Happtique

Happtique is the first mobile application store developed by healthcare professionals for healthcare professionals. Happtique offers healthcare enterprises—like hospitals, continuing care facilities, and physician practices—the ability to create individually branded, secure substores that support employee and patient mobile technology use.

Founded in 2010, Happtique is powered by AppCentral™, a mobile application management company.

Mobile App Using Texting for Diabetes Management

Make sure to read this article on HealthITBuzz titled, "New Mobile App Will Use Texting for Diabetes Management." The new mobile health initiative includes: the American Diabetes Association (ADA), two Beacon Communities (New Orleans and Detroit), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and Voxiva (a mobile technology company).

Here's a snippet from the blog post:

SMS-Based Health Risk Assessment – Connecting Patients to Doctors

The campaign will make a texting-based risk assessment available to anyone with a cell phone, promoting the access number through traditional public health channels.

Here’s how it works:

1. Through their cell phones, individuals will be asked brief questions that assess their risk for diabetes. The user would answer these questions by sending a text.
2. Based on their responses to this text-based assessment, individuals will be connected with the best possible resources for their needs. This may be an online social forum, a discount for a check-up at a local pharmacy, or the phone number for a local health care provider.

The beauty of using mobile technology in this way is that it allows engagement with a much larger population than the health system can manage on its own, while simultaneously tailoring information and resources to the individual.

Read the full story here.

Congratulations to the winner of the Epocrates "Where do you CME?" contest

Congratulations, Dr. James Lim!

Dr. Lim is a family medicine doctor with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Partners in Health practice, based in Delmont, PA. When he's not feeding and caring for 4 young children (that's Addie and Lulu in the photo—6-month-old fraternal twins born on Christmas Eve) and 8 chickens, he teaches medical students at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) Seton Hill, and hopes to get more involved with medical education in the future.

"I use the Epocrates CME because it is convenient and case-based, using individual patients to make it more relevant to my practice...I also have the free version of Epocrates on my iPhone and use it every day, so I'm excited for the upgrade. It's my most commonly used medical resource, and I recommend it highly."
--Dr. James Lim

Sprint Launches 4G Enterprise WAN for Businesses

Industry’s first solution to offer bundled 4G and 3G wireless WAN connectivity, with secure and reliable access to Sprint Global MPLS; Explorer Pipeline experiences significant cost savings and improved productivity

Overland Park, Kan. – June 27, 2011 – Sprint (NYSE: S) now offers businesses Sprint 4G Enterprise WAN (wide area network), a fixed wireless access solution that provides speed, reliability and secure wireless connectivity to the Sprint Global MPLS network. Not only can wireless connectivity open a world of possibilities by allowing people to work virtually anywhere, now Sprint 4G can enable businesses to replace or improve on traditional "wired" options with a solution that is cost-effective, fast and flexible to deploy without compromising bandwidth and network reliability, available within all Sprint 4G markets.

Using mHealth to Work Smarter

You can download this free whitepaper from Intel titled, "Using mHealth to Work Smarter"

A widely used term in the rapidly changing world of mobile technologies for healthcare is mHealth. Initial use of the term often focused on the use of mobile phones and handheld devices to deliver health information and services to consumers in mature nations and to rural citizens in developing nations. In order to address critical global challenges, mHealth should instead be viewed as an umbrella term that covers a wide range of mobile solutions which can help enable governments and health organizations to deliver higher-quality, more efficient healthcare.

Using mHealth to Work Smarter.PDF (301.3 K)

I'm speaking today about "Mobile technology adoption by physicians"

This afternoon, I'll be speaking at the eyeforpharma conference in Philadelphia. My presentation is titled, "Mobile technology adoption by physicians: Current trends and opportunities for the future." I look forward to sharing some of my personal observations and insights I've gained by following the mobile health industry.

RIM in Serious Trouble?

Author: Riley Alexander, MD, MBA

I've said on here before that I feel like RIM is lost in the current smartphone market and they don't seem to have a cohesive plan with what to do with Blackberry in the age of the iPhone and Android. Unfortunately for them, it seems to be getting worse. RIM shares recently hit a 5-year low and their co-CEOs seem to negate that there's a problem--and that seems to intensify the problem to outsiders. With the Playbook essentially a flop and all of their iPhone/touchscreen devices being the same, they're stuck with essentially the same kind of phone (keyboard candy-bar style) and the same kind of client (corporate) that they've always had. And with many companies now allowing their employees to choose their phone, this client is no longer a given. To make matters worse, one of the new features of iOS5 will be iMessage--Apple's version of BBM. Essentially the only "killer app" Blackberry has.

Mobile Health and Digital Communication to Improve Medication Adherence

I invite you to join me in this series of CME activities: "Medication Adherence: The Evolving Role of Technology"

• Video Roundtable 1: Electronic Health Records to Improve Medication Adherence
• Video Roundtable 2: Mobile Health and Digital Communication to Improve Medication Adherence
• Video Roundtable 3: Social Media to Improve Medication Adherence

Medication adherence remains a persistent and pertinent issue in health care. Nonadherence poses challenges to adequate control of the target condition and often leads to further unnecessary complications. Many of the latest practice management and communication technologies afford clinicians the opportunity improve patient medication adherence.

This online series will focus on:

• How EHR tools and functions can improve medication adherence
• How to use mobile and digital communication to promote medication adherence
• How social media can help you communicate and work with your patient population

We're also having a discussion on Sermo about the topic of "Medication Adherence and The Evolving Role of Technology." If you're a physician, please join us in that online discussion.

Enjoyed delivering the opening keynote at the Mobile Health Expo 2011 #MHX2011

I enjoyed delivering the opening keynote at the Mobile Health Expo in NYC. Although the trains were delayed, I finally made it there to share my personal perspective on the mHealth journey over the past 20 years. It's amazing to see how mobile technology has evolved so quickly. The days of the Apple Newton MessagePad and original PalmPilot seem like yesterday. Here we are, living in the era of iPads and smartphones that are becoming ubiquitous.

It's been great to reconnect with friends and colleagues at the Mobile Health Expo. I look forward to seeing everyone at the mHealth Summit in Washington DC.

I'll be in NYC for the Mobile Health Expo #MHX2011

I'm speaking at the Mobile Health Expo today. The trains into NY were delayed this morning, so it's been quite a journey so far. I'm currently on the train and I'm hoping that there are no further delays along the Northeast Corridor.

This morning, I plan to speak about the journey looking at the transformational mobile health industry. This afternoon, I'll be speaking about physicians engaging in mobile education. If you're here at the conference, I look forward to meeting you speaking with you.

ClickMedix

ClickMedix is a global mobile health (mHealth) social enterprise founded by faculty and students from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Carnegie Mellon University to address the following global healthcare challenges:

1. Lack of access: Patients cannot easily reach doctors.
2. Lack of funds: Patients cannot afford the high cost of healthcare, and governments/NGOs are unable to subsidize under-served populations entirely
3. Lack of medical resources: Most countries face severe shortages of trained healthcare professionals, especially medical specialists, to perform adequate diagnosis and quality treatment in rural areas.

Learn more here.

Do Cell Phone Radiation Shields Really Work? No.

Here's what the FTC has to say about cell phone radiation shields:

Listen Up: Tips to Help Avoid Cell Phone Radiation Scams

Whether you call them cell phones, smart phones or mobile devices, it seems like everyone has one. According to the wireless telecommunications industry, the U.S. now has an estimated 300 million mobile subscribers, compared to 110 million subscribers a decade ago. The increase in cell phone use has generated concern about possible health risks related to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields from this technology, and a market for shields as possible protection against the radio waves the phones emit. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation's consumer protection agency, has some practical tips to help you avoid scams and limit your exposure to electromagnetic emissions from your cell phone.

Hospitals Embrace Text Messaging of Emergency Room Wait Times

Patient Satisfaction, Load Balancing Drive Trend

MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--According to Miami-based healthcare technology company ER Texting, Inc., more hospitals are publicizing emergency room wait times through text messaging but for reasons that go beyond driving patient traffic.

Using ER Texting, patients can send a text message to a dedicated SMS short code (4ER411) and instantly receive a message in return which lists the emergency room wait times for participating hospitals in their area. The application enables patients to find hospitals with the shortest wait times using any mobile phone.

EXTENSION Device Messaging

The EXTENSION Device Messaging solution addresses a number of communication challenges that hospitals and medical practices experience every day. EXTENSION Device Messaging enables individuals or groups to receive secure, non-SMS, text-based messages on their preferred end device. It also quietly connects users in the hospital’s communications network, which ensures critical information is delivered quickly and effectively regardless of the recipient’s location.

Key Features:

• Individual or Group Messaging
• Pre-defined or Custom Messaging
• Interactive Messaging – instant, two-way communication
• Message Forwarding

TigerText Providing Secure and HIPAA-compliant Text Messaging Through Industry Leading Physician Scheduling Software

New integrated solution enables clinicians to text message each other directly from the Amion online scheduling through a secure, private mobile network provided by TigerText

June 15, 2011 (Santa Monica, CA) – TigerText, Inc, the worldwide leader in private mobile messaging for consumers and healthcare organizations, today announced its integration with Amion’s industry leading physician and hospital-wide scheduling software. More than 5000 physician groups, residency programs and hospitals currently use Amion’s scheduling service that enables hospital staff to view assignments, submit special requests, swap shifts online and page on-call staff. Now with TigerText, these same customers can enable a private, secure and compliant text messaging network with their existing computers and smartphones. TigerText provides clinicians and administrators with an easy-to-implement solution to increase workflow and reduce risk.

Text2Quit to quit smoking

Quitting smoking is difficult. The average smoker makes at least 6 to 9 quit attempts. Text2Quit is your mobile coach every step of the way.

Text2Quit Overview

• Uses mobile technology combined with evidence-based best practices to help smokers successfully quit
• Incorporates Surgeon General’s smoking cessation guidelines and key lessons from peer-reviewed studies demonstrating effectiveness in helping smokers quit via mobile phone
• Studies have shown that text-based interventions are 2 times more likely to help smokers quit
• Personalized to the user’s profile and supports multiple quit attempts based on their own feedback.
• Text2Quit is developed with smoking cessation and health communication experts from George Washington University

Learn more here.

iPhones Adopted by The Nebraska Medical Center

The Nebraska Medical Center becomes first academic hospital to use iPhones to improve nurse communication

SARASOTA, Fla. June 14, 2011 – Nurses and clinicians at The Nebraska Medical Center, the state’s largest health care facility, will soon be using iPhones to improve their communication and increase efficiency, thanks to Voalté’s first-of-its-kind integrated communication solution. The Nebraska Medical Center is the first academic-based medical center in the country to implement the Voalté solution.

Voalté, an application that consolidates voice, alarm and text on the versatile iPhone platform, was selected by the Medical Center after a year-long mobile technology review and assessment of legacy handsets and voice badges.

Texting Illegally? How Secure Messaging Increases Physician Satisfaction and Keeps You HIPAA Compliant

Free Webinar: Texting Illegally? How Secure Messaging Increases Physician Satisfaction and Keeps You HIPAA Compliant

Speakers:

Dr. James French, Executive Director, Triad Hospitalists at Moses Cone Health System

Date: June 15, 2011
Time: 1:00pm – 2:00pm EST

Free Webinar for iHT2 Constituents

It’s the most illegal activity taking place in hospitals today. But enough about texting. Dr. James French, Executive Director, Triad Hospitalists at Moses Cone Health System in Greensboro, N.C, examines the three simple things his hospital did to improve communication, increase physician satisfaction, and maintain HIPAA compliance using the existing Smartphones nurses and doctors carry in the pockets every day. Every medical practitioner, healthcare executive or hospital administrator should sign up for this lively and informative presentation by one of Healthcare's true visionaries.

Munch 5-a-Day

Munch 5-a-Day is a delicious FREE iPhone app which helps you eat more fruit and vegetables, and maintain a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

Munch 5-a-Day helps users build healthy eating habits. Here's how it works:

• Record your daily intake of fruits and vegetables, set personal goals, generate graphs to monitor your progress.
• Share your progress with friends and family to receive extra encouragement and motivation.
• Earn badges for consistently achieving your goals and munching your way towards a healthier lifestyle!

More details here: http://www.meyouhealth.com/munch-5-a-day/

New Toolkit of Public Health Emergency Text Messages Available

A new toolkit of prepared cell phone text messages advising people how to protect their health after a disaster is now available through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. These messages support state and local emergency managers in disaster response. Residents should contact their local emergency management agency to find out it text message alerts are available in their area and to register.

You can find more information here.

Build an iPhone or Android app: no programming skills required

Here's an interesting press release that came out last week.

iBuildApp Announces New Android App Creator
Now anyone can build an iPhone or Android app free then submit it to an app store with no programming skills required.

San Mateo, CA (PRWEB) June 09, 2011

iBuildApp announced today a new Android app creator called Android Builder. The tool simplifies creating an iPhone and Android apps for smartphones.

The iPhone solution has been live for a few months and has over 10,000 users. Small and large businesses can now easily create apps for Android devices without the need to hire expensive developers.

Verizon 4G LTE Smartphones

Right now, you can choose among 3 Android smartphones on Verizon that run on the 4G LTE network:

• Revolution™ by LG
• DROID CHARGE by Samsung
• ThunderBolt™ by HTC

Based on the number of reviews, the ThunderBolt™ by HTC is the most popular 4G smartphone on Verizon. It was also the first. Although Motorola recently announced the Droid X2, this smartphone is not a 4G smartphone. I wonder why Motorola hasn't come out with a 4G LTE smartphone yet.

Battery life is still a big problem with these early 4G smartphones. That's why I run my ThunderBolt on 3G mode most of the time.

Mobile Health Activity Spreads to Over 4 in 5 Countries, but Remains Limited to Small Scale and Single Issue Projects

Partners welcome landmark mHealth report from WHO

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA (June 7, 2011) – Eighty-three per cent of governments surveyed report at least one use of mobile phones to support health activities in their country, yet the majority of mHealth activities are limited in size and scope, according to a new World Health Organization (WHO) report launched today with support from the mHealth Alliance, the United Nations Foundation and the Vodafone Foundation at the GSMA and mHealth Alliance Mobile Health Summit.

Shut-Down of Windows Marketplace for Mobile and My Phone

If you're using an older Windows Mobile device, pay attention. I received this email from Microsoft the other day:

Shut-down of Windows Marketplace for Mobile Web Site and My Phone Service Notification

June 8, 2011
Dear Windows Mobile 6.x customer:

Microsoft will be discontinuing the My Phone service for Windows Mobile 6.x. We will also be discontinuing the Windows Marketplace for Mobile web site. Because you may be affected, please review the details below:

Windows Marketplace for Mobile Web Site To Be Discontinued

The Windows Marketplace for Mobile web site at http://marketplace.windowsphone.com will no longer be available starting on July 15, 2011. After July 15, 2011, you will no longer be able to browse, buy or download applications for Windows Mobile 6.x phones via the Windows Marketplace for Mobile web site.

The Windows Marketplace for Mobile service will continue to be available on your phone, however. You will continue to be able to browse, buy and download applications for Windows Mobile 6.x on your phone.

Open Networks Drive Innovation in Telemedicine

Sprint’s open approach, network flexibility and proven execution reduces costs, extends accessibility and enhances overall effectiveness of health care

Overland Park, Kan. – June 8, 2011 – How does a wireless carrier make health care delivery more cost efficient and patient friendly? By enabling mobile applications and machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, Sprint (NYSE: S) is on the forefront of telemedicine. The driver of Sprint’s innovation is its “open” strategy, providing opportunities for developers to create innovative applications and solutions for the medical community. It also encourages third-party development, streamlines the process of certifying a product on the network and increases the speed a company can get its product to market.

My wife will need this mobile app any day now...

The BabyTime Contraction Timer is an app that helps you time your contractions.

Just tap the start button to begin timing; tap it again to stop. The app records duration and time between each contraction.

Other features:
-Call your provider with one tap
-A GPS map with directions from where you are to the Vanderbilt labor/delivery entrance
-A contact list to notify family and friends
-FAQs for what to do if your water breaks, if you're having false labor, what to bring with you to the hospital, and more

The BabyTime Contraction Timer is by Vanderbilt University. You can find it on the iTunes app store here.

HP Veer 4G: smallest 4G smartphone on the planet

The HP Veer 4G is the smallest 4G smartphone and it's on the AT&T network. It looks like a mini Palm Pre.

HP Veer gives you an advanced browser and 4G speeds for a fantastic web experience. Notifications instantly display messages, reminders, and Facebook® updates. And there are thousands of popular apps at your fingertips. Plus a full keyboard for firing off messages and a vivid touchscreen that responds to your gestures. Never before has a smartphone done so much and felt so small.

The Veer runs HP webOS (previously known as Palm webOS). By the way, did you notice that the URL Palm.com no longer exists? It redirects to hpwebos.com now.

Has Your Doctor Prescribed a Mobile Health App?

There's an interesting conversation over at WEGO Health about physicians who prescribe mobile health apps for patients. The discussion is titled, "Has Your Doctor Prescribed a Mobile Health App?"

Does your doctor know which mobile apps could help you with disease self management? Does your doctor know which mobile apps you should be using? Whether you have migraines or diabetes, perhaps there are mobile apps that can help you manage your health condition.

Physicians and other health care professionals should be familiar with mobile apps that patients may be using. After all, there could be an app that has misleading or incorrect health information.

Genentech’s BioOncology app (iPhone and iPad)

Genentech’s BioOncology iPad application provides all health care professionals with free access to the latest oncology news, resources and innovation.

Key features include:
-Research: Learn more about Genentech’s innovative compounds designed to target cancer through specific molecular processes
-Clinical Trials: Find Genentech and non-Genentech clinical trials based on tumor type, and access details including de¬sign summary, outcome measures and protocol entry criteria
-News: Read up-to-date oncology news from Reuters
-Useful Links: Access associations & societies, medical databases, and Genentech support services
-Conferences: Search for popular oncology-related U.S. and international conferences
-Grants, Contributions, and Fellowships: Link to a wide range of Genentech-sponsored opportunities for organizations as well as individuals
-Polls: Participate in oncology-related polls and view live results

Learn more here.

Sold my old smartphone on eBay for $200

Over the weekend, my eBay auction ended and I sold an old Droid X for approximately $200. The phone is in excellent condition and it's still under warranty, so someone is getting a really good phone. The normal retail price for the Droid X is currently $399.99 (although you can get it for $149.99 if you sign up as a new customer).

Do you have an old phone laying around? Sell it on eBay and use that money towards a new phone.

What's wrong with this picture?

My friend took this photo in China while he was walking by an "Apple" store. What's wrong with this photo?

Policy Workshop for Smartphones and Other Mobile Devices in Healthcare

Most provider institutions are struggling with policy setting related to the new phenomenon called mHealth. More and more of their clinicians are using smartphones on a daily basis - to access, document, or transmit patient-related information, as well as to confer with their colleagues and to consult online resources through the Internet or mobile apps. Some provider organizations are buying iPhones, iPads, and/or other mDevices for their nurses and physicians. Others are providing funding. Others are allowing clinicians to select and use their own mDevices.  But what about policies for mHealth?

Come to mHealth Initiative's policy workshop for brainstorming and policy guidance about the utilization of smartphones and other mobile devices in healthcare.

Policy Workshop for Smartphones and Other Mobile Devices in Healthcare
10 am - 4 pm - June 21, 2011 - Boston, MA

Here you will have the opportunity to address:

• Integrating mDevices and apps into the workflow
• Legal concerns related to smartphones in your organization: liabilities, obligations, HIPAA requirements, etc.
• What should be allowed? What should be restricted? How to integrate? Who should decide?
• Marketing and efficiency benefits against potential risks
• Revolutionizing internal communications with mDevices
• New patient communication methods
• And more

Workshop chair: C. Peter Waegemann, President, mHealth Initiative

Best Practice decision support from the BMJ Group

Don't miss this medical app for your iPhone:

Best Practice decision support from the BMJ Group

Have confidence in your clinical decisions! Check guidelines and evidence, consult expert opinion, brush up on rare conditions, and confirm that you are taking the correct course of action. Quick, easy access is ideal for clinicians, medical students, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. Authoritative information (from the BMJ Evidence Centre) is structured around the patient consultation, providing quick answers to questions about diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and prevention. An instant second opinion, without the need for checking multiple resources.

Learn more here.