A new study of mobile health apps found their data-sharing practices to be excessive — and providers should be wary of privacy risks when prescribing them:
And consumers are becoming exceedingly interested in these tools: There were an estimated 3.7 billion mHealth app downloads globally in 2017, up from 1.7 billion in 2013,Further, traditional healthcare players, like hospitals and insurers, are key players in mHealth — holding 32% of the global market — using the tools as an extension of their core business,
Here's what it means: This latest research lengthens the list of issues associated with mHealth solutions: There's little evidence that the majority of mHealth apps are effective. Out of the hundreds of thousands of mHealth apps on the market, the effectiveness of only 22 has been evaluated in the last decade,a study published in Nature. The lack of research is telling of mHealth's precariousness — and it begs the question: is mHealth too risky to be implemented in clinical settings?
If privacy is on the line, burgeoning distrust could threaten relationships with patients. Providers and payers could have a problem retaining customers if they suggest mHealth solutions that don't work or leak user data. Health firms should be transparent with their patients about the potential pitfalls of mHealth products if they want to maintain their patient base; otherwise, their reputations — and wallets — could bear the repercussions.
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