Another surveys shows that smart phones have a come a long way in developing the mHealth market.
There are around 19.3 million people in India who go online to check for health related information. The average age of those searching for health info on their phones is 33 – considerably younger than the average age of the entire adult population (46).
People are comfortable registering on disease-specific website, and they find online healthcare advertising credible. After being exposed to an ad, they tend to visit specific websites or conduct online research, and they are likely to call toll free numbers or return free sample cards. With the number of mobile units by some accounts exceeding those of computers, these devices are becoming the primary entry point for internet access. On the other hand, Manhattan Research reports that three-quarters of US physicians now own an Apple device – iPhone, iPad or iPod – and that 81 per cent own some type of smart phone.
The iPad is coming on strong. Thirty percent of doctors own one and another 28 per cent told Manhattan Research they plan to get one within the next six months. Despite the success of the Android platform in the overall consumer market, physicians are flocking to the iPhone as their smart phone of choice. According to the phone and online survey of 2,041 US practicing physicians as more EMR providers offer this ability, iPad accessibility may be a deciding factor for some practices when selecting an EMR provider.