The Knowledge to Decide

The movement to digitize healthcare information promises to deliver massive gains in efficiency, effectiveness and patient access to personal data. The next steps in this revolution involve making health data accessible via mobile devices and applying big data analytics. Can healthcare IT really revolutionize the age-old healthcare industry? Medical records have traditionally been stored at hospitals and medical centers in the form of paper or analogue film explaining the old joke about doctor’s handwriting. Remarkably, a large share of medical records across the world is still stored in this way, especially in developing economies. But for decades now, a quiet revolution has been underway to make medical information digital, portable across different medical institutions, amenable to big data analytics and accessible to the patient. This revolution is now nearing the tipping point when big changes may become visible. Nowadays, leading healthcare providers in develop

Natural calamities and war often cause chaos, where many people become homeless or displaced. That is when people often want to contact their loved ones to tell them they are safe. However at such times, the communications infrastructure often takes a hit. Providing medical aid, food and shelter also becomes difficult for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and aid agencies without proper communications. This is where innovation can play a role. The Vodafone Foundation – the telecom giant’s charity – has developed an instant ‘network mini’ which is an 11kg backpack that contains a 2G mobile network. It offers a 1km coverage radius with a 6-hour battery back-up and a small solar panel. Is mobile technology set to change global disaster relief communications? https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/mobile-technology-a-beacon-of-hope-during-natural-calamities/