The war’s not over yet! Mobile help for returning soldiers

More than 10,000 soldiers are expected to return from Iraq in a phased implementation over the next year. Some of them will need medical care – short and long term. Some soldiers are returning with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and other significant injuries. The US Military has taken some of its health care programs mobile in an effort to speed the recovery of these soldiers and track their progress through SMS. This means that, in some cases, soldiers would be able to stay home with their loved ones while recuperating.

In conjunction with AllOne Health, the U.S. Military has launched AllOne Mobile, a wireless application that manages personal health information. This SMS application will allow two-way text messaging between patients and health practitioners. Soldiers can send daily updates on their progress or problems and the AllOne Mobile platform will be able to respond in real time to these messages by passing them onto the relevant parties.

SMS text messages will be sent to patients to ‘touch and remind’ them to access the latest information within their secure health information applications. The individual health information includes such details as insurance coverage, allergies, medical records and other vital information. Security features have been built into the mobile application to ensure the privacy of medical data.

By taking health care mobile, patients can be cared for at home in some instances – communication between medical practitioners and patients can take place hourly or daily via SMS text messages. Besides the obvious advantages that this poses to returning soldiers who want to be with their families and resume their civilian lives, the U.S. Military also benefits.

The cost benefits of moving to a mobile platform are enormous. Just by having patients cared for in their own homes as opposed to expensive health care facilities, the Military saves significantly. SMS text messaging dramatically increases the communication levels between health care practitioners and patients leading to improved recovery results.

SMS is being used in healthcare services all around the world and healthcare is just one of many industries that benefit from this affordable, real-time communication solution. Other industries that have used SMS text messaging to great benefit include financial service companies, social networking sites and applications, transportation companies and governments.

In the case of the U.S. Military’s adoption of this mobile communication platform, they can now provide a two-way SMS communication channel between patients and providers, provide information and medical advice in real time and also avoid bureaucratic delays. All this as well as saving dramatically on hospitalization and office costs.

There is an expanding future for mobile text messaging within the health sector – in some cases SMS messages are even being used as diagnostic tools. Their most obvious benefits to health care organizations are the cost-cutting nature of using mobile messaging and the increased service delivery they are able to offer patients. Some of the world’s largest health organizations such as the National Health Service in the UK have effectively adopted text messaging into their operating systems. This adoption of a mobile platform by the U.S. Military is a welcome step and hopefully it eases the return and re-integration of the brave men and women returning from Iraq.

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