Privacy Challenges and Goals in mHealth Systems

The global phenomena of mobile technology have encouraged collaborations between national governments and diverse international stakeholders in applying mobile-based health (mHealth) solutions as a powerful opportunity for improving health and development in rural and remote areas. A significant impact offered by modern mHealth technologies includes the potential to transform various aspects of healthcare, improving accessibility, quality, and affordability. Over the years, mHealth has become important in the field of healthcare information technology as patients begin to use mobile-based medical sensors to record their daily activities and vital signs. The rapid expansion of mobile information and communications technologies within health service delivery and public health systems has created a range of new opportunities to deliver new forms of interactive health services to patients, clinicians, and caregivers alike. The scope and scale of mHealth interventions range from simple direct-to-individual consumer and interactive patient-provider communications to more complex computer-based systems facilitating coordinated patient care and management.