4. Discussion and open issues
The advent of mobile technology and applications are transforming
the way health information is accessed, delivered, and
managed. Cloud computing is providing numerous benefits to
healthcare industry distributing and accelerating deliverance of
healthcare services. Healthcare industry’s adherence to cloud computing
is inevitable and it is already happening [102]. The
fourth-generation (4G) mobile communications system is the main
responsible for enabling these advents. 4G technologies and networks
empower new services and consumer usage models,
reflected in corresponding m-Health services and applications
[103]. These authors believe the future of this topic will pass by
the transposition of services and applications based on the individual
to services that involved groups and social networks.
Nowadays, social networks are playing an important role on the
people daily lives. M-Health solutions may enable social networking
to promote healthy behaviors and awareness among patients
involved in network groups and communities. Based on the above
review of the state-of-the-art and market research on m-Health
services and applications, mobile and ubiquitous paradigms raises
important open issues. Cooperation between m-Health applications
is a challenge that needs a more comprehensive study.
Either patients or physicians that use the same or different services
should cooperate in order to accomplish common objectives.
Cooperation methods also aim a better efficiency and performance
of mobile devices (for example, device battery, storage, and network).
In an m-Health typical system architecture, sensitive health
data is exchanged through wireless networks. Then, data privacy
and security is a major issue on information management for public
health needs. A study related with the impact of mobile communication
technologies for health on patients and health
professionals must be performed. This study should include questionnaires
to collect data related to the influence of m-Health
applications on end-users/patients daily routine. A study on how
m-Health applications can reduce financial costs to
end-users/patients and how the healthcare public and private systems
are affected by m-Health.