Although there are other social networks out there that function based on proximity, My Hospi Friends helps patients that are hospital-bound make friends. Based in France, the social app hopes to prevent feelings of isolation among long-term patients by helping patients connect with each other.
Some similar location-focused apps help strangers in the vicinity meet or chat, such as passengers in the same flight or those in the same Applebee's chain. My Hospi Friends features similar technology, however, it also serves to solve the social problem of lonely and isolated hospital patients. The digital tool, in addition to being a channel for communication as a social network, is also a service platform. This offers enhanced communication and patient wellness, plus simply entertainment for users.
What's Driving This Trend
- Hospital Social Networking
- Digital tools that encourage hospital social networking can provide enhanced communication and patient wellness opportunities.
- Location-based Social Networking
- Similar location-based social networking services can be adapted to meet the unique needs of long-term hospital patients.
- Mobile Health App Innovation
- My Hospi Friends showcases the potential for mobile health apps to address unmet patient needs, such as reducing isolation or addressing mental health.
Who This Affects Most
- Healthcare Technology
- Innovative healthcare technology companies can create digital tools that enable social connectivity that are specific to patient populations, such as long-term hospital patients.
- Mobile App Development
- Mobile app developers can create social networking platforms, like My Hospi Friends, that address the unique needs of targeted patient groups.
- Mental Health Services
- Mental health professionals and service providers can explore the integration of digital tools into mental health treatment plans to reduce loneliness and social isolation among patients.
