Rock Health welcomes 11 new startups for their fifth class

By Thuc Huynh, MD

Rock Health, the first seed accelerator specifically for health technology startups, has revealed their newest class for the 2013 season.  Eleven startups will have the chance of a lifetime receiving a slew of perks including $100,000 investment, free legal advice, free design help from Cooper Design, and mentorship from tech giants such as Microsoft, Genentech, the makers of Guitar Hero, and more.

This year's class had many services for providers and large healthcare organizations.  But there were a couple patient-centered groups.  To me, there was one company that stood out the most as a promising tool to change healthcare -- Fluid.  Fluid touts they can help people diagnose the flu in minutes, without the need for a doctor's visit.  But how?  A home kit with fluid analysis similar to a home pregnancy test?  A sophisticated question/answer algorithm?  Whatever the case, if it works and is easily accessible to all ranges of patients, then this could be a huge game-changer.  It could decrease unnecessary emergency room visits during the flu season saving a ton of money for the patient which would also decrease the risk of spreading the infection into already ill patients.  I am excited to see what they will bring to the table.

Without further ado, here are Rock Health's 11 startups :

1. Amplify Health - builds population management tools for at risk provider groups
2. Anapsis - a research platform and marketplace for scientific and statistical computing
3. Augmedix - service for medical doctors that's powered by Google Glass
4. CancerIQ - harnesses big data to accelerate personalized cancer care
5. CRIXlabs - builds software for de-risking drug development
6. Fluid - helps people diagnose the flu in minutes, without the doctor's visit
7. Lift Labs - makes active stabilization tools for people living with tremor
8. Sensentia - developing a new breed of intelligent systems for healthcare administration and operation
9. Smart Patients - an online community for motivated cancer patients and their caregivers
10. Spire - a wearable sensor that tracks both physical and psychological fitness to lower stress and increase productivity
11. ThriveOn - delivers mobile mental health programs from screen to treatment customized for every individual

For more information, read the release here.

HealthCare Job Interview - Know Your Mobile Technology

The following is a guest post by Jim Kelly

The healthcare industry is one of the most profitable entities of the US economy. The advent of smartphones as everyday tools has not only merged two vibrantly growing industries, it has provided both patients and providers with a new dimension to medical care. When it comes to applying for a job in the healthcare sector, applicants need to be aware that proficiency with technology, particularly web apps and mobile devices, is becoming a normal job requirement.

During the last few years, trends indicate the healthcare industry in US is improving and jobs are being created after the Obama Care policy of medical insurance. The demand is on the higher side, so that means that even relatively inexperienced graduates have a decent chance of getting a job.

The main context is more centered on the applicant’s ability to work in tough conditions or multitasking skills. And the multitasking part is where mobile devices and web apps are becoming key. Research labs, however, still focus on hiring healthcare professionals with a good research exposure. They would always grill you on your graduate thesis, research aptitude, techniques you’ve learnt and any related innovation ideas that you have in mind.

The Skype Consultation: a Technological Step Too Far?

This guest post is authored by Niqui Stubbs, a 4th year medical student.

In the UK, around 835,000 people make appointments to see their GP every day, and 1 in 10 of these appointments are missed, wasting the doctor’s time as they could have used that appointment to see a patient who actually needed it. Some people may miss their appointment because they forget about it, but some may not be able to attend their GP due to a physical ailment or possibly because they are frail and live in a very rural area. It is because of these reasons that health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, is supporting a new type of GP consultation: the Skype appointment.

This call for video consultations opens up a lot of possibilities for people who were previously unable to see their GP, but also for people who may only have a minor ailment such as a sore throat or runny nose, as these people are unlikely to need a physical examination. The worries though, are centred on this: the fact that a physical examination is not possible.

80% of a diagnosis comes from a well told patient history, but the physical examination still makes up a very important 20%. Without a proper examination by a health professional a rash could be diagnosed as dermatitis when it is in fact meningitis, a headache could be diagnosed as a migraine, when it is really the first sign of dangerously high blood pressure; the video consultation could well be a fast track to a medical malpractice claim. The physical examination is an important part of the consultation as it allows the doctor to confirm his theories of a diagnosis, but also find other signs that the patient may not have been aware of.

Popular iPhone apps for doctors and medical students

Author: Amada Kidd

Earlier ‘app’ was an abbreviation for “application,” which is a program running on a standalone computer. Since smart phones like iPhone have evolved, ‘apps’ now refer to software for handheld device like tablet, phone, iPod, iPhone etc, which are connected to internet. The promising features of mobile apps have made them very useful and popular in the field of medicines and they are becoming an excellent choice for doctors and students pursuing a medical degree.

The reason is that Mobile apps assist and make the procedure easy for doctors to deal with people suffering from various problems. The doctors and hospital staff are able to keep an eye on patients’ signs, even when patients are at home, so that remedial action can be taken at the earliest.

Few of the popular and interesting apps used in medicine are:

1. HeartWise Blood Pressure Tracker: In this iPhone app, data entered by the user is processed and it lets you know your blood pressure, heart rate and weight. This comes very handy as the data can be exported, analyzed and shown to the doctor.

Smartphones perking up the practice of neurology

Author: Amanda Kidd

Introduction
Medical services and cures are going mobile, thanks to the application of smart phones. Applications, generally known as ‘apps’ are software which run on hand held devices. The potential characteristics of mobile apps have been employed in several aspects of medicines. These apps used in smart phones or other devices have a great potential and benefit in the field of neurology as they can give real-time information and help people suffering from neurologic problems. For instance, people who suffer from neurological problem like seizures have to keep track of the frequency, time, duration and even seizure activities. This becomes difficult because the person who suffers from seizures does not remember and it is not possible for parents or family member to be present with him/her every time he/she suffers from seizure. Due to this they are not able to provide the correct information to the neurologist. This lack of correct information does not let the neurologist to diagnose properly and decide on the best course of treatment. Doctors believe that in order to know the correct details of seizure it is desirable that you are there during the seizure (which is not possible).

The new developments related to neurology and mobile apps are:

SeizureTracker.com
This web site was created by Robert Moss. Robert Moss’s son Evan Moss use to suffer from epilepsy seizures and as his seizures became more frequent his parents were not able to record all the details regarding the seizures which were important to be shared with the doctors. The sole purpose of the web site was to be a medium to log seizures’ data and medications, so that it was convenient to be share with doctors. This was a personal initiative of a father for his son but soon it became quite powerful, comprehensive and very useful tool.

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.

Smartphones in Forensic Psychology

Author: Allison Gamble

The increasing popularity of smartphones has made them a ubiquitous factor of modern life. According to figures researched and published by the Pew Internet and American Life Project in April 2009, 53 percent of adults aged 18 to 29 in the United States reported having used a handheld device to access the Internet. When it comes to American small business owners, the figures are even higher: 49 percent report owning a smartphone. As such, the unabated growth of smartphone usage has caught the attention of the legal community, particularly those that work in the field of forensic psychology.

Ten Best Psychology Apps for Smartphones

Author: Allison Gamble

Smartphones offer users access to apps that cover a variety of areas. One area that has a large selection of apps is psychology. Whether you are student working toward getting your psychology degree or a teacher, there are a number of apps that are sure to meet your needs. Besides educational apps, there also mental health applications that can help you resolve an issue or simply de-stress. Here are the ten best psychology apps available on smartphones. The current prices are listed in parentheses.

1. StudySets - Psychology ($2.99)

This is a great app for psychology students as well as anyone who is interested in the topic. StudySets – Psychology provides you with information on key figures in the field, a glossary of terms and the history of psychology. In addition, the app will supply you with detailed information on specific areas such as memory, conditioning and sensation. This great app offers enough information to satisfy the curiosity of anyone interested in psychology.

2. Pocket Pond (Free)

This is one of the best relaxation apps available. Essentially, your screen turns in to a koi pond where you can watch fish peacefully swim around. Listen to a relaxing nature soundtrack while creating ripples in the water by simply touching the screen. You can also feed the fish, scare them and even add thunderstorms. Like a real koi pond, this app provides you with a chance to relax and put your worries aside.

15 iPhone Apps for Medical Professionals

Author: Bailey Harris.

There are many different medical-related apps for the iPhone. Some of the best are either free or low-cost and include multiple features that can be used throughout the day. Here are 15 apps that almost any medical professional would find helpful.

5 Free Android Apps to Boost Health and Fitness

This is a guest post by Rachel Davis.

5 Free Android Apps to Boost Health and Fitness

Exercise has gone hi-tech today; we no longer use just our bodies to get into shape, we also rope in the help of technology to make our workouts informative, interesting, fun, and more bearable. The mobile phone has morphed from being just an instrument used to communicate to a multi-purpose utility gadget – there’s nothing much you cannot do with smartphones. And as the war between the different operating systems heats up, it’s the consumers who stand the most to gain and who end up on the winner’s stand. Hot on the heels of the iPhone and its many apps comes the Android, and although it’s too early to predict who will be the eventual winner, Droid users are already swearing by it. Add to this the fact that the Android OS is not restrictive and used only in one smartphone brand and you can see why this OS may be pulling slightly ahead. So if you’re a Droid user, check out these absolutely free apps that help boost your health and fitness:

• Endomondo Sports Tracker: Monitor your workouts if you’re a jogger, runner, cyclist or walker and keep track of the distance you’ve covered, the average speed of your workout, and the altitude you’ve climbed with this nifty app. It allows you to maintain a history of your exercising habits, and it integrates with your music playlist on your phone and Google Maps to show you where you’ve been and where you have to go.

• Calorie Counter by FatSecret: Want to check if that sandwich you’re going to bite into is as healthy as it claims to be? Use this app to add the number of calories you’ll be adding to your body by eating your sandwich – Calorie Counter allows you to check the calorific value and nutritional information for almost all food items; it’s free to download and use, but please remember that it’s worthless if you still go ahead and eat food after you’ve learned that it’s unhealthy and laden in calories.

• Workout Coach: This app is great for those who don’t jog, walk or cycle for exercise; it allows you to enter details of any workout you’ve done, in the gym or at home or outdoors, including which part of the body you exercised, how long you worked out, and how many reps you did if you’re strength training. You can view a comprehensive history of your workout history and shake up or slow down things accordingly.

• Medicinal Herbs: If you prefer alternative and natural health therapies, this is a must-have app. It provides you with information about all kinds of herbs, including any medicinal property they possess and any side-effects they cause. It also allows you to distinguish between those herbs that are safe and those that are not.

• Fitness Club and Gym Finder: Away from home and frustrated because you cannot work out? Never fear – this app helps you find a gym or fitness club close to your location so you can just walk across and get your daily dose of exercise; great app if you’re on holiday or traveling and don’t want to mess up your regular routine and/or gain weight.

This guest post is contributed by Rachel Davis, she writes on the topic of Radiology degree. She welcomes your comments at her email id: racheldavis65[@]gmail[.]com.

Proloquo2Go iPad App vs. Decicated AAC (speech assistance) Devices

This is a guest post by Britney Baker

Proloquo2Go iPad App vs. Decicated AAC (speech assistance) Devices

In today's smartphone era, apps exist for almost every purpose imaginable. Today, I decided to explore how well apps stack up to dedicated devices that serve the same purpose.

AAC Devices- Proloquo2Go

AAC or Augmentative and Alternative Communication devices are devices that help people with communication or speech impediments effectively communicate with others. Most modern devices are tablet or PDA shaped, so wouldn't the iPhone or iPad be an effective alternative?
Proloquo2Go, an app designed for Apple's iDevices, appears to fill that niche. Proloquo2Go offers the same features of any AAC device, but on a platform people are more familiar with. For a self-conscious impaired teenager or young adult, the iPad or iPhone choice might be appealing in that it isn't anything an ordinary person wouldn't carry. One potential problem is the fact that Proloquo2Go is relatively new and not supported by any numbers or results. Despite lack of scientific results, professionals have pointed out that the organization of Proloquo2Go's extensive vocabulary (over 7000 words) is innovative and intuitive compared to other assistive communication vocabularies.

Mozilla's Seabird Concept Phone: A Dreamy Look into the Future of Smartphones

This is a guest post by Angelita Williams.

Mozilla's Seabird Concept Phone: A Dreamy Look into the Future of Smartphones

While faster and "smarter" smartphones are being brought out on the market with increased frequency, many of us are left wondering what a mobile phone will look like a few decades ahead. A few weeks ago, Billy May, a member of the Mozilla Labs community, released a mobile phone design that he developed in his spare time. Culling together information about technology that's already available and collaborating with others in the community, May put together a collective vision of the next generation of smartphones.

5 Excellent Medical Apps for Patients

This is a guest post by Melissa Tamura.

"There's an app for that." Most of us have heard that slogan at some point over the past year, and for good reason. Thanks in great part to its endless selection of interactive applications--apps--Apple's iPhone is revolutionizing the way we interact with the world around us. Chances are that no matter what we need to do, there probably is an app for it, and that includes staying healthy. So let's take a look at some of the best apps on the market designed for doing just that.

1. Epocrates
Epocrates is often cited as both the first and the number one medical app available for doctors and patients alike. And it's with good reason. This versatile app comes in numerous releases, ranging from free (Epocrates Rx) to $199 per year (Epocrates Essentials Deluxe), and provides the user with instant access to answers to clinical questions, drug information (including side effects and interactions), a medical calculator, and even a pill identifying tool. If there is any app that no patient should be without, it's Epocrates.

How Computers and Smartphones Were Integrated into the Practice of Medicine

This is a guest post by Louise Baker. If you'd like to submit a guest post, please contact me.

How Computers and Smartphones Were Integrated into the Practice of Medicine

When the information age really began to erupt in the consumer market in the 80's, the health and medicine fields were caught somewhat flat-footed, just as most other businesses. As the technology improved and the possibilities increased, it was difficult for hospitals and medical practitioners to take advantage of them.

This continued throughout the internet boom, but even though medicine and medical research has long been a forefront of cutting edge technology, the most advanced technology was remaining on college campuses or in the incubator start up labs far away from patients.

This has changed significantly. Possibly the bellwether of the vast change was the website WebMD, which allowed web surfers to browse actual medical information, and review symptoms and even possible diagnosis. This boom of information for patients became problematic for doctors, as some patients would try and self-diagnose with limited information, or even go so far as to consider the online resources as more valid than a live doctor. Hospitals and medical practitioners had to work to come up with technological methods that were better than what people could find in their own homes.

When Doctors Find Their Smartphones Most Useful

This is a guest post by Paul Hench. Contact me if you'd like to submit a guest post.

When Doctors Find Their Smartphones Most Useful

There’s a surfeit of them today; even so, newer ones keep coming out regularly. No sooner than you’re just admiring your latest smartphone and bragging to your friends about its looks and capabilities than one shinier and supposedly better is released by a competitor. If it’s not a new model, it’s a new operating system or an upgrade of an existing OS. In short, if you own and use a smartphone, you must have immense self control if you want to avoid shelling out hundreds of dollars on model after model.

However, I’ve found that most people with smartphones tend to have their own favorites, and unless they’re really looking for a change, they prefer to stick with one brand and update when that particular brand has a new phone or a new OS. For example, BlackBerry users swear by the convenience that push mail and instant messaging offers; iPhone users wouldn’t change loyalties even if they were offered a free smartphone from a rival brand – they love the fact that they own a status symbol and that there are thousands of apps that they can choose from; and Google has a few converts now with its Android OS – the brand is irrelevant for lovers of this versatile OS which is certainly miles above anything that Microsoft has come up with.

What Should Doctors Look for in Smartphones?

This is a guest post by Kathy Wilson.

If you’re a gadget freak, then you’re probably in both a state of bliss and a state of despair – you feel like a kid in a candy shop because there are so many options to choose from, so many shiny new toys to own, and so many gadgets that vie to give you much more than the competition; but at the same time, your bank balance suffers if you indulge yourself too much and try to keep up with the latest stuff in the market. The world of technology is such that it tempts and teases with rapid advances and shinier gadgets, but if you’re not a millionaire, it’s best to choose your smartphone wisely and according to your need rather than according to the status symbol of the day.

So what do doctors need in a smartphone? Without going into the different brands and various operating systems, any medical professional must own a phone that is:

• User-friendly: If you don’t know how to use all or most of the features in your smartphone, you may as well be carrying around a brick. Before you buy your phone, check if you’re going to find it easy to use. Some people like phones with a touchscreen while others swear off them; some like sliders while others go in for flip phones; and some prefer tried and tested devices like the age-old Blackberry while others want to go in for newer models of the iPhone. Whatever you buy, it’s imperative that you be comfortable with the phone and know how to use all or most of the features.

Showdown: Android Tablet Challenges Apple iPad

This is a guest post by Greg Bartlett.

Despite recent positioning statements by executives from both companies, Google and Apple seem to be increasingly poised to challenge each other in nearly every mobile market. Apple CEO Steve Jobs has taken fire for the iPhone and iPad’s incompatibility with Adobe’s Flash software, and Google has stepped in to ensure that its Android platform fills every feature left vacant by Apple’s technical standards.

Apple has always restricted their approval to only the most basic and reliable of software, while Google seems intent on including everyone. Whether broad compatibility or strict approval processes will win out in the end is anyone’s guess.

Further complicating matters are efforts by third party hardware and cellular companies to produce tablets designed to cut directly into the iPad’s already substantial niche. At the recent Computex electronics show held in Taipei, manufacturers Foxconn and Hardkernel recently debuted their respected entries to the Tablet Market—each running an expanded version of Android. While their touch screens are arguably not as pretty or responsive as the iPad’s, these models certainly tick off the big features: GPS tracking, WiFi, Bluetooth, and an array of USB and storage options.

Top iPhone Games for the Not-So-Professional Medical Professional

This is a guest post by Greg Bartlett.

Top iPhone Games for the Not-So-Professional Medical Professional

Yes, everyone has at least one—don’t pretend otherwise. There are plenty of distractions for doctors on their smartphones, but few games really provide the kind of flexibility a medical professional on the go needs. Here are a few popular options anyone can pick up, play—and when they really need to—put down.

Tetris – Yes, this does seem to be the obvious choice, but the former Soviet Union’s patented productivity killer is an essential time-waster to add to your collection. Controls are solid, graphics fresh. Best of all, a pause and save feature allows the player to keep his or her hard-earned status when the patient finally asks what exactly they’re doing the phone.

Fruit Ninja – Not guaranteed to improve surgical skills, this addictive little 99 cent app is about slicing fruit. Lots of fruit, in many different ways. Wouldn’t recommend it as an outlet for work-related frustration, as the screen does tend to get a little messy—both from fingerprints and the color splashes of disgorged fruit juice.

Four Great Free Medical Android Apps

This is a guest post by Greg Bartlett. Contact me if you'd like to submit an article.

Yes, Android users aren’t receiving the same degree of attention that Apple lovers are. Sure, everyone has to have something in the iPhone and iPad store, but many software developers still consider Google’s Android platform something like optional. That’s changing, and here are four free medical apps for Android that you can get today to convince yourself that someone still cares.

Epocrates. Yes, everyone has this invaluable free reference already. If you don’t, however, consider yourself informed. Download it, use it, love it. While you can find some premium versions at a price, the basic app is more than worth the time to transfer.

Skyscape. Another crucial reference tool, Skyscape provides a wealth of information in the form of calculators, drug guides, and an accessible version of Outlines in Clinical Medicine. The basic, free version may be all you need, but paid content includes more specialized guides and materials.

20 iPad Apps Every Doctor Must Have

This is a guest post by Melissa Tamura. Contact me if you'd like to submit an article. 

20 iPad Apps Every Doctor Must Have

Apple has already stated that iPhone apps will function on the iPad. However, there are also an abundance of current or upcoming apps that no doctor should be caught being without.

1. Blausen Human Atlas. This application is designed to better improve the communication between patients and physicians. Instead of explaining cholecystitis to a patient, a patient could look at videos which better explain them and 3D figures to explain the required surgery.
2. Visual Dx Mobile. This is more of a reference tool than anything, condensing a huge library of medical knowledge into novel format. Its ability to “Find a Diagnosis” is also useful in finding images and further information.
3. Procedures Consult. This is actually a series of applications that offer a wealth of information with regards to medical procedures. A voice narrates throughout informational videos, including those for post-procedure, which highlight important things such as submitting pleural fluid to the laboratory.
4. OsiriX. Recently, this application was used to accurate diagnose a case of acute appendicitis, and it is a mind-blowing experience seeing how well it produces radiology images. Save the trip to the office and reference pictures on this application.
5. Papers. As the name suggests, it is easy to reference papers from this application – specifically, research papers.
6. MDiTV (coming soon). This application is one that streams live videos of surgeries for reference purposes.
7. Grays Anatomy Premium. This application contains thousands of images and comes in at a large download because of that. However, these images can be searched and used to show patients reference pictures or for a doctor to reference him or herself.
8. MD On Call. This will offer residents and medical students essential information to live by when they are on call. The extra space the iPad offers makes it easier to read algorithms on-screen.
9. Dragon Dictation (coming soon). This free application will allows a doctor to dictate words to it and record them for patients or themselves.
10. Wikipanion (coming soon). Though not technically a medical application, it still functions well for medical references upon searching the appropriate terms.
11. Pocket Medicine. Doctors can use the index, drug reference or an algorithm list in order to locate information per diagnosis, or per symptom.
12. 5 Minute Clinical Consult. Powered by Skyscape, this application stores the 715 most common medical conditions and rapid access to treatment, symptoms, follow-up and medications.
13. Washington Manual of Medical Therapeutics (coming soon). A joint partnership of Washington University School of Medicine and Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, this application offers the same as the 5 Minute Clinical Consult but also offers tables and graphics relating to the condition.
14. Clinical Orthopedic Exam (coming soon). This application offers several medical videos to show patients who need a better understanding of different diseases. However, it does have a lack of audio.
15. Writing Pad. This is a notepad-like application, on which a doctor can be free of pen, paper and handwriting. Different colors can be used to highlight portions.
16. iTriage (coming soon). This application gives more options to patients, with options to call 911, research diseases, find a doctor and more.
17. Xprompt. For foreign patients, this application allows for better communications when doctors and patients speak different languages.
18. GI Monitor. This allows doctors and patients to track their symptoms with a user-friendly interface.
19. PubMed Mobile (coming soon). This allows doctors to remotely access PubMed to save articles relevant to their situation for future reference.
20. Low Back Pain Clinical Management Guidelines. This is rather self-explanatory; this offers a reference to guidelines patients should follow when dealing with lower back pain.

Melissa Tamura writes for the Zen College Life directory of online degrees. She most recently wrote about the top online colleges.