1. Health Apps
Damien Leri (damien@bigyellowstar.com)
April 4, 2014

2. Health App
A computerized interface that a person consciously uses
to promote health of one or more people.
Varieties of apps
● Purpose (communication, data access or analytics, sensing)
● Platform (workstation, laptop, tablet, smartphone, watch, dumbphone, wearables,
sensors and other devices)
● Channel (visual, touch, text, voice)
● User (patients and populations, families, health care teams, researchers, regulators)

3. Advantages of Mobile Phones
● Prevalence of mobile phones spans
socioeconomic gaps.
● Adapting to each person’s daily workflows,
apps can be used when convenient.
● Apps and notifications can provide just in
time behavioral triggers such as reminders
or education.
● Mobile is about the individual. Data can be
personalized to the location, language, and
culture of each person

4. Addressing Health Care Disparities
Socioeconomic barriers to health How health apps can help
Limited access to quality, affordable, and
convenient care providers
Personalized matching of care providers and insurance
options;
Care coordination and navigation
Limited ability to take time off work
Health apps can replace certain face-to-face encounters
with providersLimited transportation options
Limited education about health issues, and
misinformation
Personalized, streamlined, and timely information about
risks and prevention behaviors
Neighborhood effects: negative influences
and lack of positive resources such as
recreation and healthy, affordable food
Help navigating neighborhood risks and opportunities;
Civic empowerment tools to promote community change
Communication barriers such as low literacy
and cultural gaps
Translating doctor-speak into appropriate language,
interactive components, audio, and video

5. Apps for the “Worried Well”
RunKeeper Lift

6. Track Thyself
Nudge
WebMD Allergy Quitter

7. Medical Reference and Robo-triage
WebMD Pregnancy
WebMD
WebMD Baby
Spot a Stroke (A. Heart Assoc.) Pocket First Aid (A. Heart Assoc.)

8. ePatient Communities
Mayo Clinic: Community
PatientsLikeMe

9. Games for Health
Zombies, Run!

10. Self Management and Prescribable Apps
CBT Referee
Consider the sourceMy Game Plan

11. Care Coordination
Mayo Clinic Patient
myChart

12. Targeted Care Coordination
Thal Happy (for thalassemia patients)

13. Text messaging
MedMesg.org
Starthealthier.org, et al.

14. Personal Health Agent
Preventify.me

15. Telemedicine
Africa.telederm.org: asynchronous diagnosis across continents

16. Augmented Reality

17. Big Data

18. Big Data

19. Developer Mindset
● Behavior theory (beliefs, social norms, perceived risks, triggers)
● Accessibility (language & literacy, technology, cost)
● User experience (simple, clear, fun)
● Incentives (short-term results, deeper motivation)
● Quality (reliability, accuracy, performance)
● Trust (privacy, security; trusting the entity who provides the app)
● Tie-ins to other systems (social media, health records, email)
● Notifications (reminders, followups)
● Variety of users and environments (age, mental health, literacy, country, neighborhood)
● Other ingredients (games, family, narratives or emotional appeal, social currency,
● Other barriers (conflicts with other apps, misleading expectations + liability)
● Sustainability (business model, scalability)

22. damien@bigyellowstar.com (Damien Leri)