The number of health-focused mobile apps continues to climb in response to demand from consumers, particularly young people. Health care professionals are also adding to the demand by increasingly using apps as a way to encourage their patients to pursue healthier lifestyles.
A study from the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics puts the number of health-oriented apps at more than 165,000. About 10 percent of the apps are linked to a device or sensor that provides the user biofeedback and physiological function data.
Another important trend in mobile health apps (also known as mHealth apps) is the increasing role that they play on social networks, as users enjoy sharing their workouts and health progress with their friends and family. A third of all health apps connect to social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, up from 26 percent two years ago.
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However, more choice does not always mean consumers are fully exploring their options. The top 12 percent of health apps account for 90 percent of all health app downloads, and just 36 apps account for half! Clearly, many consumers are simply choosing the app that pops up at the top of the iTunes store.
The medical community understands the potential in the new technology, as shown by the rising number of clinical studies focusing on the effect of mobile apps on patient health. Over 300 clinical studies on apps were conducted last year –– more than twice the number seen two years before. Over half of the studies focus on apps' potential benefit to senior patients.
"While much progress has been made over the past two years, mHealth apps are still far from being a fully integrated component of health care delivery," said Murray Aitken, executive director of the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics. "Health care providers are actively addressing the remaining barriers. These include developing and adopting trusted platforms for ongoing apps curation and evaluation, creating practical reimbursement models and ensuring true interoperability within and across health care systems."
One of the obvious barriers is educating physicians on which apps are best for different patients. Some doctors have already begun prescribing apps as part of patient treatment, however. The study found that the retention rate among those who acquired an app via prescription was 10 percent higher than among those who got the app on their own. And when the app was fitness-related, those with prescriptions were 30 percent more likely to keep at it.
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