Healthcare Technology Featured Article

July 31, 2013

An App a Day Keeps the Doctor Away: 5 Apps For Health Management


With our crazy schedules, maintaining our health isn’t always the priority that it should be. Getting sick is an inconvenience more than anything else. That’s why it’s worthwhile to take the extra five minutes to evaluate and keep track of your health choices. These five apps make it easy!

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SleepCycle

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SleepCycle

There’s nothing like that feeling of waking up refreshed. To help you achieve that, SleepCycle sounds an alarm at the point in which your body is in its lightest stage of sleep. Before going to bed, establish a minimum of a 10 minute time frame in which you want to wake up. Select a soothing sound and place the phone face down on the mattress.
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SleepCycle

Throughout the night, SleepCycle uses the sensitive accelerometer in your iPhone to measure your movement patterns in order to wake you up at the most opportune moment. There’s even an “intelligent” snooze feature. SleepCycle also charts a record of your nights of sleep so you can evaluate your habits and make necessary changes to be well rested and productive during your days. The one negative is that the app requires your phone to be connected to a charger all night long. And I’m not so sure they won’t discover negative side effects from sleeping with an electrical device so close to your body one day…
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Zyrtec AllergyCast

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Zyrtec AllergyCast

Does the simple thought of change in season have you reaching for the tissues? Do your sinuses start throbbing at the sight of pollen? Zyrtec Allergycast will help sooth your allergy woes by providing you with an accurate forecast of the pollen index.
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Zyrtec AllergyCast

You can also keep track of your symptoms and types of pollens that most affect you with a daily check-in. The app offers quick tips on identifying the difference between allergies and a cold and on dealing with specific types of allergies from weed pollen and mold to hay fever and pets. With the right information you can start your day off right and be prepared to handle the irritating effects of allergy season.
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Zyrtec AllergyCast

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WebMD

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WebMD

This one is a must-have for all hypochondriacs people with health concerns. Rather than calling the doctor every time something comes up, WebMD offers a reliable and customizable mobile source for all of your health questions. The app allows you to search through symptoms and conditions to identify your diagnosis and make informed choices about your health.
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WebMD

You can also explore treatment options and at-home remedies to ease your aches and pains. Whether you’re having an allergic reaction or get stung by a jellyfish, WebMD offers trustworthy medical advice in seconds. WebMD also includes a Local Health Listings tab where you can search for your nearest physician, pharmacy and hospital. Obviously, this should not substitute professional medical advice, but it will equip you with foundational knowledge and everyday understanding of common health afflictions and treatment recommendations.
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MySugr

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MySugr

Diabetes afflicts millions of people around the world. MySugr is designed to make the mundane process of monitoring and documenting sugar intake and glucose levels easy and fun. The number one diabetes app in six countries, MySugr provides patients with a motivational goal of taming their “Diabetes Monster.”
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MySugr

By the end of the day the user hopes to “tame” the monster by making the right food choices and helping you earn points. A daily chart records a visual of your progress. The navigable app allows you to complete quick entries that record your glucose level and bolus administration. You can gather points by adding pictures, providing the number of carbohydrates, and selecting visual tags. MySugr also offers fun challenges such as exercise regimens or diary entries that you have the option of completing for extra points or in order to unlock more. In a playful and entertaining way, this app is sure to encourage diabetes patient to take control of their health.
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SkinVision

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SkinVision

SkinVision is an app that allows you to keep track of your dermatological health. If you have a mole that you’re concerned about, simply take a picture and have it analyzed in seconds. Taking into consideration your age and gender, SkinVision evaluates the mole’s level of cancer risk by categorizing it as green, yellow or red.
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SkinVision

The archive option allows you to keep a record of your moles and their category of risk. The app can provide more personal feedback if you create a customized profile. You can also check the daily UV exposure of your current location with detailed advice on how to best protect yourself from the sun given the levels. SkinVision also lets you take a quick survey to determine your skin type with recommendations for optimal skin health.


Armed with these five apps, you’ll hopefully find yourself taking fewer trips to the doctor’s office.



Edited by Rich Steeves
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