People use their cell phones for a variety of purposes, ranging from taking pictures to playing games. Recent research reveals a number of consumers would also be interested in using their cell phones to monitor their health.

A PricewaterhouseCoopers survey of 2,000 people found that more than 30 percent of consumers would use a cell phone application that would allow them to track and monitor their healthcare. Additionally, 40 percent said they would pay a fee for a service that would allow them to refill medications and access medical records.

PricewaterhouseCoopers leader of health information technology Daniel Garrett says there is a big market for electronic health access.

"There are significant opportunities for physicians, hospitals, health insurers, pharmaceutical companies and medical device manufacturers to market and differentiate themselves using mobile health," says Garrett. "Yet many healthcare organizations are largely ignoring the opportunity to integrate mobile health into other IT efforts such as the implementation of electronic health records."

Consumers can also use their cell phones to find health insurance quotes through their web browser, look for doctors and find other health-related services.

Preventative care can do more than stop people from coming down with certain conditions, it can save the healthcare system a substantial amount of money.

A paper produced by the National Commission on Prevention Priorities estimates that $3.7 billion could have been saved in 2006 if appropriate measures were taken. The research team analyzed costs of 20 proven preventative measures against the potential savings to derive the figure.

Partnership for Prevention president and CEO Dr. Robert Gould says the research highlights the importance of receiving preventative care.

"By quantifying the many lives saved and high cost-effectiveness of clinical preventive services, our study shows that prevention has really gone the extra mile, meeting a standard rarely met by health treatments," says Gould. "The new health care law appropriately makes these services available for most Americans at lower or no cost, but cost reductions alone won't get us there."

Under healthcare reform, health insurance companies will be required to pay for preventative care services for new health plans on or after September 23 of this year. Individuals considering new plans can start off by geting health insurance quotes online.

Cincinnati and Detroit have been chosen as pilot communities for the Beacon Community Program. The initiative aims to use health information technology to improve health problems.

There are currently 15 other communities that are part of the program. More than 100 applications were received for the final two spots. Some of the programs funded are trying to help prevent and better manage diabetes and pediatric asthma, for example. Such conditions have been known to drive up health insurance quotes when people are looking for coverage.

Health information technology national coordinator Dr. David Blumenthal says communities nationwide are ready to embrace health technology.

"Beacon communities are designed to point the way toward maximizing community resources to address specific health goals at the local level, including quality of care, the cost of care, and the health of the whole population," said Blumenthal. "We have seen first-hand through the Beacon application process that a great many communities have promising ideas and are starting to use health IT in innovative ways."

The funding will also help create jobs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says unemployment remains high at 9.5 percent.

Like other initiatives by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, it's hoped that the research and funding will help improve the healthcare system.

Providing optimal care for patients is a goal many health care settings have established. The Detroit Medical Center has learned that they can come closer to achieving that goal through electronic record-keeping.

When it comes to health care, many people are concerned about affordable individual health insurance premiums and quality service.

According to the Detroit Medical Center, more effectively using technology to keep track of medical records has resulted in fewer medical accidents taking place. Fewer medical errors have consequently resulted in additional savings for the hospital system.

DMC chief medical information officer Dr. Leland Babitch notes that using electronic medical records is a win-win situation for all involved.

"The latest surveys show that EMR has helped to reduce medication errors by up to 75 percent," said Babitch. "Obviously, that's a major gain for patients – especially given the fact that medication errors account for the majority of accidental deaths and injuries at U.S. hospitals."

Recently, the government has been making a big push for the healthcare industry to make meaningful use of electronic medical records. The findings from DMC show the potential value of switching over to electronic record keeping.