There is great potential for the use of mobile phones in the world of medicine, an expert believes.
Dr Joseph Kim, president of Medical Communications Media and founder of MedicalSmartphones.com, explained the handsets are already being used to great effect in countries such as India and China.
Patients living in remote villages are able to take a picture of ailments such as a rash and then send it to an expert who can examine the condition and advise on the best course of action.
In future, devices could be attached to handsets that can then be used for medical purposes, Dr Kim continued.
"You can use these to look at [a patient's] eyes [and see if] the patient has a cataract or vision problem," he suggested.
Mobile phones could also be used in the treatment of diabetes, as the expert said people with the condition could use technology on their handset to track their blood sugar levels and record what they have been eating.