Here's a quick roundup of recent articles that I thought were interesting, relevant to mHealth, and wanted to share! You're welcome in advance for providing you with a one-stop shop of three useful mHealth stories.

1. How Haute Couture Can Explain mHealth 

By Tom Murphy.

Haute couture dresses are gorgeous, but would you wear one in real life? Supercars are amazing and sleek, but is it practical to drive one to and from work? Your mobile health app may look nice, but does it do anything useful?

It is often that the idea of something seems fabulous, but the reality doesn't ring true. The same goes for mobile health apps. This article explores how "sexy" ideas in mHealth don't always result in usable solutions.

Key Takeaway: It's important to make sure your health app offers information that your consumers can use daily and will want to come back to over and over again, not just a few times.

2. mHealth Helps Contain Costs

By Eric Wicklund.

Not only will smartphone health apps improve clinical outcomes, but they will also contribute to revenue savings as well. If "simple" medical issues like stuffy noses and sprained ankles can be managed via a nurse call back from a health app, that saves unnecessary visits to the ER or physician office and consequently, money.

Key Takeway: The more dollars you can save your health organization, the better. It is important to look beyond the walls of your office and find alternative ways to help members and patients take better control of their health.

3. A Complete Guide to Planning a Social Media Presence for Healthcare

By Howard Luks, M.D.

What is your health organization doing for an online social presence? Is your health organization doing anything for an online social presence? If not, this is the article for you. Warning, this is a bit long, but it discusses the pros and positive results that creating an online social presence can give your facility as well as a few how-to's at the end.

Key Takeaway: If your health facility is not participating in social media, online, or mobile strategies, then you are leaving patients, members, and revenue on the table. Start a Twitter account, create calls-to-actions on your website, get a mobile health app STAT!

Image credit: HellN