For example, there are apps that can remind you when it is time to take medication, and you can also easily look up information such as prescription medication side effects and common symptoms. Although it is important to speak to your physician in person if you have any reason to believe that something is actually wrong with your health, you can still benefit from the usage of many medical apps.
Three Medical Apps Everyone Needs
1. iDoc24
Have you recently noticed a skin change that has you worried? Perhaps you are concerned about the possibility of a melanoma or a rash, but you do not have the time or money to immediately schedule an appointment with your doctor. Fortunately, the iDoc24 app and website can help you determine whether or not an in-person visit is necessary. In a nutshell, this dermatology app enables you to send a couple of photographs of the afflicted area to a dermatologist. Based on these images and the information that you provide, you will receive a recommendation on how to treat the issue and whether or not you need to call your doctor. FirstDerm provides a similar service, and it is available in multiple languages.
2. AmWell
One of the hardest parts about receiving quality medical care is finding the time to fit in regular appointments. Additionally, the cost of going to an urgent clinic after hours can force some people to skip treatment altogether when they need it the most. AmWell offers patients the power to change all of this by seeing a real doctor 24/7 for a video checkup. One of the best aspects of the AmWell app is that you do not need an appointment, and the physician you speak to will let you know if you should schedule a follow-up visit with your primary care doctor. The Doctor on Demand app has similar functionality, and it even offers the opportunity to speak to a psychologist.
3. Patient IO
Maintaining your health requires more than just visiting your doctor regularly. In fact, the level of care that you provide to yourself between appointments can be much more instrumental in the duration and quality of your life. Fortunately, Patient IO has been created to make it much more simplistic for you to keep up to date on your doctor’s instructions. This app enables your physician to send information directly to your smartphone, including reminders, education and health related tasks such as drinking water or taking a walk. RelayHealth and HealthLoop are two additional popular platforms for sharing information. Be sure to ask your physician which app or service they prefer to use.
There are hundreds of other healthcare related apps available for everything from tracking your blood sugar to accessing your medical records. This definitely makes it easier to take a proactive approach toward your health, and you can combine these efforts with wearable technology such as LifeBEAM’s Smart Helmet and Glow Headphones to track your fitness goals and performance.
Taking advantage of this technology is the perfect way to use your smartphone to improve your life. After all, if you fail to take care of your health via medical visits and exercise, you will soon find yourself in the unenviable position of no longer needing a smartphone at all. Instead of going down this dismal road, you can download a few free apps and take control of your health.