Rural patients' access to mobile phones and willingness to receive mobile phone-based pharmacy and other health technology services: a pilot study.
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Date
2014-02-07
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE This pilot study explores the patient centered demand for mobile phone based health mobile health m health services in the rural United States by documenting rural patients access to mobile phones and patients willingness to receive m health services SUBJECTS AND METHODS An anonymous institutional review board approved survey was completed by patients visiting two rural pharmacies in Nebraska from August to October 2011 Patients who volunteered to complete the survey provided their demographic data disease state information health status mobile phone access and willingness to receive in terms of using and giving time to m health services RESULTS The majority of the 24 survey respondents were 19 40 years old 52 female 88 married 63 with excellent to very good health status 63 with no comorbidities 83 with 100 monthly medication expenses 80 with private insurance 78 living within 5 miles of their pharmacy 71 and reporting that m health services are important to them 75 12 16 Approximately 95 81 73 and 55 of respondents reported access to a mobile phone voice mails text messaging and mobile phone applications respectively Of the respondents 65 57 52 and 48 were willing to receive prerecorded messages for appointment reminders from the doctor disease information medication use self care information and symptom monitoring information respectively In total 70 63 61 54 and 50 were willing to receive prerecorded messages from the pharmacist containing contact requests new refill prescription reminders information on medication problems reviewing monitoring of medication use and medication self management preventive screenings immunizations respectively Of 44 7 16 respondents willing to give time for m health services 83 were willing to give 15 min and 17 were willing to give 30 min every month CONCLUSIONS By demonstrating rural patients demand for m health including pharmacy services this is one of the first pilot studies showing rural patients have access to mobile phones and may be willing to use and give time to m health services Further research is needed on delivery and coordination of transitions in patient centered care in the United States with m health services
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Rural populations, Client, Supply of equipment, Supply of services, Addressing individual beliefs and practices, Geographic inaccessibility, Demand for services, Pilot, Usability, Individual based, Chronic care, Health education or promotion, Treatment adherence, Appointment reminders, Remote client-to-provider consultations (Telemedicine), SMS, Voice, Audio, Text