The Use of Commercially Available Smartphone Technology to Manage Healthcare Delivery

Main academic area(s) and sub-area(s)

Research how the introduction of smartphone technology into provider-patient interaction can change the principles of healthcare delivery. Explore innovative ways to use digital communication channels and provide examples from developing countries to find out the effectiveness of the existing methods.

Context and rationale

The ease of use of smartphone technology in the medical sector is justified by the wide application possibilities of digital interaction and, in particular, enhanced healthcare delivery management. According to Burkoski et al. (2019), provider-patient communication can take place both in a clinical environment and on an outpatient basis, which has a number of advantages, for instance, reducing hospital readmissions and providing timely assistance to patients. In addition, healthcare professionals can use this interaction mode not only for communication but also for reporting by applying convenient devices and gadgets (Vashist & Luong, 2019).

Collecting feedback from the target audience and drawing up treatment plans are the benefits of utilizing this approach to care and treatment. Hassan and Minato (2018) cite the cost reduction as one of the positive prospects for the use of commercially available smartphone technology in the Malaysian healthcare system. As Fisher and Buglear (2010) remark, conducting research implies answering the stated question comprehensively to identify the relevance of a specific problem and/or its importance. The study will aim to identify the existing practices of applying digital provider-patient communication in developing countries and the advantages of introducing such an innovative approach from the standpoint of healthcare delivery management.

Aims and objectives

Aim: To find out whether the use of commercially available smartphone technology may be of good use to manage healthcare delivery in developing countries.

Objectives

• To examine the existing smartphone technology applications in healthcare systems in developing countries.
• To assess the prospects for applying an innovative digital approach to managing healthcare delivery at different levels.
• To highlight the views of different stakeholders on the growing trend of utilizing remote provider-patient interaction.
• To provide recommendations for strengthening the practice of using smartphone technology in a clinical environment and in an outpatient setting.

Indicative research approach (methodology, design and methods)

This study will have a qualitative design since the main focus will be on collecting data from stakeholders on the characteristics and prospects of using smartphone technology for managing healthcare delivery. The opinions of the participants involved will be compiled in accordance with the degree of approval for the innovative provider-patient interaction method. In addition, as Saunders, Lewis, and Thornhill (2016) note, conducting a literature review may be a rational method of obtaining the existing academic findings on a specific issue.

As a methodology, a phenomenological approach will be applied for this research. The experience of the study participants will be reviewed in relation to the application of smartphone technology in real practice. As a target audience, the nursing and medical staff of selected clinics will be engaged.

Surveys and interviews will be used as the main data collection tools. The bulk of empirical information will be obtained through remote communication with participants and receiving completed questionnaires from them, including opinions on the effectiveness of utilizing the technology in question. If this will be possible to obtain data on-site, interviews will be conducted.

Potential ethical issues

Consent to participate will be obtained from all the involved study members, and all the features of the research process, including goals and objectives, will be communicated to them. No personal information of medical providers will be disclosed, except for the place of work. All the data will be collected to compile an overall picture of the approval of the existing smartphone technology in healthcare delivery management.

References

Burkoski, V., Yoon, J., Hutchinson, D., Fernandes, K., Solomon, S., Collins, B. E., & Jarrett, S. R. (2019). Smartphone technology: Enabling prioritization of patient needs and enhancing the nurse-patient relationship. Nursing Leadership (Toronto, Ont.), 32(SP), 29-40. Web.

Fisher, C., & Buglear, J. (2010). Researching and writing a dissertation: An essential guide for business students (3rd ed.). Harlow, UK: Pearson Education Limited.

Hassan, F. A., & Minato, N. (2018). Smartphone-based healthcare technology adoption in Malaysian public healthcare services. International Journal of Japan Association for Management Systems, 10(1), 95-104. Web.

Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2016). Research methods for business students (7th ed.). Harlow, UK: Pearson Education Limited.

Vashist, S. K., & Luong, J. H. (2019). Point-of-care technologies enabling next-generation healthcare monitoring and management. Cham, Switzerland: Springer.