With the mobile health industry rapidly expanding with no signs of slowing down, the FDA’s regulation of health apps has started to evolve as well. There are now more than 100,000 mobile health apps for Apple and Androids, and Mobile Health Economics has projected that revenues will jump to $26 billion by 2017. In response to this, the FDA has been developing a tailored policy designed to protect patients while also encouraging innovation. While some apps don’t pose any major risk, others carry significant risks if they don’t operate correctly. If you’re concerned about what devices you should and shouldn’t use, here is a list of the best FDA approved health apps, based off an article I found online:
AirStrip ONE: This has evolved from a diagnostic aid that delivers patient data from medical devices to a platform that facilitates mobile interoperability. The platform intends to connect clinicians with patient data and other providers to share data and promote care collaboration.
AliveCor: By snapping on the back of an iPhone, AliveCor Mobile ECG turns your smartphone into an electrocardiogram. To take cardiac measurements, a person presses the device against the skin over their heart. A new feature of the app allows people to keep a digital journal and track their symptoms, activity and diet.
Diabetes Manager: This device captures blood-glucose information and transmits it in real-time. WellDoc’s system offers a personalized coach that can help patients manage their medication and treatment. The device is called BlueStar, and offers a commercial model that also engages a healthcare team in the management of type 2 diabetes.
iExaminer: Welch Allyn designed this, as well as an “ophthalmoscope”, to help with detecting conditions such as retinopathy of prematurity and glaucoma. The ophthalmoscope connects to an iPhone 4 or 4S and allows for providers to store the pictures to a patient file or email and print them.
Mobile MIM: As the first medical app offered through iTunes, this was designed to share images from radiation, oncology, radiology, nuclear medicine, neuroimaging and cardiac imaging. The company plans for this health app to enhance physician access to image scans in an effort to help them consult with peers on challenging cases, reduce image distribution delays and share images with referring physicians, patients and partner institutions.
ResolutionMD: With ResolutionMD, providers are able to securely access patient images and reports through a single practice or large enterprise healthcare system. Providers are able to securely review and collaborate from both web and mobile devices without downloading any sensitive data.
Triton iPad App: In March of last year, the FDA cleared this app, which is used for estimating blood loss during surgery by taking a photo of a blood collection container and analyzing it in the cloud.