Consumers feel good about mobile healthcare

A Harris Interactive poll finds that among 3,000 U.S. consumers surveyed, 40 percent said they would embrace mobile healthcare products and services to complement their visits to health providers, and 23 percent said they would turn to mobile if the platform reduced or eliminated visits with their doctors. According to CTIA and Harris Interactive, the demographics that responded most positively to the promise of mobile health included caregivers, consumers ages 30 to 44, Hispanics and African-Americans. The appeal of mobile healthcare lies most strongly in its ability to enable more home-based treatment, according to 68 percent of respondents. Fifty-seven percent cited patient monitoring, another 57 percent pointed to improved patient safety and 51 percent said they feel mobile health applications will simplify medical care. Rural consumers stand to benefit most from mobile healthcare, according to 51 percent of respondents -- 48 percent pointed to chronic disease sufferers. Nineteen percent of consumers told Harris they would upgrade their current mobile data plan in order to seize on mobile health innovations. Fourteen percent said they would upgrade their device for mobile healthcare access.