Every month I team up with U.S. Cellular and share a little about my Samsung Galaxy S7 Smart Phone. This is one of those posts.
It’s that time of year again….New Year’s resolutions. I did a little debate on what I’m going to resolve to do…I’d love to say be more organized, cook more at home, plan ahead, take better care of my income tax records…any of them I’d like to do better…then there is the perpetual watch what I eat a little better….
I don’t know if I am going to make any formal resolution. I’ve done that and been disappointed in myself too many times.
Happily if you are braver than I am and are making some health related resolutions, your smart phone might be able to help you reach those goals.
Today’s mobile devices are empowering people to become more engaged in health and wellness than ever before, and this interest goes beyond apps that count calories or track steps. Smartphones allow us to access and view our health information in an entirely different way. We are just at the beginning of this trend and expect to see more adoption by both patients and doctors in the future. In fact a recent survey by U.S. Cellular 17 percent of smartphone owners used a connected device to monitor their health, nine percent to track their medications and seven percent to monitor their blood sugar.
Mobile devices can do more than track your steps and calories:
Smartphones and tablets, such as the iPhone 7, Samsung Galaxy S7, and the iPad Air 2, have become medical instruments that can provide blood test results, medication information, glucose readings, medical images and much more.
From accessing consolidated electronic health records to calculating the correct prescription dosage, mobile devices play a pivotal role in managing health.
Now, armed with wearables and mobile healthcare apps, individuals can monitor their own health data and get continuous guidance and information from the devices they carry with them every day.
The high-speed network and nationwide coverage U.S. Cellular provides, allows mobile devices to collect data, stay connected to the Internet, and accompany their users anywhere, anytime.
Here are some helpful apps that can help assist in managing chronic diseases:
The Diabetes Tracker with Blood Glucose/Carb Log by MyNetDiary is a comprehensive app helping individuals better understand and control their diabetes and diet. The easy-to-use app allows users to track insulin and medication and set reminders to take their blood glucose.
MySugr Diabetes Logbook is another great app that synchronizes health data automatically via Bluetooth. The app allows users to easily log meals and view glucose graphs.
Helpful apps that monitor your heart, help you track your medications, and keep track of your family’s medical records:
CareZone lets users create a list of medications, dosages and schedules directly from the device’s photo library. The app also documents and shares symptoms with a user’s family or doctor, while providing a place to store vital insurance information and schedule reminders for upcoming appointments.
Instant Heart Rate allows users to measure their heart rate wherever they are by simply placing a finger on the device’s camera. The app records heart rate data and notes each measurement with details on physical activity.
My Medical is a comprehensive record-keeping app for personal medical information. Users can keep track of immunizations, blood pressure, cholesterol, emergency contacts, health insurance and doctor’s information. It will automatically keep track of upcoming appointments on the smartphone’s calendar app. Not only can you keep track of your own medical records, you can also keep track of your kids’, parents’, and others.
Some apps and services give you medical advice for non-emergency situations:
Doctor on Demand (IOS and Android, Free for the app, $49/doctor visit) delivers quick medical advice for non-emergency situations.
The app provides video visits with a board-certified physician, psychologist or more from home or anywhere. There is no subscription fee, but doctor visits are $49.
WOW…times are changing on the medical front. There are so many options for people who want to take better control of their health. At times I complain about technology…I think we all do but other times when I see the help it can provide, I applaud it.
You know…I think I do have a resolution for next year…. HAVE MORE FUN!