protection: Wherever extensive data is collected, data protection concerns are raised. Even though providers bear a great deal of responsibility, it is also up to the users to pay attention to who is using their data for what purpose.<\/p>\n<p>However, especially because of the fact that the fields of eHealth and mHealth in particular should remain accessible to older people, it is very important that health service providers and application developers also do their part to make the process transparent. mHealth can play a vital part in this.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_col-sm-6 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div id=\"ultib3-380149952969b4d0c77f53a\" class=\" ultb3-box ult-adjust-bottom-margin  \" style=\"\"><div id=\"Info-banner-wrap1247\" class=\"ultb3-info ib3-info-center\" data-animation=\"\" data-animation-delay=\"03\"><div class=\"ultb3-desc ult-responsive\"  data-ultimate-target='#Info-banner-wrap1247 .ultb3-desc'  data-responsive-json-new='{\"font-size\":\"\",\"line-height\":\"\"}'  style=\"font-weight:normal;\">mHealth stands for <b>mobile <\/b><br \/>\n<b>health<\/b>. The term describes (supporting) health measures that can be accessed on mobile devices.<br \/>\nIt is a specialization in the field of eHealth<\/div><\/div><\/div><style>\n\t\t\t\t\t#ultib3-380149952969b4d0c77f53a {\n\t\t\t\t\t\tmin-height:50px;\n\t\t\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\t\t#ultib3-380149952969b4d0c77f53a img.ultb3-img {\n\t\t\t\t\t\theight: px;\n\t\t\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\t\t#ultib3-380149952969b4d0c77f53a .ultb3-btn {\n\t\t\t\t\t\tborder:2px solid #1e73be;border-radius:50px;color:#898989;\n\t\t\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\t\t#ultib3-380149952969b4d0c77f53a .ultb3-btn:hover {\n\t\t\t\t\t\tbackground:#1e73be;color:#ffffff;\n\t\t\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\t\t#ultib3-380149952969b4d0c77f53a .ultb3-btn:focus {\n\t\t\t\t\t\toutline: 2px solid #005fcc;\n\t\t\t\t\t\toutline-offset: 2px;\n\t\t\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\t<\/style><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section><section class=\"l-section wpb_row height_small color_alternate\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_flex valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"vc_col-sm-12 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><h3>Prevention and Inclusion<\/h3>\n<p>Especially in countries where access to the internet is not a given, studies have shown that sending text messages can be useful in the prevention of diseases. Here, organisations often send out hygiene rules or detailed information on certain diseases to educate the recipients.<\/p>\n<p>In some regions, SMS may even provide the only reliable access to health information. In this situation, messages are not just an additional service. They provide valuable information that dramatically improves the quality of life of their recipients. The implication here is that\u00a0SMS can not only help to prevent disease, but also ensure that groups that are low on resources are included in health programs.<\/p>\n<p>Even in more affluent areas, SMS reach their recipients reliably. Here, they are mainly used as an attention-grabbing tool to promote a better lifestyle. Not very surprisingly, it has been shown that people find it easier to maintain healthy habits if they are reminded regularly. In the end, this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/iot\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Socio-economic_impact-of-mHealth_EU_14062013V2.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">improved lifestyle <\/a>also leads to an improvement in health.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_col-sm-4 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><div class=\"ult-just-icon-wrapper  \"><div class=\"align-icon\" style=\"text-align:center;\">\n<div class=\"aio-icon none \"  style=\"color:#52c0fa;font-size:90px;display:inline-block;\">\n\t<i class=\"Defaults-child\"><\/i>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_col-sm-8 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p>In a joint effort with the government in Tanzania, the GSMA runs the mHealth initiative <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/mobilefordevelopment\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/HPHB_webinar_slides_final_external_1.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">&#8220;Healthy pregnancy, healthy baby&#8221;<\/a>. The expectant mothers receive important information through messages tailored to the course of their pregnancy. This is supposed help them stay healthy themselves and ensure that their children grow up healthy as well. The evaluation found that those who took part in the programme made positive changes to their behaviour in line with the recommendations.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section><section class=\"l-section wpb_row height_small\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_flex valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"vc_col-sm-12 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><h3>Treatment<\/h3>\n<p>Especially in the treatment of chronically ill patients, SMS have proven to be useful. In a study by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ehidc.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">eHealth Initiative<\/a> (USA), for example, it was shown that the rate of those who <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ehidc.org\/sites\/default\/files\/resources\/files\/Thakkar%202016%20JAMA%20text%20messaging%20meta%20analysis.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">take their medication regularly<\/a> doubles when they receive SMS reminders. Many other studies <a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1111\/jocn.12918\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">confirm an improvement<\/a>\u00a0of\u00a0this rate through the use of SMS reminders.<\/p>\n<p>The advantage SMS have over OTT apps is obvious. SMS are more likely to be perceived as serious and can be sent to any mobile phone, no matter how old it is or what operating system it is running. Furthermore, the entry barrier for such health programs is lower if no separate app needs to be installed.<\/p>\n<p>Of course the benefits of SMS reminders do not stop there. When the medication supply is running low, a message can remind patients that they will need to replace it soon. All you need to know is the size of the pack and how much medicine is taken, everything else is calculated and automated.<\/p>\n<p>Even beyond these application examples, SMS can provide added value for patients. Personalized messages and inquiries make patients feel less alone on their journey. Various thought-provoking impulses or instructions for exercises can also help them feel better. Here, the effort is low and the benefit on the recipient&#8217;s side is very high.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section><section class=\"l-section wpb_row height_small color_alternate\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_flex valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"vc_col-sm-6 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><h3>Aftercare<\/h3>\n<p>The patient is healthy again, so the treatment is complete. Therefore, doctor and patient no longer need to communicate with each other. You know what is coming: this is not true, of course. Aftercare and regular checkups are an elementary part of the work of health care providers, especially following more serious illnesses.<\/p>\n<p>In aftercare, you can occasionally ask former patients how they are doing through two-way communication. This not only strengthens the bond between doctor and patient, but can also help to detect relapses early on.<\/p>\n<p>It is particularly helpful for people with heart diseases to receive <a href=\"https:\/\/mhealth.jmir.org\/2020\/3\/e17776\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">reminders of regular blood pressure measurements<\/a>. Only if the measurements are taken and communicated regularly, deviations can be detected early and discussed with the authorised doctor.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, two-way communication can be very valuable in the aftercare of mental illness. In addition, patients can receive SMS resources for self-help, if they wish to do so.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_col-sm-6 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"w-image align_center\"><div class=\"w-image-h\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"597\" src=\"https:\/\/www.seven.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/mhealth_mock_sms_BP-300x597.png\" class=\"attachment-us_300_0 size-us_300_0\" alt=\"Reminder for blood pressure values via SMS. This is mHealth\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.seven.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/mhealth_mock_sms_BP-300x597.png 300w, https:\/\/www.seven.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/mhealth_mock_sms_BP-151x300.png 151w, https:\/\/www.seven.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/mhealth_mock_sms_BP-514x1024.png 514w, https:\/\/www.seven.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/mhealth_mock_sms_BP-250x498.png 250w, https:\/\/www.seven.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/mhealth_mock_sms_BP-600x1195.png 600w, https:\/\/www.seven.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/mhealth_mock_sms_BP-768x1529.png 768w, https:\/\/www.seven.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/mhealth_mock_sms_BP-400x796.png 400w, https:\/\/www.seven.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/mhealth_mock_sms_BP-201x400.png 201w, https:\/\/www.seven.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/mhealth_mock_sms_BP-200x398.png 200w, https:\/\/www.seven.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/mhealth_mock_sms_BP.png 904w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section><section class=\"l-section wpb_row height_small\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_flex valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"vc_col-sm-12 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><h3>Beyond mHealth: Organization and appointment reminders<\/h3>\n<p>The possible applications for mHealth are various and complex. But SMS can also offer healthcare providers great added value beyond mHealth. All health care workers know that occasionally, patients do not show up for their appointments. These appointment cancellations due to no-shows, cost time and therefore money.<\/p>\n<p>In the past it has been proven countless times that an appointment reminder via SMS in advance significantly reduces the no-show rate. In a 2019 study, the authors estimate that the Cantonal Hospital Aarau avoids <a href=\"https:\/\/radiologie.bayer.de\/aktuelles\/kongressberichte\/rsna-chicago\/rsna-2019-sms-erinnerung-reduziert-no-show-rate-bei-ambulanten-patienten?masterContent=76291179-fb1f-4dc7-9711-c8d072ed77d2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">a loss of approximately $9200<\/a> per month due to the increased number of appointments kept.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, SMS are very suited for internal purposes, because successful communication does not depend on which app the recipients have installed. The <a href=\"\/en\/blog\/sms-solution-saves-time-in-crisis-coordination-at-malteser-hilfsdienst\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Malteser Hilfsdienst in Koblenz<\/a>, for example, uses SMS to coordinate their volunteers.<\/p>\n<p>This shows that SMS offer a simple and effective way to optimize internal processes.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section><section class=\"l-section wpb_row height_small\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_flex valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"vc_col-sm-12 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><h3>Why should you use SMS to communicate with patients?<\/h3>\n<p>Of course mHealth is not limited to interventions or reminders via SMS. The possibilities it facilitates have grown complexly, especially through the Internet of Things. This also means that the opportunities, but also the technical demands, are manifold. But keep in mind: Wherever progress is made in digitalization, some people are left behind.<\/p>\n<p>Older generations in particular often find it difficult to adapt to technological developments and are thus excluded from innovations that could be beneficial for them. Especially to include them, health care providers should always keep SMS as a means of communication in mind. Finally, we should also ask ourselves the moral question of whether it is legitimate to exclude people from services because they cannot or do not want to use certain apps.<\/p>\n<p>What do you think? Have you ever had contact with a doctor&#8217;s office via SMS? Would you participate in an mHealth aftercare program? We are curious to hear your opinion!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section><section class=\"l-section wpb_row height_small\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_flex valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"vc_col-sm-12 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"w-separator size_medium with_line width_default thick_1 style_solid color_border align_center with_text with_content\"><div class=\"w-separator-h\"><h6 class=\"w-separator-text\"><span>Best regards<\/span><\/h6><\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-image align_center\"><div class=\"w-image-h\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"289\" height=\"38\" src=\"https:\/\/www.seven.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/unterschrift-1.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Your sms77 team\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section><section class=\"l-section wpb_row height_small\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_flex valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"vc_col-sm-12 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Source of header picture: iStock.com\/Tatyana Antusenok<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If there is one thing that has become very obvious in the past weeks, it is\u00a0how immensely important digitization is for the health care system. However, even before Corona, the focus was slowly but surely shifting towards digital possibilities to support personal well-being. Pedometers and diet apps, virtual personal trainers and mindfulness exercises, and last...","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":20121,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[403],"tags":[4851,5177,4850,5262,299,303,305],"class_list":["post-20124","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-marketing-en","tag-ehealth-en","tag-inclusive","tag-mhealth-en","tag-mhealth-en-2","tag-remote-treatment","tag-sms-from-the-doctor","tag-treatment-by-sms"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seven.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20124","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seven.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seven.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seven.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seven.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20124"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/www.seven.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20124\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":89450,"href":"https:\/\/www.seven.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20124\/revisions\/89450"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seven.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20121"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seven.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20124"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seven.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20124"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seven.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20124"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}