This refers to health services supported by mobile devices. The emergence of low-cost smartphones and tablets and the proliferation of health-related apps (over 318,000 to date, according to IQVIA) caused the explosion of the mhealth sector in just the past few years.
Mhealth is based on the premise of ‘care anywhere’ and can include consumer health information, diagnostics, fitness support, remote patient monitoring, video services and text messaging. Over 3 million people in the U.S. reported using a health or fitness app monthly in 2020. Nearly three in 10 adults ages 50-80 said they currently use at least one mobile health app, according to the University of Michigan’s 2021 National Poll on Healthy Aging.
Most mobile health apps are not subject to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations, per guidance issued by the agency in 2015. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has an interactive tool to guide health app developers on regulations that might apply to their products. These include federal consumer and patient privacy laws.