One thing is for sure in 2014, mobile health apps such as MyFitnessPal, and wearable tech products such as FitBit was a hot topic. But it’s a new year and new opportunity to not only track your health, but manage it as well. While most of us can monitor our bank accounts online, the majority of us don’t have immediate access to our medical information.
Whether you’re a parent or caretaker, frequent business traveler or small business owner, keeping track of your health history, including prescriptions, test results and past appointments becomes more challenging as we grow older. Especially, if you’re working with several doctors for various health issues.
At the most basic level, having online access to your medical history can help coordinate your health across providers. But it should also give you the ability to share chronic illnesses and medications needed with emergency responders or family members during a situation requiring immediate action. With this in mind, anyone and everyone can benefit from having online access to their personal health records.
Thanks to advances in digital health, there are several online tools and mobile solutions available to help you manage your health care. Here are a few companies to get you started.
- FootprintID, a membership based service, allows you to organize all of your important medical information such as allergies and medications, lab reports, EKG’s and CT scans, in one place and take it with you, so you can access it–anytime, anywhere. You can also share your health records and the health of your loved ones via mobile app. With Footprint ID, simply load your health information onto a secure cloud server. Then you can access that information and share your records with your healthcare providers, caretakers or loved ones via mobile app.
- MediSafe helps patients track the timing and dosage of their meds with an online service and mobile app. It also allows you to help your family members with their pill reminders and medication management. Plus whenever you take your pill, you can update your app manually. Â And, if your Med-Friend (family member or caretaker) is notified that you didn’t provide a “check-in” for your medicine, they can remind you, if needed.
- WellDoc’s BlueStar, is the first “Mobile Prescription Therapy app,†cleared by the FDA for people living with type 2 diabetes. The prescription-only app allows people to enter data about their glucose levels, diet, exercise, and other factors, and provide a detailed summary of their progress to the physician for review prior to or during office visits. Plus based on the information entered, BlueStar can give you helpful messages, educational tips, and a shot of motivation in real time; at the moment you need it.
With digital health solutions on the rise, there is simply no excuse not to explore the variety of options available.