EMPOWERING PATIENTS USING SMART MOBILE HEALTH PLATFORMS: EVIDENCE FROM ARANDOMIZED FIELD EXPERIMENT

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Ghose, Anindya; Guo, Xitong; Li, Beibei; Dang, Yuanyuan
• 署名单位: New York University; Harbin Institute of Technology; Carnegie Mellon University; South China University of Technology
• 刊物名称: MIS QUARTERLY
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0276-7783
• DOI: 10.25300/MISQ/2022/16201
• 发表日期: 2022
• 页码: 151-192
• 关键词: information-technology; IMPACT; TRIAL; management; support; obesity; DESIGN; online; engine; go

摘要

With today's technological advancements, mobile phones and wearable devices have become extensions of an increasingly diffused and smart digital infrastructure. In this paper, we examine mobile health (mHealth) platforms and their health and economic impacts on the outcomes of chronic disease patients. To do so, we partnered with a major mHealth firm that provides one of the largest mobile healthappplatforms in Asiaspecializingindiabetes care. We designed a ndimplementedarandomizedfieldexperiment basedondetailedpatient healthactivities (e.g., steps, exercises, sleep, foodintake)andbloodglucose values from 1,070diabetespatients over severalmonths. Our mainfindings show that the adoptionof the mHealthappleads toanimprovement inhealthbehavior, whichinturnleadstobothshort term metrics (suchas reductioninpatients'bloodglucose and glycated hemoglobinlevels)andlonger-term metrics (suchas hospital visits andmedicalexpenses).Patients whoadoptedthe mHealthappundertook higher levels of exercise, consumedhealthierfood withlower calories, walkedmore steps andslept forlonger times onadaily basis. They alsowere morelikely tosubstitute offline visits withtelehealth. A comparisonof mobile versus PC-enabledversions of thesame appdemonstrates that the mobile versionhas astronger effect thanPC versioninhelpingpatients makethese behavioral modifications withrespect todiet, exercise, andlifestyle, whichultimately leads toanimprovement intheir healthcare outcomes. We alsocomparedoutcomes whenthe platform facilitates per-sonalizedhealthreminders topatients vis-a-vis generic (non-personalized)reminders. Surprisingly, we foundthatpersonalizedmobile messages withpatient-specific guidance canhave aninadvertent (smaller)effect onpatient appengagementandlifestyle changes, leadingtoalower healthimprovement. However, they are more like toencourage a substitution of offline visits by telehealth. Overall, our findings indicate the massive potential of mHealth technologies and platform design in achieving better healthcare outcomes