While I agree with a lot of the comments about the risks of hype, how people quickly lose interest, and the benefits of certification programs, not really sure how different this is from the hype and exaggeration related to other health related products (e.g., diet, exercise equipment) and services (gym memberships). Apps are just tools to help us focus more on our health; whether we do or not, depends on our commitment.
I have used the example of the lowly bathroom scale, which has been with us for close to 2 generations, and yet obesity is soaring. By all means, improve the quality of the apps, but apart from the people who already look after their health through lifestyle, exercise, and nutrition, or those with chronic conditions where apps can make monitoring more convenient, these may be less transformational than we expect.
Barbara Ficarra: Too Much Hype in the Mobile Health App World?.
And some other articles of interest. First, how nurses use smartphones. I have not seen many of my nurses use their smartphones (at least for patient care!) but according to the study cited, nurses tend to use iPhones for reference materials and guides, while doctors use iPads and iPhones more to access electronic records, diagnostic images and reports.
How The iPhone Is Revolutionizing Nursing | Cult of Mac.
And lastly, another piece outlining why doctors are reluctant to use mobile apps:
- Lack of reimbursement
- Bad taste from EHRs
- Many physicians are still ideologically distant from participatory medicine
- Medical apps to not represent sophisticated technology
- Physicians don’t believe medical apps will be effective tools
