Timothy Aungst, PharmD.

Digital health will play a significant role in creating new pathways to care in the 2020s. However, the current design of medication adherence tools has not demonstrated a clinical impact that will be relevant for the digital health space without a change in redesign factoring in relevant stakeholders' incentives to address adherence issues. A focus on only adherence has not yielded the economic or clinical benefit as expected, which is likely due to a lack of focus on broader drug-related… Show more

Digital health will play a significant role in creating new pathways to care in the 2020s. However, the current design of medication adherence tools has not demonstrated a clinical impact that will be relevant for the digital health space without a change in redesign factoring in relevant stakeholders' incentives to address adherence issues. A focus on only adherence has not yielded the economic or clinical benefit as expected, which is likely due to a lack of focus on broader drug-related problems (DRPs) that are causative factors beyond adherence alone. As such, adherence tools will see disparate uptake, likely due to condition-specific interventions rather than adherence issues as a whole, and future endeavors will need to address the larger DRP considerations to actualize clinical outcomes. Show less

As mobile smart device use has increased in society, the healthcare community has begun using these devices for communication among professionals in practice settings. The purpose of this review is to describe primary literature which reports on the experiences with interprofessional healthcare communication via mobile smart devices. Based on these findings, this review also addresses how these devices may be utilized to facilitate interprofessional education (IPE) in health professions… Show more

As mobile smart device use has increased in society, the healthcare community has begun using these devices for communication among professionals in practice settings. The purpose of this review is to describe primary literature which reports on the experiences with interprofessional healthcare communication via mobile smart devices. Based on these findings, this review also addresses how these devices may be utilized to facilitate interprofessional education (IPE) in health professions education programs. The literature search revealed limited assessments of mobile smart device use in clinical practice settings. In available reports, communication with mobile smart devices was perceived as more effective and faster among interdisciplinary members. Notable drawbacks included discrepancies in the urgency labeling of messages, increased interruptions associated with constant accessibility to team members, and professionalism breakdowns. Recently developed interprofessional competencies include an emphasis on ensuring that health profession students can effectively communicate on interprofessional teams. With the increasing reliance on mobile smart devices in the absence of robust benefit and risk assessments on their use in clinical practice settings, use of these devices may be leveraged to facilitate IPE activities in health education professions programs while simultaneously educating students on their proper use in patient care settings. Show less

Article on the potential uses of Google Glass and future head mounted wearables in clinical practice and education.

Aungst TD, WaiTam LM, Patel D (2015) Digital Health and the Future of Diabetes Management. J Diabetes Metab Disord Control 2(4): 00048. DOI: 10.15406/jdmdc.2015.02.00048

Commentary piece on the rise of digital tools and devices and their roles in pharmacy practice.

Viewpoint on the need to introduce mobile technology and mobile health topics into the pharmacy curriculum so that future pharmacy students will not lag behind the growing change in healthcare.

Background
There are thousands of medical applications for mobile devices targeting use by healthcare professionals. However, several factors related to the structure of the existing market for medical applications create significant barriers preventing practitioners from effectively identifying mobile medical applications for individual professional use.

Aims
To define existing market factors relevant to selection of medical applications and describe a framework to empower… Show more

Background
There are thousands of medical applications for mobile devices targeting use by healthcare professionals. However, several factors related to the structure of the existing market for medical applications create significant barriers preventing practitioners from effectively identifying mobile medical applications for individual professional use.

Aims
To define existing market factors relevant to selection of medical applications and describe a framework to empower clinicians to identify, assess and utilise mobile medical applications in their own practice.

Materials and Methods
Resources available on the Internet regarding mobile medical applications, guidelines and published research on mobile medical applications.

Results
Mobile application stores (e.g. iTunes, Google Play) are not effective means of identifying mobile medical applications. Users of mobile devices that desire to implement mobile medical applications into practice need to carefully assess individual applications prior to utilisation.

Discussion
Searching and identifying mobile medical applications requires clinicians to utilise multiple references to determine what application is best for their individual practice methods. This can be done with a cursory exploration of mobile application stores and then moving onto other available resources published in the literature or through Internet resources (e.g. blogs, medical websites, social media). Clinicians must also take steps to ensure that an identified mobile application can be integrated into practice after carefully reviewing it themselves.

Conclusion
Clinicians seeking to identify mobile medical application for use in their individual practice should use a combination of app stores, published literature, web-based resources, and personal review to ensure safe and appropriate use. Show less

Review of mobile medical applications for pharmacists regarding clinical resources, education, and productivity.

Retrospective cohort seeking to determine whether there is an association between intraoperative sodium nitroprusside use and the incidence of POAF. PMID: 22669795