Use of Health Apps by Healthcare Consumers

NPR News, The Long List of Health Apps Features Few Clear Winners by Nancy Shute,  reports that although there are 16,257 health apps, but laypersons are not taking an advantage of them.  The most popular are calorie counters and fitness apps.  My FitnessPal is an example.  I have the app, but need to use it. 

It was interesting to read that there are 558 apps for mental health.  Mental health was the most popular topic. 

I suggest that many healthcare providers are not award of apps that might empower healthcare consumers.  I have a learning exercise in one of the courses I teach where students search for apps related to their nursing specialty. Students often share that they were surprised about the availability.  Healthcare providers should evaluate the quality of apps in order to assist patients and families.

You can read more at:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/10/30/241852598/the-long-list-of-health-apps-features-few-clear-winners#!

Use of Mobile Apps for Health Information on the Increase

In the Informatics and Nursing textbook, we have mentioned PEW reports on the use of technology several times.  A new 2012 report provides insight on the use of mobile apps for health information.  You can review the summary of the report or download the entire report at http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Mobile-Health.aspx

In brief - 3,014 English and Spanish speaking people in the United States participated in the study. Interviews were conducted using cell phones and land line phones. Of the participants, 85% owned a cell phone and 53% of the cell phones were smart phones.  Health information was accessed by 53% of smartphone owners and 5% of non-smartphone owners. 

Those statistics are amazing!  It means that cell phones are empowering healthcare consumers.  The challenge that remains is to assist healthcare consumers to scrutinize the validity of websites that they are accessing. 

Medicare Website

Medicare has developed a "consumer friendly" website at http://www.medicare.gov/Default.aspx
It includes links to compare hospitals, nursing homes, and way to find a doctor.  Consumers can search for physicians that accept Medicare as full payment. The site is worth exploring.