Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Bioengineering Department, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
College of Health Professions Department of Respiratory Care, Regent's Professor and Associate Dean for Research, Texas State University, Round Rock, TX, USA.
Expert Rev Respir Med. 2024 Mar-Apr;18(3-4):159-174. doi: 10.1080/17476348.2024.2361048. Epub 2024 Jun 5.
Mobile health (mHealth) technology in respiratory medicine is a fast-growing and promising digital technology that is popular among patients and healthcare providers (HCPs). They provide reminders and step-by-step instructions for the correct inhalation technique, monitor patients' adherence to treatment, and facilitate communication between patients and HCPs.
While numerous mHealth apps have been developed over the years, most applications do not have supporting evidence. Selecting the best mHealth app in respiratory medicine is challenging due to limited studies carrying out mHealth app selection. Although mHealth technologies play an important part in the future of respiratory medicine, there is no single guide on the evaluation and selection of mHealth technologies for patients with pulmonary diseases. This paper aims to provide an overview of mHealth technologies, particularly emphasizing digital inhalers and standalone applications used in asthma. Additionally, it offers insights into the evaluation, selection, and pertinent considerations surrounding mHealth applications in respiratory medicine.
Evaluating mHealth apps will take time, resources, and collaboration between stakeholders such as governmental regulatory bodies, subject-matter experts, and industry representatives. Filling the gaps in the evaluation and selection of the mHealth app will improve clinical decision-making, personalized treatments, self-management and disease monitoring in respiratory medicine.
移动医疗（mHealth）技术在呼吸医学领域是一种快速发展且有前景的数字技术，深受患者和医疗保健提供者（HCP）的欢迎。它们为正确的吸入技术提供提醒和逐步指导，监测患者对治疗的依从性，并促进患者和 HCP 之间的沟通。
尽管多年来已经开发了许多 mHealth 应用程序，但大多数应用程序都没有支持证据。由于对 mHealth 应用程序选择的研究有限，因此选择呼吸医学中最好的 mHealth 应用程序具有挑战性。尽管 mHealth 技术在呼吸医学的未来中发挥着重要作用，但针对肺病患者的 mHealth 技术的评估和选择尚无单一指南。本文旨在概述 mHealth 技术，特别强调哮喘中使用的数字吸入器和独立应用程序。此外，它还深入探讨了呼吸医学中 mHealth 应用程序的评估、选择和相关注意事项。
评估 mHealth 应用程序需要时间、资源以及政府监管机构、主题专家和行业代表等利益相关者之间的合作。填补 mHealth 应用程序评估和选择方面的空白将改善呼吸医学中的临床决策、个性化治疗、自我管理和疾病监测。
