Cancer Care Management through a Mobile Phone Health Approach: Key Considerations

Greater use of mobile phone devices seems inevitable because the health industry and cancer care are facingchallenges such as resource constraints, rising care costs, the need for immediate access to healthcare data of typessuch as audio video texts for early detection and treatment of patients and increasing remote aids in telemedicine.Physicians, in order to study the causes of cancer, detect cancer earlier, act in prevention measures, determinethe effectiveness of treatment and specify the reasons for the treatment ineffectiveness, need to access accurate,comprehensive and timely cancer data. Mobile devices provide opportunities and can play an important role inconsulting, diagnosis, treatment, and quick access to health information. There easy carriage make them perfecttools for healthcare providers in cancer care management. Key factors in cancer care management systemsthrough a mobile phone health approach must be considered such as human resources, confidentiality andprivacy, legal and ethical issues, appropriate ICT and provider infrastructure and costs in general aspects andinteroperability, human relationships, types of mobile devices and telecommunication related points in specificaspects. The successful implementation of mobile-based systems in cancer care management will constantlyface many challenges. Hence, in applying mobile cancer care, involvement of users and considering their needsin all phases of project, providing adequate bandwidth, preparation of standard tools that provide maximummobility and flexibility for users, decreasing obstacles to interrupt network communications, and using suitablecommunication protocols are essential. It is obvious that identifying and reducing barriers and strengtheningthe positive points will have a significant role in appropriate planning and promoting the achievements of mobilecancer care systems. The aim of this article is to explain key points which should be considered in designingappropriate mobile health systems in cancer care as an approach for improving cancer care management.