Medical Smartphones

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2016-12-22T00:30:00.000-05:00

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Samsung Galaxy Note 7

2016-08-03T00:00:00.000-04:00

Samsung just announced their new Note 7 and this new Android smartphone looks very promising. I wish it had a removable battery (the Note 4 was the last in its series to have a removable battery), but at least the Note 7 has a microSD slot for memory expansion. In case you missed it, Samsung skipped the Note 6 and jumped right to the Note 7.

The Note 7 has some very interesting upgraded features:

Iris scanner
Water resistance
Curved display
USB-C

I've continued with my Note 4 because it has a removable battery and a microSD card slot. Samsung got rid of those features with the Note 5, but brought the microSD slot back in the Note 7. To maintain a slim profile and water resistance, the battery on the Note 7 is not user replaceable.

I'm still a big fan of using a stylus pen for jotting notes, drawing pictures, and marking things up so that I can remember what's important. This is the biggest reason why I don't think I'll be going back to an iPhone soon.

Medical students, residents, and physicians can easily use the built-in stylus pen to jot notes when they're speaking with a patient at the bedside. If you don't always carry a tablet with you, then it's nice to use your smartphone. You can always sync your notes with your other devices.

When will the FDA guidance on mobile medical apps get updated?

2016-04-26T00:00:00.000-04:00

The FDA Guidance on Mobile Medical Apps was released in Feb 2015. Apple has ResearchKit, CareKit, and HealthKit. Developers can build mobile health apps that integrate more closely into the daily lives of individuals using iOS devices.

ResearchKit is a software framework that allows medical researchers gather robust and meaningful patient data.

CareKit is a software framework for apps that let you better understand and manage your medical conditions.

HealthKit APIs work with your user’s shared health and activity data.

We're seeing confusing intersections across disease management, health and wellness, fitness and nutrition, and much more. Innovation is right around the corner, so let's hope that regulatory hurdles don't hinder tremendous opportunities for medical advancement that's powered by these ubiquitous mobile devices.

Optimal smartphone screen size? 5.5 to 5.7"

2015-08-14T20:00:00.000-04:00

Seems like the "phablet" is gaining such popularity that the term may be disappearing as more people start expecting smartphones to have screen sizes in the 5.5 to 5.7" range. The latest Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ and Note 5 fit those dimensions and the Apple iPhone 6 Plus has a 5.5" display.

I'm still a fan of the traditional active digitizer pen, so that's why I'll continue with the Samsung Galaxy Note series (as long as they continue to support the S Pen). I'll pass on the Note 5 for now since I'm a big fan of the removable batter and microSD card slot that I currently have on my Note 4. The newer Note 5 has gotten rid of these features in exchange for a smoother, nicer overall design.

Here's the key question that I'd like to see answered someday: if the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus were priced equally, which would be more popular? Right now, the 6 Plus is $100 more, so I'm sure that deters many potential customers who would prefer the larger screen but is perfectly willing to settle on the smaller iPhone 6.

Apple announces ResearchKit

2015-03-09T20:00:00.000-04:00

Apple is making it easier than ever for anyone to participate in medical research.

Hundreds of millions of people around the world have an iPhone in their pocket. Each one is equipped with powerful processors and advanced sensors that can track movement, take measurements, and record information. With ResearchKit, researchers can easily create apps that take advantage of iPhone features to gather new types of data on a scale never available before.

Mount Sinai, Weill Cornell Medical College, and LifeMap developed their Asthma Health app to gain greater insight into triggers for the disease.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 could be the ideal phablet for medical students

2014-12-28T20:00:00.000-05:00

The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 may be the ideal "phablet" for medical students who are often busy scribbling notes while standing. Maybe I'm from a different era, but I still rely heavily on using a pen. In fact, it still amazes me that other manufacturers are not actively incorporating an active digitizer into their devices. Doing so adds cost and some additional thickness to the overall device, but aren't people still jotting notes and scribbling on their smartphones? You shouldn't have to buy a special Bluetooth stylus pen to write accurately on your screen.

The iPhone 6 Plus is a great phablet if you don't need to "write" on the screen, but I'm still someone who relies too heavily on "inking" (to use some old tablet-PC jargon) directly, which is why I'll always be biased towards devices that offer a solid pen-based interface.

Which iOS app will effectively block "Unknown" callers?

2014-12-21T20:00:00.000-05:00

Lately, some people may have seen an increase of SPAM calls from "Unknown" numbers. You can't easily block these calls since your phone does not recognize a specific phone # to block. Your mobile carrier may be able to block these "Unknown" callers, but you may have to pay a monthly fee for that service.

Shouldn't you be able to block these "Unknown" callers on your iPhone using a mobile app? There are a few apps that offer this capability, but how well do they work?

For many people, it may not be a good idea to block calls from "Unknown" since physicians will often block their phone # (caller ID) so their calls will come in as "Unknown."

Apple Health app in iOS 8

2014-10-03T20:00:00.000-04:00

I've upgraded to iOS 8 on my iPhone and I'm now experiencing the new Apple Health app. I'm feeding it with health and fitness data from MapMyRun, MyFitnessPal, and Jawbone UP. Someday, I wonder if the consumer side of health IT interoperability will allow Apple, Google Fit on Android, and Microsoft HealthVault to share data seamlessly. For now, I'll continue to have my health data stored in different silos that don't talk to each other.

Opioid REMS-compliant education on your mobile device

2014-09-05T20:00:00.000-04:00

The FDA has required a REMS for extended-release and long-acting (ER/LA) opioid analgesics.

Misuse and abuse of opioids has grown to be a serious public health concern about addiction, overdose, and death. REMS-compliant training is a critical component of the ER/LA Opioid Analgesics REMS program.

On July 9, 2012, the FDA approved a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS) for extended-release (ER) and long-acting (LA) opioid medications. The REMS introduces new safety measures to reduce risks and improve safe use of ER/LA opioids while continuing to provide access to these medications for patients in pain.

You can access free online REMS-compliant CME activities on ER and LA opioids CME activities by getting the QuantiaMD mobile app for your smartphone or mobile tablet.

The next iPhone will get announced on Sept 9

2014-08-05T20:00:00.000-04:00

Since the rumors are everywhere, I'm just going to add to it. Sounds like Apple is going to announce the iPhone 6 on Sept 9. The next iPhone may come with a larger screen to keep up with all the larger Android smartphones out there.

So what is the ideal screen size? I used to think that a larger size was better, but I'm always carrying my phone, even when I go for a run. So, the 4" screen of the iPhone 5 is actually an ideal size for me.

What innovations will we see in the new iPhone? I feel like the smartphone market has matured to the point that it's hard to get excited about a new smartphone. We can probably expect a better camera. Maybe the next iPhone will be water resistant like the Samsung Galaxy S5. Maybe the next iPhone will offer a battery-saving option (like what you find on the Galaxy S5). NFC? I doubt it. Built-in wireless charging? That would be nice.

Jawbone UP mobile app adding greater functionality as a health management tool

2014-07-24T20:00:00.000-04:00

The Jawbone UP mobile app has been adding greater functionality as a health management tool. The UP isn't just there to track your physical activity and sleep. Now, it's easier to log your meals and snacks. Plus, UP integrates with the UP Coffee app by Jawbone to see if there may be any correlation between your coffee intake and your sleep duration/quality. The coffee/sleep link is an example of how big data analytics can be driven by consumers who want to know how their coffee consumption pattern impacts their sleep.

The medical community is becoming more aware of the impact of physical activity, sleep, and nutrition on our overall health, impact on disease management, and much more. Medical students don't get enough formal education on these topics when they're in medical school, but perhaps they'll learn naturally by observing and monitoring their own patterns of activity, sleep, and eating. Although I don't have any formal training as a nutritionist, I feel that I'm learning so much about food, nutrition, and eating behaviors by observing (and tracking/recording) my own food consumption.

Phone, Phablet, or Tablet? It's all about the pen.

2014-06-11T19:00:00.000-04:00

These days, everyone seems to be replacing their smartphone every 2-3 yrs. As people consider upgrades, they're often wondering if they should get a phone or phablet. A mobile device that has a screen size between 5.1 and 6.9" is generally considered a phablet (although some may disagree). The iPhone 5 has a 4" screen and there are ongoing rumors about a larger iPhone 6 that will be coming out this fall. The entire Samsung Galaxy series feature larger smartphones and phablets that run Android. Some support an active digitizer pen that allows you to accurate write and scribble on the screen.

The Samsung S-Pen is truly a differentiator in my book, especially for medical students and medical professionals who need to jot things down quickly while standing by a patient's bedside. When you don't always have the luxury to sit down and "type" on your device, writing notes by hand works very effectively. Plus, writing isn't nearly as disruptive in your patient encounter compared to thumb-typing.

I'm a big proponent of the "active digitizer pen" concept and I hope we see more companies embrace the usefulness of a precise stylus pen on a digital mobile device. A smaller smartphone probably doesn't need one, but anything larger than 5" should support an active pen.

Samsung GALAXY S5

2014-04-15T19:00:00.000-04:00

The Samsung GALAXY S5 is the latest flagship smartphone that Samsung has released into the market. I'm still an iPhone user, but if I had to purchase an Android smartphone today, I'd get the S5.

It features a unique battery-saving feature (the screen goes into grayscale mode and disables unnecessary functions) which sounds like it's something that every smartphone should have. How many times has your smartphone run out of power? Or, maybe you've been very close: 5% or 10%. Well, the Samsung "Ultra Power Saving Mode" could be something we see in other gadgets like tablets and laptops.

The S5 also includes a heart rate sensor, although I'm not entirely sure that you're going to get more accurate readings from the S5 compared to using a standard Heart Rate app on your iPhone (placing your finger over the camera and the LED flash lights your finger). Samsung is moving aggressively in the personal fitness and health market, so S Health may gain traction quickly since Samsung also has the Gear Fit - a wearable activity tracker / smartwatch that has a nice color display. I'd like to play around with the Gear Fit, but I don't have a compatible Samsung smartphone or tablet that will work with it. Samsung is building a closed ecosystem for their fitness gadgets.

For health care users, perhaps the most promising feature of the S5 is the fact that it is water resistant when you close the micro USB cover. I don't see other smartphone manufacturers trying to add water resistance to their feature list, so it's nice to see Samsung taking the lead on this one.

Qualcomm acquires PalmOS from HP

2014-01-25T05:00:00.000-05:00

Earlier this week, we heard that Qualcomm acquired PalmOS from HP. I had a Palm Pilot. I still have a few PDAs and smartphones in my personal museum that run various versions of PalmOS. Then, we had WebOS. LG now has WebOS running on some of their television sets.

What will Qualcomm do with all these patents? Perhaps we will see remnants of PalmOS in the next generation of smartwatches sold by Qualcomm. The current Qualcomm Toq smartwatch is a first-generation gadget, but I can see how these smartwatches will eventually incorporate more robust functionality and will need more functional operating systems.

Stay tuned as we learn more about what Qualcomm plans to do.

Fitbit iOS app update transforms your iPhone 5S into a Fitbit

2013-12-30T07:00:00.000-05:00

The latest Fitbit iOS app update now taps that M7 Motion Coprocessor to transform your iPhone 5S into a Fitbit activity tracker. The key question is: do you wear your iPhone all day to make it an effective activity tracker?

The app update also did something unexpected for me - still using a Fitbit Classic from 2011. Read about that here.

Smartphone tip for medical students

2013-12-26T05:00:00.000-05:00

Here is a very simply tip for medical students who carry smartphones in the hospital: carry an external battery pack in your white coat pocket so that you can charge your smartphone. Inevitably, your smartphone battery will go low. You may be looking for a USB port or power outlet to charge your phone, but then you may quickly get called off to see a patient or attend to a Code Blue emergency in the hospital. It's not worth leaving your phone plugged in somewhere.

Keep the battery in your pocket. If your senior resident needs a quick charge, you'll quickly become a hit by offering an easy way to recharge.

Don't miss the FCC mHealth Innovation Expo this Fri

2013-12-02T19:00:00.000-05:00

The Consumer Affairs and Outreach Division of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will be hosting an mHealth Innovation Expo at the FCC on Friday, December 6, 2013.

They are anticipating over 20 exhibitors that will demonstrate medical apps, mobile health care technologies, telehealth solutions and provide medical resources that will help improve health and healthcare for all Americans.

FCC mHealth Innovation Expo
Fri. Dec. 6, 2013
FCC Commission Meeting Room
445 12th St., SW
Washington, D.C. 20554

For more information about the event, visit:
http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2013/db1126/DOC-324410A1.pdf

For a tentative agenda, visit:
http://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-announces-speakers-agenda-mhealth-innovation-expo

Happtique is Looking for Physician Content Reviewers for Mobile Apps

2013-11-08T19:00:00.000-05:00

Note: They have an immediate need for endocrinologists.

Happtique’s Health App Certification Program (HACP) is seeking Physician Content Reviewers with minimum 5 years’ experience and board certification in the areas of endocrinology, pediatrics, OBGYN, behavioral health, primary care, ophthalmology, cardiology, and neurology (open to other areas as well) who will:

• Review of assigned app’s content (inclusive of materials submitted as well as downloading the application on the smart device) based on the HACP Content Standards;
• Provide an informed and professional review of the app being reviewed;
• Provide a pass/fail Content Review Report via Happtique’s portal within 2 weeks but in no event greater than 3 weeks following the assignment;
• For any Content Standard that an app fails to pass, provide succinct commentary and critical comments in a manner that will help the App Publishers use it to remediate the issue and improve the content quality of their app.
• Complete a conflict of interest attestation form for each assignment.

Reviewers need to have experience utilizing health-related smartphone and/or tablet applications.

Assignments are based on Reviewer’s access to the specific device that is needed to review the app. Experiences in the content area technology sphere, inclusive of informatics, mobile, or similar experience preferable as well as prior experience as a peer reviewer for a scholarly journal (online or print). Reviewers will be compensated for their services.

Those interested should contact:
Sandy Maliszewski, Director Health App Certification Program
646-350-0768
Smaliszewski@happtique.com

The Patient Engagement App Challenge

2013-11-04T19:00:00.000-05:00

We know that mobile apps can be effective tools to engage patients. How about engaging patients for enrollment into clinical trials?

If you're an app developer, here is your chance to transform the clinical trial experience for patients — submit apps that educate, engage, and empower participants enrolled in clinical studies.

Clinical research plays a vital role in the process of bringing new treatments to patients and advancing clinical care. However, despite its importance, there are multiple challenges associated with clinical research, with participant engagement and retention being one of them.

The Patient Engagement App Challenge is asking developers from across the globe to submit apps that educate, engage, and empower participants enrolled in clinical studies. Using the Health IT movement as a launching pad, developers can help transform the clinical trial experience for patients by using software to improve patient education, communication, scheduling, medication adherence and more!

Learn more about this app challenge here: http://patientengagement.challengepost.com/

Blueprint Health Winter 2014 Application Is Open

2013-10-15T19:00:00.000-04:00

Blueprint Health has the largest network of mentors with healthcare expertise of any accelerator and co-working space. They pair talented entrepreneurs with experienced healthcare entrepreneurs and venture capitalists to provide start-ups with warm introductions and the strategic and tactical advice needed to succeed.

Blueprint Health Winter 2014 Application Is Open. Learn more and apply here.

AppItUP

2013-10-14T19:00:00.000-04:00

Have a Great Idea for a Mobile App? AppItUP!

AppItUP is a brain child of the University of Pennsylvania's Center for Technology Transfer and UPstart program. You must have a current U Penn email account to submit an idea.

AppItUP is a new mobile application idea challenge designed to gather the best app ideas from the University of Pennsylvania community and connect them with the funding and technical expertise necessary to make them a reality.

Learn more: http://www.appitupchallenge.com

NIH mHealth Training Institute

2013-10-13T18:00:00.000-04:00

The NIH will host a NIH mHealth Training Institute as a satellite meeting for the mHealth Summit. The mHealth Institute is designed to provide behavioral and social scientists tools to successfully add mobile health technologies to their research in a collaborative team environment with mentorship from leaders in the fields of engineering, medicine and the behavioral and social sciences.

The two-day Institute provides participants with an overview of the central multidisciplinary aspects of mobile and wireless research. The training will follow a project form conception through dissemination led by a panel of experts. Participants will be involved in didactic sessions targeting major cross-cutting research issues and interdisciplinary team exercises developing mHealth research projects.

Learn more here.

Rite Aid Named First National Retail Partner of Text4baby

2013-10-04T19:00:00.000-04:00

Text4baby is the nation’s largest mobile health information service, reaching over 600,000 moms since launch in 2010.

In case you missed this last week: "Rite Aid Named First National Retail Partner of Text4baby"

Rite Aid Providing 10,000 Free Flu Shots to Enrolled Moms

Camp Hill, Pa. (Sept. 26, 2013) – Rite Aid Corporation (NYSE: RAD) has been named the first national retail partner of text4baby, the nation’s only free text messaging service for pregnant women and mothers of infants under age one. Rite Aid is bringing its broad consumer reach and reputation as a trusted community health care provider to support text4baby in connecting more women to important health and safety information. In celebration of the new partnership and its ongoing commitment to maternal and child health, Rite Aid is providing 10,000 free flu shots to text4baby mothers this flu season*.

John Learish, Rite Aid senior vice president of marketing explains, “Our partnership with text4baby and founding sponsor Johnson & Johnson directly aligns with our commitment to improving the health and well-being of women, our core customer, and their children. We’re pleased to be able to use our broad customer base and our associates to help connect women to text4baby and the valuable information it provides to mothers.”

Read more »

New Epocrates Bugs + Drugs mobile app

2013-10-03T19:00:00.000-04:00

Download the new Epocrates Bugs + Drugs to find out. This free app is an antimicrobial susceptibility reference that provides geolocated bacterial resistance data to support your clinical decision-making at the point of care. Bugs + Drugs helps clinicians identify superbugs in areas their patients live because it incorporates lab data from more than 15 million patient records sourced from athenahealth's cloud-based EHR.

The CDC recently reported that every year more than 2 million people in the U.S. contract infections that are resistant to antibiotics and at least 23,000 people die as a result. Epocrates and athenahealth understand the growing superbug threat and developed Bugs + Drugs to equip clinicians with the information they need to:

Identify superbugs in the area their patients live
Select an antibiotic based on bacterial susceptibility
Prescribe with confidence using content from the Epocrates Rx® application

Quickly find bacteria observed in your area

One-tap access to a visual listing of bacteria observed in your location, whenever you need it. For added specificity, filter your listing by specimen type (i.e., urine, blood, skin) or change your location to a specific zip code.

FDA issues final guidance on mobile medical apps

2013-09-23T20:00:00.001-04:00

Released from the FDA on Sept 23, 2013:

FDA issues final guidance on mobile medical apps
Tailored approach supports innovation while protecting consumer safety

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued final guidance for developers of mobile medical applications, or apps, which are software programs that run on mobile communication devices and perform the same functions as traditional medical devices. The guidance outlines the FDA’s tailored approach to mobile apps.

The agency intends to exercise enforcement discretion (meaning it will not enforce requirements under the Federal Drug & Cosmetic Act) for the majority of mobile apps as they pose minimal risk to consumers. The FDA intends to focus its regulatory oversight on a subset of mobile medical apps that present a greater risk to patients if they do not work as intended.

Mobile apps have the potential to transform health care by allowing doctors to diagnose patients with potentially life-threatening conditions outside of traditional health care settings, help consumers manage their own health and wellness, and also gain access to useful information whenever and wherever they need it.

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