Implications of Mobile Technology on Hospitalization Rates in Medically Underserved Areas Worldwide: A Systematic...

Area of Science:

• Healthcare technology
• Public health
• Digital health interventions

Background:

• Medically underserved areas face significant healthcare access challenges, including distance, transportation, and chronic disease prevalence.
• Mobile health (mHealth) technology offers innovative solutions to bridge these healthcare gaps.
• Implementing digital health interventions in underserved populations presents unique challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the current landscape of mobile technology interventions in medically underserved areas.
• To examine the effects of these interventions on hospitalization rates.
• To identify common mHealth technologies and their impact on healthcare utilization.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review was conducted using PubMed, Embase, and CINAHL databases.
• Search terms identified 416 articles, with 15 selected for final review.
• Technologies studied included telehealth visits, mobile apps, smart glasses, and remote patient monitoring devices.

Main Results:

• Telehealth visits were the most common technology studied.
• Studies utilizing digital technologies showed reductions in emergency department (ED) visits and inpatient admissions.
• Potential challenges in evaluating these technologies include education levels and cost.

Conclusions:

• Digital technologies, particularly telehealth, demonstrate potential in reducing hospitalizations in underserved populations.
• Further research is warranted to explore the cost benefits and implementation strategies for mHealth in these areas.
• More literature exists for non-underserved communities, highlighting a gap in current research.