Individuals with chronic conditions and disabilities who are vulnerable to secondary complications often require complex habilitative and rehabilitative services to prevent and treat these complications. This perspective article reviews the evolution of mHealth technologies and presents insights as to how this evolution informed our development of a novel mHealth system, iMHere (interactive mobile health and rehabilitation), and other technologies, including those used by the Veterans Administration. This article will explain the novel applications of mHealth for rehabilitation and specifically physical therapy. Perspectives on the roles of rehabilitation professionals in the delivery of health care using mHealth systems are included. Challenges to mHealth, including regulatory and funding issues, are discussed. This article also describes how mHealth can be used to improve patient satisfaction and delivery of care and to promote health and wellness.

.As the life expectancy of individuals with spina bifida increases, a lifelong need for management of many health issues in a rehabilitation setting has emerged in recent years. Physiatrists, in consultation with a variety of adult specialists, are particularly well suited to manage the common musculoskeletal, skin, bowel, bladder, renal, neurological, and other issues that arise in the adult population. This article reviews the last 20 yrs of literature pertinent to the rehabilitative care of this population, summarizes current evidence-based practice, and identifies key areas in which scientific evidence is lacking and future research is needed.

IMHere: A Novel mHealth System for Supporting Self-Care in Management of Complex and Chronic Conditions