Smartphone applications can track all things health-related these days, from calories consumed to miles jogged and hours of sleep logged. And despite the lack of person-to-person interaction they foster, leaders in the San Diego medical industry say these tools are making medicine more personal.
“The idea is to use this technology to reach our patients on a very individual level,” said Dr. John Madison, chief medical information officer at Kaiser Permanente, San Diego.
“Health care is a very specific to an individual but it is also very data driven,” Madison said. “It is important that patients have the information on their health issues in a way that is made specific to them.”
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Madison said Kaiser Permanente is currently in the beta stages of developing dozens of mobile applications and websites to disperse health care information. While Kaiser Permanente has always been on the forefront of researching the benefits of mobile technology, they have increased their efforts due to the recent influx of health applications, the doctor noted.
“We need to fight the snake oil salesman touting that they have the next ‘killer app,’” Madison said. “We need to have some sort of control over what our patients learn. We need to make sure they are getting the correct information.”
Doctors fear that when a patient is diagnosed with a condition, she may seek information from online sources, away from the doctor’s expert eyes. If that information is not correct, the patient could suffer, Madison said.
To combat this possibility, Kaiser Permanente is piloting applications that link patients to answers to specific personal questions. It is also developing applications that help patients control their weight. The apps will provide personalized plans — such as exercise regiments — plus reminders, such as telling patients when to take their medication and the correct dosage.
One of Kaiser Permanente’s apps can monitor depression by keeping track of a patient’s text messaging, email, and phone calls. If a doctor notices a significant drop in the patient’s regular activity, it could be a sign of depression kicking in, as a decrease in social interaction.
Kaiser Permanente is not alone in its mission to develop personalized mobile applications.
Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Centers said their new web portal and mobile application, MySharp, is changing how patients and doctors interact.
Through MySharp, patients can access their medical records, double-check doctor’s orders following visits, be reminded what medications and doses they are on, track lab results, set appointments and communicate with their doctors.
“I feel much closer to my patients knowing they can communicate with me so much easier,” said Dr. Anthony Sacks, chair of family medicine at Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Centers.
Scripps Health San Diego is piloting a similar application.
“We want to engage our patients personally in their own healthcare,” said Don Stanziano, vice president of marketing for Scripps Health. “We need to give them the tools and information they need to manage their health.”
These mobile portals provide answers around the clock. Doctors can assist patients at any time of day, should they so choose.
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