mHealth and telemedicine apps: in search of a common regulation

Abstract

Developments in information and communication technology have changed the way healthcare processes are experienced by both patients and healthcare professionals: more and more services are now available through computers and mobile devices. Smartphones are becoming useful tools for managing one’s health, and today, there are many available apps meant to increase self-management, empowerment and quality of life. However, there are concerns about the implications of using mHealth and apps: data protection issues, concerns about sharing information online, and the patients’ capacity for discerning effective and valid apps from useless ones. The new General Data Protection Regulation has been introduced in order to give uniformity to data protection regulations among European countries but shared guidelines for mHealth are yet to develop. A unified perspective across Europe would increase the control over mHealth exploitation, making it possible to think of mHealth as effective and standard tools for future medical practice.

Telemedicine Practice: Review of the Current Ethical and Legal Challenges

“…For maximum protection of data, many authors consider necessary uniform guidelines, similar to the GDPR in force in the European Union. 19,25,28,29 The provider in all articles has a strong responsibility for the use of devices, which must be safe, noninvasive (not to make the patient feel spied 21 upon), and easy to handle. Instead, the doctor must pay utmost attention when transmitting the patient's data to others (e.g., second opinion) and in the data storage.…”

Prospect of Tele-Pharmacists in COVID-19 Pandemic Situation in Bangladesh

“…Unfortunately, despite the rampant potential of telepharmacy in many countries, the laws and policies governing pharmacy operations do not adequately address the growing sector. Fourthly, the reluctance or inability to use advanced technologies can limit the implementation of tele-pharmacy services from the perspective of both pharmacists and patients, especially in the context of the elderly [80][81][82][83][84][85]. Fifthly, since tele-pharmacy involves the gathering, transmission and replacement of personal and health information on the web, information security and privacy are major issues.…”

Mobile Health (mHealth) and Advances in Noninvasive Diagnosis of Anemia: An Overview

“…Mobile Health (mHealth) enables instantaneous noninvasive diagnosis, electronic prescriptions, and the most varied possibilities of use in medicine and digital health (eHealth). 12 It is essential to highlight the development observed during the pandemic caused by COVID-19 along with the global recommendations for social isolation, regarding the advances in the use of telemedicine 13 and the importance of mobile health for remote monitoring of COVID-19 patients. 14 In this scenario, one tool that gained prominence was the smartphone.…”