Smartphone Health Care Apps: Empowering Consumer Health Care Technology

Author: Amanda Kidd

Mobile applications are not just for gamers and music lovers. They can also monitor your blood pressure and take control of your sleeping habits. Over the years, we have seen some fantastic applications powered by phenomenal technology and medical industry is no different.

According to a recent survey by Pew to find out the adoption rate of mobile health applications, 9 percent of mobile phone users in America admitted that they have health applications on their phone that allows them to track and manage their health. Some other studies predict that 500 million Smartphone users across the globe will be opting for health care applications by 2015.

HERO Award - US$25,000 Incubation for the most creative mHealth App Idea

August, 2011 - The world will soon be able to claim as many mobile subscriptions as it has, people . With that in mind, the Borderless Healthcare Group Inc. is in search of a HERO (Health Enterprise/Entrepreneur Revolution Officer) with the most innovative idea for a mobile healthcare application that will redefine global healthcare.

The winner will undergo a USD $25,000 incubation program managed by a multi-disciplinary team of experts ranging from renowned medical doctors, medical-legal professionals, investment bankers and telecommunication leaders. He/She will also be flown to Singapore on October 11, 2011 to attend the award ceremony at the inaugural Borderless Healthcare Forum - a week-long event featuring key global opinion leaders from the healthcare TMT (Technology, Media, Telecommunication) and investment space.

Custom Network Solutions from Sprint

Expand your hospital's wireless capabilities with Sprint Custom Network Solutions.

Every second counts. No industry feels this sense of urgency more than healthcare. Now you can modernize your hospital with a customized wireless infrastructure, powered by the Sprint 3G and 4G networks. With the latest smartphones, tablets, apps and more, physicians can monitor patients' treatment from virtually anywhere — inside or outside the hospital.

Download a free whitepaper to learn how mobile devices and tablets can transform healthcare – and how to ensure coverage throughout your entire organization. Go to http://wireless.mysprinthealthcare.com.

With Custom Network Solutions from Sprint, you can:

• Expand coverage and improve signal strength within the hospital to help eliminate dead zones.
• Unify new and existing systems so they can run on a single network.
• Support seamless wireless access to electronic medical records, minimizing time spent searching through files.
• Increase network capacity to handle higher-volume traffic from employees, visitors and contractors with ease.
• Keep patient data confidential with security features incorporated into wireless and wireline networks.

Don't miss the mHealth and social media session at the ACPE Fall Institute

Ari Lightman, professor of digital media and marketing and director of the CIO Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, is teaching "Social Media and mHealth Care" at the ACPE 2011 Fall Institute on Nov. 8 in Scottsdale, AZ. "Doctors need to be very much aware of this because this conversation is going on outside of their purview." Learn more about this session here.

The American College of Physician Executives (ACPE) is the nation's largest health care organization for physician executives — doctors who hold leadership and management positions — who want to boost their leadership skills while adding weight to their CVs.

Texting and HIPAA - are physicians being compliant?

Don't miss this upcoming webinar: HIPAA Texting – What Are You and Your Hospital Doing?
Tuesday, September 27, 2011 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EDT

Physicians are “Super Users” when it comes to smartphones with a penetration rate of 83% compared the general population penetration of approximately 40%. No matter what your hospital policy may be on secure messaging – you can bet that Doctors are texting! We’ve assembled a panel of experts to give you a quick overview on how healthcare providers are using mobile communication and what are the inherent risks to PHI. Legal and compliance experts will weigh in on what HIPAA actually says, as it applies to mobile messaging and a potential risk assessment – what are the potential penalties and exposures? How can you implement a mobile messaging platform that helps Doctors and Hospitals communicate in a secure, compliant, mobile environment on the devices they are already using.

Use of iPad and iPhone for VA employees gets green light

Author: Thuc Huynh, MD

Starting October, employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs will be using iPads and iPhones. The VA staff will be allowed to use the popular Apple devices in accessing encrypted e-mail messages and viewing certain patient data securely through a system like thin clients that will be linked to VA’s clinical information system. Beginning October 1st, iPad and iPhone will join BlackBerry smartphones as the only mobile devices officially approved by the VA.

Many technology experts see information security as the biggest challenge for the VA once it launches the Apple devices among its hospital employees and clinicians. At the start, employees are only allowed to use the iPad and iPhone for the purpose of accessing encrypted e-mail and viewing data of the patient. With proper security controls and appropriate encryption established in the future, the Apple devices may soon be used for storing patient information, says VA CIO Roger Baker.

e-MDs Rounds® for the iPhone

AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — e-MDs, a leading provider of electronic health records (EHRs), announced the launch of e-MDs Rounds® for the iPhone.

The user friendly mobile app combines the power of e-MDs Solution Series™ with the mobility of an iPhone, allowing doctors to remotely and securely key patient information from their EHRs via their mobile device. Using Rounds®, doctors are able to view patient data and scheduling information, capture charges, view results, write prescriptions, and exchange messages internally with staff. The app brings another level of convenience to e-MDs users and further streamlines patient care and office maintenance.

Rounds® is a completely interactive iPhone app that allows busy healthcare professionals to make medical decisions and care for patients while out of their office. The app’s key features include:

I'm speaking about mHealth at "tech rounds" today

Today, I'll be speaking at a local hospital about mobile health (mHealth). Each month, they have an internal CME conference called "Tech Rounds." This was started by their CMIO (Chief Medical Information Officer) who naturally has a passion for technology. They discuss how they can use the latest (and greatest) technology to improve patient care, reduce medical errors, and enhance workflow efficiency. I'll be sharing some slides and answering questions related to some recent advances in the mobile health industry.

iTriage Adds Medication Information for Consumers

Leading Consumer Mobile Healthcare App iTriage Adds Medication Information Through a New, More User-Friendly Interface

Now, one thousand medications can easily be found through the iTriage medications directory or associated with any disease

Lakewood, CO, August 19, 2011 --(PR.com)-- Healthagen® today announced the addition of information on 1,000 medications within its free consumer healthcare app iTriage®, a trusted source for personal healthcare data. In addition, Healthagen introduced a new and improved interface making it easier for users to quickly access all iTriage features.

According to a survey released by the market research firm Knowledge Networks and the Physicians Consulting Network, drug reference tools are some of the most popular mobile applications among physicians. Consumers also demand medication information as it relates to treatment of disease. Whether it is side-effect information, drug interactions, or generic equivalents, consumers want medication details at their fingertips.

Save up to $25 on Skyscape mobile apps

I just got this email from Skyscape and I wanted to share these coupon codes with you:

Save $10 when you spend $50 or more.
Save $25 when you spend $100 or more!

• Get the latest clinical and drug information
• Access the most current journal summaries and tools
• Use cutting-edge mobile resources for students, physicians, nurses or other clinicians

Save through August 31, 2011 at Skyscape.com

Spend $50, Use Coupon Code: MGIJ-CUFR-KPJS
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To take advantage of this offer, enter the Coupon Code during checkout.*

HP will discontinue operations for webOS smartphones

Today, HP announced that they were going to discontinue operations for webOS devices, specifically the TouchPad and webOS phones. HP will continue to explore options to optimize the value of webOS software going forward. Do you recall how much HP spent when they acquired Palm? $1.2 billion! So, what does all this mean? Where will webOS be used in the future?

I anticipate that HP will join HTC, Samsung, LG, and others to develop innovative mobile devices running other operating systems like Google Android or Microsoft Windows Phone.

Bye bye webOS mobile devices. Bye bye Palm Pre. Bye bye TouchPad. It was fun knowing you.

The Epocrates EHR comes with a native iPhone app

Epocrates recently launched their electronic health record (EHR). One of the nice features associated with this EHR is that it also incldues a native iPhone app.

Native iPhone® App allows doctors to stay productive and focused on patient care whenever and wherever needed. Our mobile EHR application provides complete remote access of patient data, so you can view records, update files, or prepare for tomorrow's patients from your office, your home, or anywhere with a Web browser.

Plus, the Epocrates EHR includes Epocrates Essentials, Epocrates Online, and more. You can learn more about Epocrates EHR here.

Google's Motorola Mobility purchase--Who wins, who loses?

Author: Riley Alexander, MD, MBA

The big news this week in the world of mobile was Google purchasing Motorola Mobility--the mobile division of Motorola that handles phones and tablets. This is a big step in the mobile wars being it means Google is actually, full-fledged in the hardware game now. They have dabbled in "curating" or "designing" phones a la the Nexus series, but those were still put together by manufacturing partners (HTC and Samsung) who eventually put out nearly identical phones under their own brand. Now though, Google ha, under its wing, an established player in the mobile arena--so who wins from this and who loses? These thoughts are merely my musings so take them with a grain of salt, but this is what I see from the deal.

NIH mHealth Winter Institute To Take Place at mHealth Summit

The NIH mHealth Winter Institute will run from Dec 5 – 9 at the 2011 mHealth Summit. The institute, funded by a grant from the Foundation for the NIH, will bring together leaders in mobile technology, behavioral sciences and clinical research to lead a cross- training event for early career investigators with interest in mHealth.

2011 NIH Mobile Health (mHealth)
Winter Institute
December 7–9, 2011

Learn more here.

Get ready for enterprise-level mobile health care solutions from Motorola running Android

Here's my prediction for an upcoming headline: "Enterprise-level mobile health care solutions from Motorola running Android." Motorola has a number of enterprise-level handsets, but many of them run a form of Windows Mobile. In the past, Google's Android OS was criticized for its lack of robust enterprise-level security. When you compare Android against systems like BlackBerry, it's hard to find the same types of features, capabilities, functionality that a typical IT administrator would like to have for health care organizations like hospitals and multi-specialty group practices.

With the acquisition of Motorola Mobility, Google may now have the opportunity to innovate on both the hardware and the software level and create mobile health solutions that will dominate the health care industry. BlackBerry and iOS are still popular mobile operating systems among hospital administrators, but it probably won't be long before Android takes over.

What will happen now that Google will acquire Motorola Mobility?

Wow, today was quite a day in the tech world. Google announced that they were going to acquire Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion.

I've used Android smartphones made by Motorola, HTC, Samsung, LG, and others. It seems like even though Android will remain open, this may be the opportunity Google needs to create some customized devices that will have a different level of security compared to other Android devices. Maybe this will allow Android to play at a different level when it comes to enterprise-level solutions for hospitals and health care organizations that require a robust security options that are embedded within the device.

Speaking of Motorola - I had a StarTAC. Did you?

Free iPhone App for Speech Language Pathologists

Virtual Speech Center Inc. Releases a Free iPhone Application for Speech Language Pathologists

Burbank, CA, August 11, 2011 --(PR.com)-- Virtual Speech Center Inc., the provider of online speech therapy (telepractice), announced today the release of Quick Artic, an articulation iPhone application available for free download on Apple’s iTunes App store.

Quick Artic is a free IPhone application for Speech Language Pathologists which contains 566 images tagged with titles and categorized by "phonemes." This easy to use application features a scoring utility which keeps track of the correct and incorrect answers. Quick Artic automatically calculates the score.
The application includes ten most common phonemes in all positions of words. It can be used in speech language therapy or for quick articulation screening.

This is the last week for medical students to get Epocrates for free!

You have until August 14, 2011 to download your FREE subscription of Epocrates® Essentials, our premium drug, disease and diagnostic mobile reference suite. Also, share your opinion in our annual Future Physicians of America survey and enter for a chance to win prizes like an Apple® iPad® 2 or one of five $100 American Express® gift cards.

Plus, we’re giving you a free copy of Clemente’s Anatomy Flash Cards for your iPhone®, iPod touch® or iPad®.

Currently using Epocrates Essentials on your mobile device? This will extend your subscription by a year.

More information here.

Institute for e-Health Policy Turns to Mobile Apps

This came out recently from HIMSS:

Institute for e-Health Policy Turns to Mobile Apps

The Institute for e-Health Policy held its seventh event of this year on July 28th at the Russell Senate Building in Washington, DC. The event, “Rapidly Advancing Mobile and Wireless Applications Toward Improved Chronic Disease Management,” focused on the latest advancements in mobile and wireless applications that aimed at improving chronic disease management.

ResolutionMD Mobile

Back in May, ResolutionMD Mobile was featured on CNN. They recently updated their app in the iTunes App Store:

ResolutionMD Mobile is the only product that delivers anytime, anywhere full-functionality advanced visualization of medical images to your mobile device. Its advanced client-server architecture doesn't require DICOM image data or confidential patient information to be retained on the device, providing clinicians instant access and eliminating data security concerns.

Ubiquitous access to 2D, 3D and MIP/MPR viewing of CT and MR images make ResolutionMD Mobile uniquely suited to deliver acute telemedicine care. Support for both Wi-Fi and 3G allows for cost-effective delivery of world-class care to even the most remote patient populations.

A mobile health app for Windows Phone 7: TrackMyShots

We don't seem to be seeing many mobile health or medical apps for the Microsoft Windows Phone 7 operating system. There are plenty of apps for iOS and Android. There are even medical apps for BlackBerry. For many years, I was a loyal Windows Mobile user. Now, I'm mainly using Android and iOS.

There's a new app called TrackMyShots. Developed by Linxter, Inc., a software development company in Cooper City, Florida, the app was created to help a family friend with multiple sclerosis, said company CEO and founder Jason Milgram.

A free smartphone app, TrackMyShots, is now available to help ease the log-keeping of patients with multiple sclerosis, diabetes and other conditions requiring frequent injections.

The app eliminates the need for bulky log books by allowing the user to record each injection, track injection sites and monitor adverse reactions. Users can set up an ongoing schedule for their injections and get email alerts when it is time for their next shot.

Learn more here: http://trackmyshots.com

Have you tried the Google Translate App with your patients?

The Google Translate app for Android translates speech in real time. It works best if you don't have a heavy accent. Google Translate is a free mobile app (developed by Google) and you can instantly translate text between more than 50 languages. It includes:

Text-to-speech
and
Voice input

Soon, we won't need interpreters because we'll be using our technology, right? Maybe.

Here's a short video showing you Google Translate in action:

How mobile technology can improve patient adherence to medications

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

• Video Roundtable 2: Mobile Health and Digital Communication 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

NurseWorks apps aim to reduce on-the-job stress

NurseWorks apps aim to reduce on-the-job stress, help stem the tide of nurses leaving the profession

One consequence of the nurse shortage is nurses leaving the profession early due to stress. One nurse has developed an organizational tool to alleviate some of that stress.

Orlando, FL – One out of five new registered nurses (RNs) quit before the end of their first year of nursing, according to a 2009 Rnworkproject.org study. Reasons they gave were due to being overworked, overstressed, underpaid and unappreciated.

Nurse Kathy Johnson, found a way to alleviate some of the stress of her job. She cares for up to 40 patients per night at an Orlando nursing home. Johnson created NurseWorks, a series of Android-based apps that provides all the needed checklists, calculators, demos, how-to’s, formulas and timers for routine and not-so-routine tasks. Now nurses can easily have every thing they need right in their pocket including all the patient information they have input which they can refer to when charting.

Build Android Apps Free with 4 New Templates from iBuildApp

iBuildapp.com just release 4 new app templates including one for small business, restaurants, musicians, and E-book publishers. The apps are free to build and are available for a variety of mobile platforms.

Foster City, CA (PRWEB) August 02, 2011

iBuildApp presents four new, amazing, free and professional app templates for small business. With the apps, it’s simple to build Android apps, with no programming skills. The apps can also be built for the iPhone and Andriod phones.

Go to http://www.iBuildApp.com to try out the new templates.

4 new templates on iBuildApp include:

1. Mobile App for Restaurants and Bars
Simple and elegant, this design is perfect for any restaurant or bar. Impress your clients before they walk in the door. Include menus, take reservations, or post pictures of dishes.
2. Mobile App for Musicians
Anyone can build an app to let their fans listen to and follow their music. Add videos, songs and concert dates. Also tie a blog into the iPhone App.
3. Mobile App for E-book Publishers
Publish your book on iPhone! Tell your story and stay connected with your readers.
4. Mobile App for Small Business
With this mobile app a small business can tell their customers everything they need to know about the business.

Med Students! Get Epocrates Essentials for Free - Limited Time!

Author: Brittany Chan, MBA


Attention med students! For the first two weeks of August only, you can get the Epocrates Essentials app, normally $159 for a one-year subscription, for FREE. It's one of my favorite apps for clinical rotations. I just upgraded for free and can't wait to try out all the new features, including information about drugs, dosing, diseases, treatments, and lab interpretation.

This app is available for iPod touch/iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Palm, and Windows Mobile platforms.

Get it here.

Will a mobile app become a standard part of diabetes care?

In a recent study published in Diabetes Care (July 25, 2011), researchers found that "the combination of behavioral mobile coaching with blood glucose data, lifestyle behaviors, and patient self-management data individually analyzed and presented with evidence-based guidelines to providers substantially reduced glycated hemoglobin levels over 1 year."

Does this mean that mobile apps may become an integrated part of diabetes care? In the Mobile Diabetes Intervention Study, patients in the study group had access to the WellDoc DiabetesManager solution. Perhaps managed care organizations will evaluate the return on investment associated with such creative digital solutions for their members.

Here's a brief description of the WellDoc solution:

This fall, WellDoc is commercializing the WellDoc DiabetesManager®, the first mHealth solution cleared by the FDA to provide automated, real-time behavioral patient coaching and clinical decision support for their doctors. Powered by the WellDoc Automated Expert Analytics System™, the software-based system redefines existing conventions of diabetes management for people with type 2 diabetes, providing support to their healthcare providers to extend their care beyond traditional office visits. The WellDoc DiabetesManager is indicated for use by healthcare providers and their adult patients with type 2 diabetes, and is not intended to replace the care provided by a licensed healthcare professional, including prescriptions, diagnosis, or treatment. 

Week 4 of the MD Challenge

This is week 4 of the MD Challenge, a new contest presented by MD Consult. How strong is your clinical knowledge? Complete a clinical case each week from diagnosis to treatment and you'll be registered to win an iPad 2 each week or a grand prize of a Club Med Vacation.

The contest runs for 10 weeks and there are 10 different cases. To play, visit: http://mdchallenge.com

Connect with me on Doximity

I invite you to connect with me on Doximity.

• Connect with over 567,000 US physician colleagues in 87 specialties, including former or current medical school classmates and residents.
• Get more referrals and consults to grow your practice.
• Exchange HIPAA-secure messages, send faxes, share private phone lists, back lines and pagers with physician colleagues you select and confirm.
• Curbside colleagues on clinical cases and stay current with the latest treatment guidelines and medical news in your specialty.

You can find my Doximity profile here.