With the increase in the use of new mobile technologies, people have more tools to know their health status, and to have better control over it. Its use is enhanced when developers listen to the opinion of patients / users to improve and personalize the experience.
Technological advances have allowed the production of phones with sharper colors, with a more dynamic interaction through voice, text and video. For its part, the evolution of design methodologies applied to mobile technologies has only one objective: to improve the user experience. That is why, constantly, Digital Health, seeks to incorporate the experience of patients to projects or initiatives in the field in which important advances are being generated.
Throughout the world, patient-centered projects have been increasing, but, above all, their opinion is being taken into account to minimize errors, adjust methods and measurements, and correctly evaluate results.
Barcelona, home of the GSMA Mobile World Congress for several years, is one of the cities in which important advances have been made and where there is greater openness of both health institutions and patients to adopt new technologies and trends. A clear example is the -XPatient Barcelona Congress- that will take place on September 17 and 18 in its fourth edition, and whose focus will be to empower the patient and the care staff to better evaluate their experiences.
The construction of a database where the opinion of a patient or user of the health system is poured is of the highest relevance. Listening to and understanding their health needs, the way they process the information issued by a doctor or nurse, the mechanisms they use to achieve adherence to a treatment, the fears they have when they start taking or injecting a new medication, the way they incorporate self-care into their daily practice, are just some of the examples.
Effective communication is crucial for the improvement and customization of services. This is why, in the information age, the priority is to listen and discover what users expect, what really works and / or what makes them happier, in order to design interventions and health services that ensure adherence to your treatment in the continuum of your health care.
Latin America is progressing gradually in the adoption of Digital Health. More and more countries like Argentina, Chile and Brazil prove to be leaders in technological advances and digital medical implementations. Mexico, meanwhile, being the carrier of more than 122 million mobile telephone lines, will undoubtedly be an important player, since this penetration of devices facilitates the adoption processes, and it is precisely what can maintain the progressive growth in use of technology.
