In an effort to help patients utilise health apps and other emerging technologies for personal care, a hospital in New Jersey is opening a storefront in its lobby, modelled after the Apple Genius Bar.


At the Morristown Medical Center, the new storefront called "HealtheConnect" will be staffed by full-time experts available to assist patients with any questions they might have on laptops, tablets and smartphones.


According to a report by Pew Research, one in five smartphone owners has a health-related app. The report also projects that an additional 500 million people will be using such apps within a year. Keeping these statistics in mind, the Morristown Medical Center is aiming to tap into the vast potential of consumer-driven mobile health products. This new concept is also in line with a shift to make healthcare more retail-oriented by providing patients and customers with an array of technology services.


Morristown Medical will be among the early adopters of the technology retail side. The hospital is known for its technology initiatives and has been a "Most Wired hospital" for five years running. It recently launched a new health system called Be Well, the first version of four smart phone and table apps that allow for quick access to any relevant hospital information and resources. It has also deployed PatientSecure, a biometric patient identification solution that ensures the correct patient record is used every time.


HealtheConnect will also help train patients to use and comprehend data from a variety of mobile health devices such as fitness trackers, blood pressure monitors, wireless BMI scales and smartphone apps. The lobby will be equipped with charging stations and will also sell digital accessories such as ear buds and charger cords. The hospital also plans to host monthly seminars to educate physicians and the community about health and wellness technology.


“As the health care field continues to adopt technologies to promote health and well-being, we’re happy to provide this resource to help community members further integrate new applications and technologies to improve their own health management,” said David Shulkin, MD, president of Morristown Medical Center, in a statement.


Source: MedCity News

Image Credit: Pixabay 

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eHealth, mhealth, Apps, mobile technology In an effort to help patients utilise health apps and other emerging technologies for personal care, a hospital in New Jersey is opening a storefront in i...