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doctors and other patients alike to tackle this menace. These
apps are easy to use, mostly free, and are designed to
perform a lot of things for the patients. These apps have a
number of features to assist patients with drug adherence.
The process is simple and starts with the patient uploading
their prescription or filling in the drugs that they are on.
They can then customize alarms, set up emergency
numbers, put a tracker, and other such features. Some apps
even use games to help patients understand the importance
of taking medication on time.
Apps full of features
Different apps offer different features and sometimes
address only a particular concern. Some apps are free of
cost while some are premium and offer much-advanced
features. But most apps do the following:
Set up reminders -- Easiest way to get your dose on time is
to set up alarms. The apps set off alarms at a definitive time
and some even light up the screen with particular colors to
remind the patients of their pending dose. Some even auto-
adjust to the time zones, so that the patients do not mess up
their dosage when traveling to different parts of the world.
Send messages to caregiver -- Some apps send messages to
the patient’s caregiver (mostly family member) and doctor
when they miss a dose. They can then remind the patient to
take their medicine.
Manage family health -- Some apps can help patients deal
with multiple profiles. This allows one member track the
medicine habits of the entire family.
Drug Interaction – Few apps have the feature to let patients
know about drug interactions i.e. if any two or more of
one’s medicines can react and cause issues to his/her
wellbeing. This feature can really help if one takes over-the-
counter drugs with prescribed medicine.
Medical Jargons – Mobile apps can let patients understand
medical terms too. Terms like CR (Controlled Release)
printed on the medicine can often be confusing for patients.
These apps help them crack such codes.
Refill reminders – These mobile apps remind patients in
advance when they are about to run out of their prescribed
medicines.
Contacting Pharmacy -- A few apps let patients upload their
prescription with the pharmacy and get their medicines
door-step delivered when they need it. They even allow the
pharmacy to cross-check with the patient’s doctor to make
sure that the prescribed medicines need to be continued.
Generic Report – Some medicine mobile apps also let
patients record their blood pressure, sugar levels and send
them to their doctors at a fixed time interval (say once in a
month).
These mobile apps are really proving to be a boon
especially for the elderly and those suffering from chronic
illnesses or illnesses like Parkinson where the patient
genuinely forgets to take the pills. Timely reminders,
interactive interface, easy-to-use and manage features,
sounds and lights, all make them suitable for patients across
the world. Some paid and advanced apps even let patients
take a video consultation with their doctors. The world is
getting smarter and better. The world of medicine apps is
slowly recognizing the opportunity and the what this market
can be in the future. Such apps are surely going to make
this world a healthier place!
- Sneha Sinha
|November 2018 | 26