Mobile phones: changing health care one SMS at a time

The use of mobile phones in South Africa has increased rapidly and they have become more affordable and available to an increasingly wider population. Their widespread availability has given them the potential to revolutionise health care communication and improve health services. Even before the phone became truly mobile, Haynes et al. found that communication efforts (e.g. telephone contacts) that kept the patient engaged in health care may be the simplest and most cost-effective strategy for improving adherence to chronic medication. (1) Mobile phones can now be used to provide appointment reminders, create treatment adherence systems, record patient diaries, conduct risk assessments, provide information and even conduct research. This article reviews some of the many benefits and functions associated with mobile phone use and health management.