Does it save me money? The economic impact of mobile health interventions on medical expenditure of diabetic patients

Objective This study evaluates the impact of self-management and support of m-health applications on medication adherence (MA) and the corresponding long-term medical expenditures among patients with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D), using an analytic framework generalizable to other chronic conditions. Materials and Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials were conducted to estimate the synthesized effect of m-health interventions on MA. These results were integrated into a Markov state-transition model to simulate patient transitions among three adherence levels over a 10-year horizon. Medical expenditure data by adherence level were derived from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). Monte Carlo simulation was applied to assess uncertainty and estimate individual- and population-level cost outcomes under baseline and intervention scenarios. Results The meta-analysis showed a significant positive effect of m-health on MA (standardized mean difference = 0.21, 95% CI: 0.14–0.28). Patients in the intervention scenario experienced an average cost reduction of $4400 over 10 years. At the population level, a cohort of 10 000 patients using m-health tools would yield projected direct medical cost savings of $44 million. Discussion This study demonstrates the potential of m-health interventions to improve patient behavior and generate substantial long-term cost savings. By linking behavioral health data to downstream cost outcomes, the study adds to the growing evidence base for informatics-driven population health strategies. Conclusion Our study underscores the importance of integrating digital support tools into chronic disease care and informs policy decisions aimed at integrating health informatics innovations.