<s>
mHealth	B-Device
(	O
also	O
written	O
as	O
m-health	B-Device
or	O
mhealth	B-Device
)	O
is	O
an	O
abbreviation	O
for	O
mobile	B-Device
health	I-Device
,	O
a	O
term	O
used	O
for	O
the	O
practice	O
of	O
medicine	O
and	O
public	O
health	O
supported	O
by	O
mobile	O
devices	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
term	O
is	O
most	O
commonly	O
used	O
in	O
reference	O
to	O
using	O
mobile	O
communication	O
devices	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
mobile	O
phones	O
,	O
tablet	O
computers	O
and	O
personal	B-Application
digital	I-Application
assistants	I-Application
(	O
PDAs	B-Application
)	O
,	O
and	O
wearable	O
devices	O
such	O
as	O
smart	O
watches	O
,	O
for	O
health	O
services	O
,	O
information	O
,	O
and	O
data	O
collection	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
mHealth	B-Device
field	O
has	O
emerged	O
as	O
a	O
sub-segment	O
of	O
eHealth	B-Application
,	O
the	O
use	O
of	O
information	B-General_Concept
and	I-General_Concept
communication	I-General_Concept
technology	I-General_Concept
(	O
ICT	B-General_Concept
)	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
computers	O
,	O
mobile	O
phones	O
,	O
communications	O
satellite	O
,	O
patient	O
monitors	O
,	O
etc.	O
,	O
for	O
health	O
services	O
and	O
information	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
mHealth	B-Device
applications	O
include	O
the	O
use	O
of	O
mobile	O
devices	O
in	O
collecting	O
community	O
and	O
clinical	O
health	O
data	O
,	O
delivery/sharing	O
of	O
healthcare	O
information	O
for	O
practitioners	O
,	O
researchers	O
and	O
patients	O
,	O
real-time	O
monitoring	O
of	O
patient	O
vital	O
signs	O
,	O
the	O
direct	O
provision	O
of	O
care	O
(	O
via	O
mobile	O
telemedicine	B-Application
)	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
training	O
and	O
collaboration	O
of	O
health	O
workers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2019	O
,	O
the	O
global	O
market	O
for	O
mHealth	B-Device
apps	O
was	O
estimated	O
at	O
US	O
$17.92	O
billion	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
compound	O
annual	O
growth	O
rate	O
of	O
45%	O
predicted	O
from	O
2020	O
to	O
2027	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
mHealth	B-Device
has	O
application	O
for	O
industrialized	O
nations	O
,	O
the	O
field	O
has	O
emerged	O
in	O
recent	O
years	O
as	O
largely	O
an	O
application	O
for	O
developing	O
countries	O
,	O
stemming	O
from	O
the	O
rapid	O
rise	O
of	O
mobile	O
phone	O
penetration	O
in	O
low-income	O
nations	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Within	O
the	O
mHealth	B-Device
space	O
,	O
projects	O
operate	O
with	O
a	O
variety	O
of	O
objectives	O
,	O
including	O
increased	O
access	O
to	O
healthcare	O
and	O
health-related	O
information	O
(	O
particularly	O
for	O
hard-to-reach	O
populations	O
)	O
;	O
improved	O
ability	O
to	O
diagnose	O
and	O
track	O
diseases	O
;	O
timelier	O
,	O
more	O
actionable	O
public	O
health	O
information	O
;	O
and	O
expanded	O
access	O
to	O
ongoing	O
medical	O
education	O
and	O
training	O
for	O
health	O
workers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
mHealth	B-Device
broadly	O
encompasses	O
the	O
use	O
of	O
mobile	O
telecommunication	O
and	O
multimedia	O
technologies	O
as	O
they	O
are	O
integrated	O
within	O
increasingly	O
mobile	O
and	O
wireless	O
health	O
care	O
delivery	O
systems	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
term	O
mHealth	B-Device
was	O
coined	O
by	O
Robert	O
Istepanian	O
as	O
use	O
of	O
"	O
emerging	O
mobile	O
communications	O
and	O
network	O
technologies	O
for	O
healthcare	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
definition	O
used	O
at	O
the	O
2010	O
mHealth	B-Device
Summit	O
of	O
the	O
Foundation	O
for	O
the	O
National	O
Institutes	O
of	O
Health	O
(	O
FNIH	O
)	O
was	O
"	O
the	O
delivery	O
of	O
healthcare	O
services	O
via	O
mobile	O
communication	O
devices	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
GSM	O
Association	O
representing	O
the	O
worldwide	O
mobile	O
communications	O
industry	O
published	O
a	O
report	O
on	O
mHealth	B-Device
in	O
2010	O
describing	O
a	O
new	O
vision	O
for	O
healthcare	O
and	O
identified	O
ways	O
in	O
which	O
mobile	O
technology	O
might	O
play	O
a	O
role	O
in	O
innovating	O
healthcare	O
delivery	O
systems	O
and	O
healthcare	O
system	O
cost	O
management	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
there	O
are	O
some	O
projects	O
that	O
are	O
considered	O
solely	O
within	O
the	O
field	O
of	O
mHealth	B-Device
,	O
the	O
linkage	O
between	O
mHealth	B-Device
and	O
eHealth	B-Application
is	O
unquestionable	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
example	O
,	O
an	O
mHealth	B-Device
project	O
that	O
uses	O
mobile	O
phones	O
to	O
access	O
data	O
on	O
HIV/AIDS	O
rates	O
would	O
require	O
an	O
eHealth	B-Application
system	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
manage	O
,	O
store	O
,	O
and	O
assess	O
the	O
data	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Thus	O
,	O
eHealth	B-Application
projects	O
many	O
times	O
operate	O
as	O
the	O
backbone	O
of	O
mHealth	B-Device
projects	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
a	O
similar	O
vein	O
,	O
while	O
not	O
clearly	O
bifurcated	O
by	O
such	O
a	O
definition	O
,	O
eHealth	B-Application
can	O
largely	O
be	O
viewed	O
as	O
technology	O
that	O
supports	O
the	O
functions	O
and	O
delivery	O
of	O
healthcare	O
,	O
while	O
mHealth	B-Device
rests	O
largely	O
on	O
providing	O
healthcare	O
access	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Because	O
mHealth	B-Device
is	O
by	O
definition	O
based	O
on	O
mobile	O
technology	O
such	O
as	O
smartphones	B-Application
,	O
healthcare	O
,	O
through	O
information	O
and	O
delivery	O
,	O
can	O
better	O
reach	O
areas	O
,	O
people	O
,	O
and/or	O
healthcare	O
practitioners	O
with	O
previously	O
limited	O
exposure	O
to	O
certain	O
aspects	O
of	O
healthcare	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
National	O
Institute	O
for	O
Health	O
and	O
Care	O
Research	O
(	O
NIHR	O
)	O
has	O
published	O
a	O
review	O
of	O
research	O
on	O
how	O
mHealth	B-Device
and	O
digital	O
health	O
technologies	O
can	O
help	O
manage	O
health	O
conditions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
mHealth	B-Device
apps	O
are	O
designed	O
to	O
support	O
diagnostic	O
procedures	O
,	O
to	O
aid	O
physician	O
decision-making	O
for	O
treatments	O
,	O
and	O
to	O
advance	O
disease-related	O
education	O
for	O
physicians	O
and	O
people	O
under	O
treatment	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mobile	B-Device
health	I-Device
has	O
much	O
potential	O
in	O
medicine	O
and	O
,	O
if	O
used	O
in	O
conjunction	O
with	O
human	O
factors	O
may	O
improve	O
access	O
to	O
care	O
,	O
the	O
scope	O
,	O
and	O
quality	O
of	O
health	O
care	O
services	O
that	O
can	O
be	O
provided	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
applications	O
of	O
mobile	B-Device
health	I-Device
may	O
also	O
improve	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
improve	O
accountability	O
in	O
healthcare	O
and	O
improve	O
continuum	O
of	O
care	O
by	O
connecting	O
interdisciplinary	O
team	O
members	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
mHealth	B-Device
is	O
one	O
aspect	O
of	O
eHealth	B-Application
that	O
is	O
pushing	O
the	O
limits	O
of	O
how	O
to	O
acquire	O
,	O
transport	O
,	O
store	O
,	O
process	O
,	O
and	O
secure	O
the	O
raw	O
and	O
processed	O
data	O
to	O
deliver	O
meaningful	O
results	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
mHealth	B-Device
offers	O
the	O
ability	O
of	O
remote	O
individuals	O
to	O
participate	O
in	O
the	O
health	O
care	O
value	O
matrix	O
,	O
which	O
may	O
not	O
have	O
been	O
possible	O
in	O
the	O
past	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
others	O
exist	O
,	O
the	O
2009	O
UN	O
Foundation	O
and	O
Vodafone	O
Foundation	O
report	O
presents	O
seven	O
application	O
categories	O
within	O
the	O
mHealth	B-Device
field	O
:	O
</s>
<s>
Education	O
and	O
awareness	O
programs	O
within	O
the	O
mHealth	B-Device
field	O
are	O
largely	O
about	O
the	O
spreading	O
of	O
mass	O
information	O
from	O
source	O
to	O
recipient	O
through	O
short	O
message	O
services	O
(	O
SMS	B-Device
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
education	O
and	O
awareness	O
applications	O
,	O
SMS	B-Device
messages	O
are	O
sent	O
directly	O
to	O
users	O
 '	O
phones	O
to	O
offer	O
information	O
about	O
various	O
subjects	O
,	O
including	O
testing	O
and	O
treatment	O
methods	O
,	O
availability	O
of	O
health	O
services	O
,	O
and	O
disease	O
management	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
include	O
phone	O
consultations	O
,	O
counseling	O
,	O
service	O
complaints	O
,	O
and	O
information	O
on	O
facilities	O
,	O
drugs	O
,	O
equipment	O
,	O
and/or	O
available	O
mobile	B-Device
health	I-Device
clinics	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
such	O
cases	O
,	O
known	O
as	O
telemedicine	B-Application
,	O
patients	O
might	O
take	O
a	O
photograph	O
of	O
a	O
wound	O
or	O
illness	O
and	O
allow	O
a	O
remote	O
physician	O
to	O
diagnose	O
to	O
help	O
treat	O
the	O
medical	O
problem	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
mHealth	B-Device
projects	O
within	O
the	O
communication	O
and	O
training	O
for	O
healthcare	O
workers	O
subset	O
involve	O
connecting	O
healthcare	O
workers	O
to	O
sources	O
of	O
information	O
through	O
their	O
mobile	O
phone	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Recent	O
studies	O
seem	O
to	O
show	O
also	O
the	O
efficacy	O
of	O
inducing	O
positive	O
and	O
negative	O
affective	O
states	O
,	O
using	O
smart	B-Application
phones	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Technical	O
process	O
evaluations	O
have	O
confirmed	O
the	O
feasibility	O
of	O
deploying	O
dynamically	O
tailored	O
,	O
SMS-based	O
interventions	O
designed	O
to	O
provide	O
ongoing	O
behavioral	O
reinforcement	O
for	O
persons	O
living	O
with	O
HIV	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nevertheless	O
,	O
mHealth	B-Device
should	O
not	O
be	O
considered	O
as	O
a	O
panacea	O
for	O
healthcare	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
is	O
therefore	O
a	O
difficulty	O
in	O
comparison	O
in	O
weighing	O
up	O
mHealth	B-Device
interventions	O
against	O
other	O
priority	O
and	O
evidence-based	O
interventions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
extensive	O
practice	O
of	O
mhealth	B-Device
research	O
has	O
sparked	O
criticism	O
,	O
for	O
example	O
on	O
the	O
proliferation	O
of	O
fragmented	O
pilot	O
studies	O
in	O
low	O
-	O
and	O
middle-income	O
countries	O
,	O
which	O
is	O
also	O
referred	O
to	O
as	O
"	O
pilotitis.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
extent	O
of	O
un-coordinated	O
pilot	O
studies	O
prompted	O
for	O
instance	O
the	O
Ugandan	O
Director	O
General	O
Health	O
Services	O
Dr	O
Jane	O
Ruth	O
Aceng	O
in	O
2012	O
to	O
issue	O
a	O
notice	O
that	O
,	O
"	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
jointly	O
ensure	O
that	O
all	O
eHealth	B-Application
efforts	O
are	O
harmonized	O
and	O
coordinated	O
,	O
I	O
am	O
directing	O
that	O
ALL	O
eHealth	B-Application
projects/Initiatives	O
be	O
put	O
to	O
halt.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
assumptions	O
that	O
justify	O
mhealth	B-Device
initiatives	O
have	O
also	O
been	O
challenged	O
in	O
recent	O
sociological	O
research	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
example	O
,	O
mobile	O
phones	O
have	O
been	O
argued	O
to	O
be	O
less	O
widely	O
accessible	O
and	O
usable	O
than	O
is	O
often	O
portrayed	O
in	O
mhealth-related	O
publications	O
;	O
people	O
integrate	O
mobile	O
phones	O
into	O
their	O
health	O
behavior	O
without	O
external	O
intervention	O
;	O
and	O
the	O
spread	O
of	O
mobile	O
phones	O
in	O
low	O
-	O
and	O
middle-income	O
countries	O
itself	O
can	O
create	O
new	O
forms	O
of	O
digital	O
and	O
healthcare	O
exclusion	O
,	O
which	O
mhealth	B-Device
interventions	O
(	O
using	O
mobile	O
phones	O
as	O
a	O
platform	O
)	O
cannot	O
overcome	O
and	O
potentially	O
accentuate	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mhealth	B-Device
has	O
also	O
been	O
argued	O
to	O
alter	O
the	O
practice	O
of	O
healthcare	O
and	O
patient-physician	O
relationships	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
how	O
bodies	O
and	O
health	O
are	O
being	O
represented	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Another	O
widespread	O
concern	O
relates	O
to	O
privacy	O
and	O
data	O
protection	O
,	O
for	O
example	O
in	O
the	O
context	O
of	O
electronic	B-Application
health	I-Application
records	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
a	O
World	O
Health	O
Organization	O
(	O
WHO	O
)	O
report	O
from	O
June	O
2011	O
,	O
higher-income	O
countries	O
show	O
more	O
mHealth	B-Device
activity	O
than	O
do	O
lower-income	O
countries	O
(	O
as	O
consistent	O
with	O
eHealth	B-Application
trends	O
in	O
general	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
WHO	O
report	O
findings	O
also	O
included	O
that	O
mHealth	B-Device
is	O
most	O
easily	O
incorporated	O
into	O
processes	O
and	O
services	O
that	O
historically	O
use	O
voice	O
communication	O
through	O
conventional	O
telephone	O
networks	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
report	O
was	O
the	O
result	O
of	O
a	O
mHealth	B-Device
survey	O
module	O
designed	O
by	O
researchers	O
at	O
the	O
Earth	O
Institute	O
's	O
Center	O
for	O
Global	O
Health	O
and	O
Economic	O
Development	O
,	O
Columbia	O
University	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
mHealth	B-Device
field	O
,	O
mobile	O
technology	O
usually	O
refers	O
to	O
mobile	O
phone	O
technology	O
,	O
the	O
entrance	O
of	O
other	O
technologies	O
into	O
these	O
nations	O
to	O
facilitate	O
healthcare	O
are	O
also	O
discussed	O
here	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
parallel	O
the	O
number	O
of	O
mHealth	B-Device
applications	O
grew	O
significantly	O
in	O
the	O
last	O
years	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Basic	O
SMS	B-Device
functions	O
and	O
real-time	O
voice	O
communication	O
serve	O
as	O
the	O
backbone	O
and	O
the	O
current	O
most	O
common	O
use	O
of	O
mobile	O
phone	O
technology	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
appeal	O
of	O
mobile	O
communication	B-General_Concept
technologies	I-General_Concept
is	O
that	O
they	O
enable	O
communication	O
in	O
motion	O
,	O
allowing	O
individuals	O
to	O
contact	O
each	O
other	O
irrespective	O
of	O
time	O
and	O
place	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
is	O
particularly	O
beneficial	O
for	O
work	O
in	O
remote	O
areas	O
where	O
the	O
mobile	O
phone	O
,	O
and	O
now	O
increasingly	O
wireless	B-General_Concept
infrastructure	I-General_Concept
,	O
is	O
able	O
to	O
reach	O
more	O
people	O
,	O
faster	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
That	O
is	O
,	O
mobile	O
phones	O
have	O
allowed	O
many	O
developing	O
countries	O
,	O
even	O
those	O
with	O
relatively	O
poor	O
infrastructure	O
,	O
to	O
bypass	O
20th	O
century	O
fixed-line	B-Application
technology	O
and	O
jump	O
to	O
modern	O
mobile	O
technology	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
many	O
countries	O
,	O
the	O
number	O
of	O
mobile	O
phone	O
subscribers	O
has	O
bypassed	O
the	O
number	O
of	O
fixed-line	B-Application
telephones	I-Application
;	O
this	O
is	O
particularly	O
true	O
in	O
developing	O
countries	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
From	O
the	O
first	O
quarter	O
of	O
2015	O
through	O
the	O
first	O
quarter	O
of	O
2021	O
,	O
107,033	O
mHealth	B-Device
apps	O
in	O
the	O
health	O
and	O
fitness	O
category	O
were	O
available	O
via	O
the	O
Apple	O
Store	O
and	O
Google	O
Play	O
,	O
an	O
increase	O
of	O
11.37	O
%	O
from	O
the	O
previous	O
quarter	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Smartphone	B-Application
technologies	O
are	O
now	O
in	O
the	O
hands	O
of	O
a	O
large	O
number	O
of	O
physicians	O
and	O
other	O
healthcare	O
workers	O
in	O
low	O
-	O
and	O
middle-income	O
countries	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
far	O
from	O
ubiquitous	O
,	O
the	O
spread	O
of	O
smartphone	B-Application
technologies	O
opens	O
up	O
doors	O
for	O
mHealth	B-Device
projects	O
such	O
as	O
technology-based	O
diagnosis	O
support	O
,	O
remote	O
diagnostics	O
and	O
telemedicine	B-Application
,	O
preprogrammed	O
daily	O
self-assessment	O
prompts	O
,	O
video	O
or	O
audio	O
clips	O
,	O
web	O
browsing	O
,	O
GPS	O
navigation	O
,	O
access	O
to	O
web-based	O
patient	O
information	O
,	O
post-visit	O
patient	O
surveillance	O
,	O
and	O
decentralized	O
health	O
management	O
information	O
systems	O
(	O
HMIS	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
uptake	O
of	O
smartphone	B-Application
technology	O
by	O
the	O
medical	O
field	O
has	O
grown	O
in	O
low	O
-	O
and	O
middle-income	O
countries	O
,	O
it	O
is	O
worth	O
noting	O
that	O
the	O
capabilities	O
of	O
mobile	O
phones	O
in	O
low	O
-	O
and	O
middle-income	O
countries	O
has	O
not	O
reached	O
the	O
sophistication	O
of	O
those	O
in	O
high-income	O
countries	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
infrastructure	O
that	O
enables	O
web	O
browsing	O
,	O
GPS	O
navigation	O
,	O
and	O
email	O
through	O
smartphones	B-Application
is	O
not	O
as	O
well	O
developed	O
in	O
much	O
of	O
the	O
low	O
-	O
and	O
middle-income	O
countries	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Increased	O
availability	O
and	O
efficiency	O
in	O
both	O
voice	O
and	O
data-transfer	O
systems	O
in	O
addition	O
to	O
rapid	O
deployment	O
of	O
wireless	B-General_Concept
infrastructure	I-General_Concept
will	O
likely	O
accelerate	O
the	O
deployment	O
of	O
mobile-enabled	O
health	O
systems	O
and	O
services	O
throughout	O
the	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Beyond	O
mobile	O
phones	O
,	O
wireless-enabled	O
laptops	B-Device
and	O
specialized	O
are	O
currently	O
being	O
developed	O
,	O
tested	O
,	O
and	O
marketed	O
for	O
use	O
in	O
the	O
mHealth	B-Device
field	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
with	O
broad	O
advocacy	O
campaigns	O
for	O
free	B-Application
and	I-Application
open	I-Application
source	I-Application
software	I-Application
(	O
FOSS	O
)	O
,	O
applications	O
are	O
beginning	O
to	O
be	O
tailored	O
for	O
and	O
make	O
inroads	O
in	O
low	O
-	O
and	O
middle-income	O
countries	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
other	O
mHealth	B-Device
technologies	O
include	O
:	O
</s>
<s>
Technologies	O
relate	O
to	O
the	O
operating	B-General_Concept
systems	I-General_Concept
that	O
orchestrate	O
mobile	O
device	O
hardware	O
while	O
maintaining	O
confidentiality	O
,	O
integrity	O
and	O
availability	O
are	O
required	O
to	O
build	O
trust	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
may	O
foster	O
greater	O
adoption	O
of	O
mHealth	B-Device
technologies	O
and	O
services	O
,	O
by	O
exploiting	O
lower	O
cost	O
multi	O
purpose	O
mobile	O
devices	O
such	O
as	O
tablets	O
,	O
PCs	O
,	O
and	O
smartphones	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Operating	B-General_Concept
systems	I-General_Concept
that	O
control	O
these	O
emerging	O
classes	O
of	O
devices	O
include	O
Google	O
's	O
Android	O
,	O
Apple	O
's	O
iPhone	O
OS	O
,	O
Microsoft	O
's	O
Windows	O
Mobile	O
,	O
and	O
RIM	O
's	O
BlackBerry	O
OS	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Operating	B-General_Concept
systems	I-General_Concept
must	O
be	O
agile	O
and	O
evolve	O
to	O
effectively	O
balance	O
and	O
deliver	O
the	O
desired	O
level	O
of	O
service	O
to	O
an	O
application	O
and	O
end	O
user	O
,	O
while	O
managing	O
display	O
real	O
estate	O
,	O
power	O
consumption	O
and	O
security	O
posture	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Data	O
has	O
become	O
an	O
especially	O
important	O
aspect	O
of	O
mHealth	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Data	O
is	O
primarily	O
focused	O
on	O
visualizing	O
static	O
text	O
but	O
can	O
also	O
extend	O
to	O
interactive	O
decision	O
support	O
algorithms	O
,	O
other	O
visual	O
image	O
information	O
,	O
and	O
also	O
communication	O
capabilities	O
through	O
the	O
integration	O
of	O
e-mail	O
and	O
SMS	B-Device
features	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Integrating	O
use	O
of	O
GIS	B-Application
and	O
GPS	O
with	O
mobile	O
technologies	O
adds	O
a	O
geographical	O
mapping	O
component	O
that	O
is	O
able	O
to	O
"	O
tag	O
"	O
voice	O
and	O
data	O
communication	O
to	O
a	O
particular	O
location	O
or	O
series	O
of	O
locations	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
motivation	O
behind	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
the	O
mHealth	B-Device
field	O
arises	O
from	O
two	O
factors	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mobile	O
synchronous	O
(	O
voice	O
)	O
and	O
asynchronous	O
(	O
SMS	B-Device
)	O
telemedicine	B-Application
diagnostic	O
and	O
decision	O
support	O
to	O
remote	O
clinicians	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sproxil	O
and	O
mPedigree	B-Application
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Peer-to-peer	O
personal	O
health	O
management	O
for	O
telemedicine	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Such	O
partnership	O
will	O
increase	O
the	O
effectiveness	O
of	O
the	O
information	B-General_Concept
and	I-General_Concept
communications	I-General_Concept
technology	I-General_Concept
response	O
to	O
major	O
emergencies	O
and	O
disasters	O
around	O
the	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
