Developing a mobile device to record mental health inpatient data

Developing a mobile device to record mental health inpatient data is ongoing progress and will be the future of psychiatry practice. Some of the patients with conditions such as depression already use apps, sleep tracking and activity monitoring devices. They take them to psychiatrists for interpretation of data and second opinions.

Importance mobile device to record mental health inpatient data

1. Data collection outside ward rounds

Wearable devices such as those on Marbela platform allow caregivers and physicians to access a health system that will enable them to use smartphones for managing patient rounding. The devices enable them to specify collecting of patient data outside of general rounding including quality and safety audits. For instance, Marbela apps integrate with systems by other vendors to offer real-time alerts and track mitigation of manual follow-ups. It is a technology that users can apply in clinics, hospitals and even waiting rooms before admission on any mobile device.

2. Simplifies ordering

Mobile devices that use app editions such as CPOE system allows health care providers to order lab reports, scans, medication and other similar services for their mental health patients across hospital departments. Storage for catalogues for patient procedures and drugs is in the mobile CPOE hence providers do not need to rebuild lists for the new patients. They can also "favorite" recurring procedures and medications to save time. For hospitals, the app is an alternative to telephone orders that might cause some organizational inefficiency. It allows providers to track the patient vitals, test results and other related health data such as allergies.

3. Increases diagnostic accuracy

Keeping track of the patient records on paper is cumbersome, and it is the reason medical facilities use computers to lessen this burden and inconveniences. Mobile devices have mental health inpatient data to another level by eliminating the need for written records. Statistics by mHealth on the opinion of physicians shows that most believe the use of mobile devices increases diagnostic accuracy because they together with nurses can keep accurate descriptive notes. It reduces the mistakes that medical professionals make because they are unable to read some of the handwriting.

Mobile apps simplify understanding of entries by running automatic checks on prescriptions and diagnostic decisions. The benefit is that the number of prescription errors is reducing significantly. When physicians use mobile devices with relevant apps as bedside tools, they help to recognise symptoms, causes and specific diseases within a shorter period.

4. Mobile devices allow direct patient management

Psychiatrists in the past had limited access to their patients and data. They could not monitor them when away from the hospital thus could not control the effect of the medicine and directly administer up to date remedies. Mobile devices are now changing this restrictive dynamic.

Wearables, tablets and phones help doctors to take normal vitals and keep logs about their patients. They can directly check up on the progress of a patient with a mobile device that even shows the right way to administer a procedure. They can go ahead and teach the family about various aspects of patient care with mobile communication apps after discharge from the facility.

The use of mobile devices allows providers to take a more active role in managing their patients and guiding them in the right direction. The result is a dramatic improvement in the quality of care.

5. Increased convenience

Every field is replacing bulky sources of information such as journals, books, periodicals and magazines. Medical professionals who are treating mental cases sometimes need to refer to something, and they can use the same medical devices for inpatient data to find helpful information or apply to diagnosis/treatment in past cases. The tool provides better aces of accurate and latest information on drugs because the information that other physicians enter has minimal or no errors.

Mental and other types of healthcare require highly functioning physicians for the best outcomes. They complain of spending much time on data entry and administrative tasks leaving them with a little moment for patient care. Mobile devices are now helping to solve the problem.