scholarly journals User Perceptions of Virtual Hospital Apps in China: Systematic Search (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuan Wang ◽  
Yuqiao Liu ◽  
Yancui Shi ◽  
Yanjun Yu ◽  
Jucheng Yang

BACKGROUND Virtual hospital apps are mobile apps that offer functionalities of online consultation, medical guidance, health community forums, referrals, outpatient appointments or virtual hospital-to-home care services. With an increasing number of online medical and health care consulting services, virtual hospital apps have made health care more accessible and fairer for all, especially in China. However, they have occurred without control or regulation. User evaluation can provide directions to help apps optimize identification, lower risks, and guarantee service quality. OBJECTIVE We aimed to conduct a systematic search for virtual hospital apps in China. To get a global view, virtual hospital apps were assessed and characterized by means of quantitative analysis. To get a local view, we conducted a content feedback analysis to explore user requirements, expectations, and preferences. METHODS A search was conducted of the most popular Apple and Android app stores in China. We characterized and verified virtual hospital apps and grouped apps according to quantification analysis. We then crawled apps and paid attention to corresponding reviews to incorporate users’ involvement, and then performed aspect-based content labeling and analysis using an inductive approach. RESULTS A total of 239 apps were identified in the virtual hospital app markets in China, and 2686 informative corresponding reviews were analyzed. The evidence showed that usefulness and ease of use were vital facts for engagement. Users were likely to trust a consulting service with a high number of downloads. Furthermore, users expected frequently used apps with more optimization to improve virtual service. We characterized apps according to 4 key features: (1) app functionalities, including online doctor consultation, in-app purchases, tailored education, and community forums; (2) security and privacy, including user data management and user privacy; (3) health management, including health tracking, reminders, and notifications; and (4) technical aspects, including user interface and equipment connection. CONCLUSIONS Virtual hospitals relying on the mobile internet are growing rapidly. A large number of virtual hospital apps are available and accessible to a growing number of people. Evidence from this systematic search can help various types of virtual hospital models enhance virtual health care experiences, go beyond offline hospitals, and continuously meet the needs of individual end users.

10.2196/19487 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. e19487
Author(s):  
Yuan Wang ◽  
Yuqiao Liu ◽  
Yancui Shi ◽  
Yanjun Yu ◽  
Jucheng Yang

Background Virtual hospital apps are mobile apps that offer functionalities of online consultation, medical guidance, health community forums, referrals, outpatient appointments or virtual hospital-to-home care services. With an increasing number of online medical and health care consulting services, virtual hospital apps have made health care more accessible and fairer for all, especially in China. However, they have occurred without control or regulation. User evaluation can provide directions to help apps optimize identification, lower risks, and guarantee service quality. Objective We aimed to conduct a systematic search for virtual hospital apps in China. To get a global view, virtual hospital apps were assessed and characterized by means of quantitative analysis. To get a local view, we conducted a content feedback analysis to explore user requirements, expectations, and preferences. Methods A search was conducted of the most popular Apple and Android app stores in China. We characterized and verified virtual hospital apps and grouped apps according to quantification analysis. We then crawled apps and paid attention to corresponding reviews to incorporate users’ involvement, and then performed aspect-based content labeling and analysis using an inductive approach. Results A total of 239 apps were identified in the virtual hospital app markets in China, and 2686 informative corresponding reviews were analyzed. The evidence showed that usefulness and ease of use were vital facts for engagement. Users were likely to trust a consulting service with a high number of downloads. Furthermore, users expected frequently used apps with more optimization to improve virtual service. We characterized apps according to 4 key features: (1) app functionalities, including online doctor consultation, in-app purchases, tailored education, and community forums; (2) security and privacy, including user data management and user privacy; (3) health management, including health tracking, reminders, and notifications; and (4) technical aspects, including user interface and equipment connection. Conclusions Virtual hospitals relying on the mobile internet are growing rapidly. A large number of virtual hospital apps are available and accessible to a growing number of people. Evidence from this systematic search can help various types of virtual hospital models enhance virtual health care experiences, go beyond offline hospitals, and continuously meet the needs of individual end users.


Information ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 217
Author(s):  
Heider A. M. Wahsheh ◽  
Flaminia L. Luccio

The widespread use of smartphones is boosting the market take-up of dedicated applications and among them, barcode scanning applications. Several barcodes scanners are available but show security and privacy weaknesses. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive security and privacy analysis of 100 barcode scanner applications. According to our analysis, there are some apps that provide security services including checking URLs and adopting cryptographic solutions, and other apps that guarantee user privacy by supporting least privilege permission lists. However, there are also apps that deceive the users by providing security and privacy protections that are weaker than what is claimed. We analyzed 100 barcode scanner applications and we categorized them based on the real security features they provide, or on their popularity. From the analysis, we extracted a set of recommendations that developers should follow in order to build usable, secure and privacy-friendly barcode scanning applications. Based on them, we also implemented BarSec Droid, a proof of concept Android application for barcode scanning. We then conducted a user experience test on our app and we compared it with DroidLa, the most popular/secure QR code reader app. The results show that our app has nice features, such as ease of use, provides security trust, is effective and efficient.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qing Lv ◽  
Yutong Jiang ◽  
Jun Qi ◽  
Yanli Zhang ◽  
Xi Zhang ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND China has a large population; however, medical resources are unevenly distributed and extremely limited, and more medical services are needed. With the development and ever-increasing popularity of mobile internet communication, China has created a mode of mobile health (mHealth) care to resolve this problem. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was (1) to describe the problems associated with China’s medical care practice, (2) explore the need for and the feasibility of internet-based medical care in China, and (3) analyze the functionality of and services offered by internet-based health care platforms for the management of chronic diseases. METHODS Data search was performed by searching national websites, the popular search engine Baidu, the App Store, and websites of internet medical care institutions, using search terms like “mobile health,” “Internet health,” “mobile medical,” “Internet medical,” “digital medical,” “digital health,” and “online doctor.” A total of 6 mobile apps and websites with the biggest enrollment targeting doctors and end users with chronic diseases in China were selected. RESULTS We recognized the limitations of medical and health care providers and unequal distribution of medical resources in China. An mHealth care platform is a novel and efficient way for doctors and patients to follow up and manage chronic diseases. Services offered by these platforms include reservation and payment, medical consultation, medical education assessment, pharmaceutical and medical instruments sales, electronic medical records, and chronic disease management. China’s health policies are now strongly promoting the implementation of mHealth solutions, particularly in response to the increasing burden of chronic diseases and aging in the population. CONCLUSIONS China's internet-based medical and health care mode can benefit the populace by providing people with high-quality medical resources. This can help other countries and regions with high population density and unevenly distributed medical resources manage their health care concerns.


Author(s):  
Rupananda Misra

An effective intervention tool in self-management and care is the patients' use of mobile-based devices. This tool reflects a paradigm shift in many areas of health management from healthcare professionals to the patients themselves. These mobile devices contribute to a growing public interest in self-care. This new use will save patients not only expensive hospitalization costs and doctor visits but will also save the US treasury millions of dollars. To successfully empower the patients who use these mobile-based tools to manage their own health as well as to see positive health outcomes, Mobile app developers need to consider many things when developing these mobile apps such as an engaging and easy-to-use interface, relevant content, and more. In addition, the developers must secure patient data and ensure user privacy.


In this digital era expectations for medical quality have increased. As the number of patients continues to increase, conventional health care methods are having to deal with new complications. In light of these observations, researchers suggested a hybrid combination of conventional health care methods with IoT technology and develop MIoT. The goal of IoMT is to ensure that patients can respond more effectively and efficiently to their treatment. But preserving user privacy is a critical issue when it comes to collecting and handling highly sensitive personal health data. However, IoMTs have limited processing power; hence, they can only implement minimal security techniques. Consequently, throughout the health data transfer through MIoT, patient’s data is at risk of data leakage. This manuscript per the authors emphasizes the need of implementing suitable security measures to increase the IoMT's resilience to cyberattacks. Additionally, this manuscript per the authors discusses the main security and privacy issues associated with IoMT and provide an overview of existing techniques.


10.2196/10299 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. e10299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qing Lv ◽  
Yutong Jiang ◽  
Jun Qi ◽  
Yanli Zhang ◽  
Xi Zhang ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hikari Takashina ◽  
Kengo Yokomitsu

There are thousands of mobile apps delivering information and offering support and intervention in situations of daily life. The aim of this study was to identify the current state of apps for depressive symptoms or prevention of depression within the official Android and iOS app stores in Japan. The 47 apps for depression available for download from the app stores were evaluated by the App Evaluation Model regarding background information, risk/ privacy and security, evidence, ease of use, and interoperability. Also, we evaluated their primary purpose, technology components, and cognitive-behavioral therapy components. The results suggest that in general few apps have been developed that are evidence-based, secure, and provide the services that users expect. In the future, it will be necessary to develop a framework for developing and disseminating more effective apps. This study is the first review of apps for depression available in Japan and seeks to help create a framework for such apps.


2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shelby Devina ◽  
Waluyo Waluyo

The objective of this research was to examine the effect of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, speed, security and privacy and readiness technology tax payers information to e-Filing usage. The object of this study is the individual tax payers in Tangerang City, Karawaci District. The selection of the sample is determined based on convenience sampling method. Data used in this study was primary data, id est: questionnaires. The respondent in this study were 110. Data analysis technique in this study using multiple linear regression. The result of this study were (1) perceived usefulness have a significant impact towards e-Filing usage; (2) perceived ease of use have a significant impact towards e-Filing usage; (3) speed does not have a significant impact towards e-Filing usage; (4) security and privacy does not have a significant impact towards e-Filing usage; (5) readiness technology tax payers information does not have a significant impact towards e-Filing usage; (6) perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, speed, security and privacy and readiness technology tax payers information all simultaneously, have a significant impact towards e-Filing usage. Keywords: e-Filing usage, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, readiness technology tax payers information, security and privacy.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanjir Rashid Soron

UNSTRUCTURED Though health and shelter are two basic human rights, millions of refugees around the world are deprived of these basic needs. Moreover, the mental health need is one of least priority issues for the refugees. Bangladesh a developing country in the Southeast Asia where the health system is fragile and the sudden influx of thousands of Rohingya put the system in a more critical situation. It is beyond the capacity of the country to provide the minimum mental health care using existing resource. However, the refuges need immediate and extensive mental health care as the trauma, torture and being uprooted from homeland makes them vulnerable for various mental. Telepsychiatry (using technology for mental health service) opened a new window to provide mental health service for them. Mobile phone opened several options to reach to the refugees, screen them with mobile apps, connect them with self-help apps and system, track their symptoms, provide distance intervention and train the frontline health workers about the primary psychological supports. The social networking sites give the opportunity to connect the refugees with experts, create peer support group and provide interventions. Bangladesh can explore and can use the telepsychiatry to provide mental health service to the rohingya people.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nurul Asilah Ahmad ◽  
Shahrul Azman Mohd Noah ◽  
Arimi Fitri Mat Ludin ◽  
Suzana Shahar ◽  
Noorlaili Mohd Tohit

BACKGROUND Currently, the use of smartphones to deliver health-related content has experienced a rapid growth, with more than 165,000 mobile health (mHealth) applications currently available in the digital marketplace such as iOS store and Google Play. Among these, there are several mobile applications (mobile apps) that offer tools for disease prevention and management among older generations. These mobile apps could potentially promote health behaviors which will reduce or delay the onset of disease. However, no review to date that has focused on the app marketplace specific for older adults and little is known regarding its evidence-based quality towards the health of older adults. OBJECTIVE The aim of this review was to characterize and critically appraise the content and functionality of mobile apps that focuses on health management and/or healthy lifestyle among older adults. METHODS An electronic search was conducted between May 2019 to December 2019 of the official app store for two major smartphone operating systems: iPhone operating system (iTunes App Store) and Android (Google Play Store). Stores were searched separately using predetermined search terms. Two authors screened apps based on information provided in the app description. Metadata from all included apps were abstracted into a standard assessment criteria form. Evidenced based strategies and health care expert involvement of included apps was assessed. Evidenced based strategies included: self-monitoring, goal setting, physical activity support, healthy eating support, weight and/or health assessment, personalized feedback, motivational strategies, cognitive training and social support. Two authors verified the data with reference to the apps and downloaded app themselves. RESULTS A total of 16 apps met the inclusion criteria. Six out of 16 (37.5%) apps were designed exclusively for the iOS platform while ten out of 16 (62.5%) were designed for Android platform exclusively. Physical activity component was the most common feature offered in all the apps (9/16, 56.3%) and followed by cognitive training (8/16, 50.0%). Diet/nutrition (0/16, 0%) feature, however, was not offered on all reviewed mobile apps. Of reviewed apps, 56.3% (9/16) provide education, 37.5% (6/16) provide self-monitoring features, 18.8% (3/16) provide goal setting features, 18.5% (3/16) provide personalized feedback, 6.3% (1/16) provide social support and none of the reviewed apps offers heart rate monitoring and reminder features to the users. CONCLUSIONS All reviewed mobile apps for older adults in managing health did not focused on diet/nutrition component, lack of functional components and lack of health care professional involvement in their development process. There is also a need to carry out scientific testing prior to the development of the app to ensure cost effective and its health benefits to older adults. Collaborative efforts between developers, researchers, health professionals and patients are needed in developing evidence-based, high quality mobile apps in managing health prior they are made available in the app store.


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