Can apps improve outcomes for people with heart disease and other chronic diseases? Elizabeth Tracey reports

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Apps to help people manage health conditions are getting more and more sophisticated, with some studies showing they reduce hospitalizations and slow down disease progression. Cardiologist Seth Martin at Johns Hopkins and developer of one such app says use of these apps compares favorably with clinically focused approaches.

Martin: Even if it’s as good but we can increase access to care to people who can’t currently access existing clinical care because of various barriers like cost, or transportation, that’s still a big win. But I think we have the potential to both increase access to care and also take current care to another level because we’re able to use algorithms and send coaching messages through the app. I think we can both scale up existing care and improve it in the long term.  :30

Martin notes that as smart phones become more ubiquitous and privacy concerns are put to rest, more and more of us will be using such apps to manage our health. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.