Providers may soon prescribe a smartphone app in addition to drugs and physical therapy as a way to help patients manage medical conditions, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Here are four takeaways:
1. Patients will be able to provide feedback to their physicians in real time between visits via mobile apps.
2. Medical professionals say patients are more willing to integrate mobile apps into their daily routines if physicians prescribe the apps, compared to health apps that consumers download and use without their physicians' involvement.
3. Researchers are currently conducting clinical trials to test the apps that help patients adhere to HIV medications, management inflammatory bowel diseases and asthma symptoms as well as prevent repeat heart problems after a cardiovascular rehabilitation program.
4. A cancer pain management app, ePal, asks patients to assess their pain level over the past 24 hours three times a week, or assess pain any time they experience an exacerbation of symptoms. The app tracks their responses in real time and sends a notification to an on-call clinician if the pain is severe or escalating.
"We want apps to be educational and inspirational, help people adhere to their therapy and enable them to share important information with their doctor," said Joseph Kvedar, vice president, Connected Health, at Partners HealthCare in Boston.