Is mHealth the American Bandstand of the 21st Century?

The recent death of American music and pop culture icon Dick Clark made me think about how his television show which began in 1957 is similar to mHealth. It initially introduced a type of music, rock and roll, via live performances of the up and coming stars of the day. Rock and roll was rapidly becoming the rage of music for teens. Dick Clark had Elvis and Chubby (no surname necessary), and subsequently Madonna as demonstration projects for the masses, beyond the young crowd. The show did not invent music nor claim to do so. It redefined how it was marketed and accepted. Mobile health technologies, likewise, will not invent but redefine health care.
American Bandstand (AB) presented music types and artists that had just shortly before caught on with young people. It was an outlet for the expression of generational independence and a self-expression. It was a place where one did not need to hold a dance partner and gyrate to the music on television without being self-conscious. How liberating. Who would’ve thought that music would get ‘points’ for having a good beat to dance to independent of its lyrics or melody? Mobile health is one facet of the impact of mobile technologies on our society. There is now what is known as ‘the mobile generation’, a sector of the population which does not use desktop computers. (See http://newlearninginstitute.org/film-series/a-21st-century-education/technology-and-21st-century-learning). Younger people are the predominant adopters of direct to consumer fitness and wellness apps. They are more likely to have smart phones and to use the internet to research health-related issues. However, significant strides are seen in the diffusion of mHealth technology use among older people.
AB was the stimulus for many changes in music. It was both influenced by and influenced changes in popularity of various genres of music. Many types of music showcased there did not fit into a neat marketing label and created a sense of individuality for many until Madison Avenue finally commercialized it. Mobile health technologies are being developed in response to needs of the health care marketplace, but are also changing the way in which providers will approach the delivery of care. They will redefine medicine in terms of personalized approaches to diagnosis and treatment.
Rock and roll showcased on AB was developed out of the love musicians had for the new expressive freedom intuitive in the music. It encompassed many cultures and influences. One need only to think about the introduction of Santana‘s Latin or Bob Marley’s reggae influences to America’s youth. The show broke down racial and cultural barriers. mHealth will hopefully decrease digital and health care divides (see http://davidleescher.com/2012/01/10/decreasing-digital-and-health-divides/).
Music is an integral part of my soul. So is my passion for digital health technologies. So it was natural to put Dick Clark’s passing in terms of what AB was to music and its analogy to mHealth. Comments?