Pictured above: Chris Dyke
Representatives from two of the world's leading mobile phone
service providers will join senior professionals from healthcare
and academia to debate for the first time the future potential of
smart phones and mobile apps for GPs and medics on the move, at the
first of a unique series of events in the West Midlands.
Speakers from Vodafone will explore the security, ethical and
privacy issues of storing, sending and receiving patient data by
mobile phone, and representatives from O2 will reveal the role of a
mobile provider in developing healthcare applications and how
barriers can be overcome, at the one day 'Mobile Healthcare'
conference, organised by Life Science organisation, MedilinkWM.
The event, at Coventry's Ricoh Arena on the 21st July, will give
companies and individuals interested in developing mobile
applications for the medical and healthcare markets, unprecedented
access to valuable market intelligence and research data to get
them started.
"This is a unique forum for innovators, academics and healthcare
professionals interested in exploring the fledgling mobile apps
market in the healthcare sector and the potential for developing
and creating apps," explains MedilinkWM's Chris Dyke, a keynote
speaker at the conference and the organisation's Connectivity
Director.
"MedilinkWM is the only organisation to bring senior
representatives from world-class developers, designers and
providers of apps to the healthcare sector, together with the
healthcare community who will be adopting and using them. The
Conference - the first in a series of 'healthcare mobile apps'
events being organised by MedilinkWM - will address some of the
practical considerations including the approval process for apps
and guide healthcare professionals through the regulatory
framework."
Statistics estimate in the region of 4.5 billion mobile phone
apps will be downloaded worldwide this year, with approximately
1500 different apps within the medical section of the Apple App
store alone.
"Mobile applications for healthcare have moved from the unknown
to something every major provider needs to be part of, but whether
mobile applications truly have a place in healthcare is yet to be
agreed and defined," says Chris Dyke.
"The arguments for how easily apps can be integrated into
everyday life, what issues should be considered, and whether in
fact there is a potential demand and need from healthcare
purchasers, clinical staff, and even patients, are issues central
to the topics to be covered at this conference."
Nick Hunn of the Mobile Data Association will examine the
opportunities for mobile applications in healthcare, whilst
MedilinkWM's Chris Dyke will reveal the findings of a recent survey
the organisation carried out to ascertain current usage and views
amongst GPs of mobile apps. Additional speakers include Trevor
Lewis of Medical Device Consultancy, John Shermer of JSIS Design
and Paula Turnock of EMIS.
"MedilinkWM is all about success through collaboration," says
Chris Dyke, "and we are shortly to expand our collaboration
activities with commercial organisations, clinicians and academics
in the mobile apps for healthcare sector, utilising our contacts
and the views about the market opportunities revealed by our survey
of more than 200 GPs in across the UK."
The Mobile Applications Conference is free to attend and takes
place from 9.30am to 4.15pm on Wednesday 21st July 2010 at the
Ricoh Arena. The series continues in September with a one-day
interactive seminar 'The Killer App!', followed by a programme of
in-depth roundtable discussion groups. For more information
about the conference, event series, or to register, contact Lucy
Watkins, email: Lucy@Applied-Eventology.co.uk, Tel: 0121 452
5633.
MedilinkWM influences and guides public sector initiatives at
regional and national level for the benefit of companies, and
drives research and development by identifying potential markets
for growth and new product commercialisation in the Life Science
market.
For more information about MedilinkWM, please visit their
website here: www.MedilinkWM.co.uk