Supporting active patient self-care

We are currently confronted with a trend of increased pressure on health care, with associated increasing financial costs, due to an aging society and the expected increase in the prevalence of disability and chronic disease. Finding measures for cost reduction, without sacrificing quality of care, is a significant healthcare challenge. Computing technology offers promising solutions in this respect. In this article, we review contributions made by mobile computing technology in supporting the care process. In particular, we consider mobile decision support with a view to enable patient self-management, transferring part of the clinical care from healthcare professionals to the patient. Mobile computing can play an important role in giving patients an active, decisive role in managing their own disease.